Two DIY tweed kilt jacket conversions

[MT4Runner]

Two completed upper cuffs





Why would I go to all this effort?







Pinned in place:

[Thomas H]

Thank You for shareing the pictures ,They are great and I am excited about seeing more Looks Great

[MT4Runner]

Last time we checked in with our intrepid fabric welder the right cuff was pinned in place.


I spent over two hours last night basting it to the sleeve, and I haven't finished sewing the lining!!

I basted the end of the sleeve deep inside the cuff, and also basted the cuff to the sleeve about 3/8" down from the top of the cuff. I wanted the cuff to set out from the body of the sleeve so it looks like it's turned up.






Shadow line at the top of the Argyll cuff:








The left cuff is also pinned in place.

[Thomas H]

I am Drooling

That looks great

[MT4Runner]

The front lower hem ran right through the back of the lower buttonhole, so I stitched the buttonhole shut to keep the back facing smooth.




Back hem basted in place. If I did this again, I'd iron in some interfacing, or baste in some hair canvas. I don't want to remove all those stitches at this point!




This is the cut of the jacket. None of the lower seams are stitched yet:




I have never made this many hand stitches in my life!!

The Kitty Cat sporrans were my previous "record".

My Mom is a 99.9% machine sew-er. If she can't fit it under her presser foot, chances are, she's not going to sew it. She taught my brother and I the same ethos. If nothing else, this has been a good learning project for me to make so many hand stitches and do so much basting. I truly appreciate the amount of work in a hand-sewn kilt or bespoke suit jacket.


Headed on a 5-day Christmas road trip--during my wife's turns to drive, I plan to finish sewing the left cuff, the linings on both sleeves, the front curve/facing and the back liner to the back.

[Thomas H]

Have a safe trip and take alot of pics of this process As I am going to
try and follow your lead and do one too.

[MT4Runner]

Not sure about fun, but absolutely challenging and rewarding. I will be very proud to wear it.

If you have enough fabric available, I would highly recommend making the top cuffs out of a single piece of fabric. I had a lot of seams to press and baste.

I will do another with Argyll cuffs, but I will most likely do it with a Long jacket so I have more fabric to work with!



This is my first ever conversion--but I've let down the sleeves on two "trooser" jackets in the past, so had some idea of jacket construction. Nothing like starting with the more difficult elements first!


For a future jackets, I may try to come up with a "button-on" cuff that I could change out for a contrasting or coordinating color.

I've also been piqued by the idea of removeable buttons. Sort of like a cuff link. Set button holes in both pieces of fabric, and sew a cheapo button to the back of your nicer buttons. This way, I could have both antler and pewter buttons for the same jacket--or use the same buttons on different jackets.

Just some rambling thoughts from the engineer in me. I have a weakness for "standardizing" things. Another thought in the back of my head is using a standard snap pattern on sporran flaps so I could trade a leather flap or a full mask flap on multiple sporrans.

Thomas, I see from your sig that you're of Norse and Scots descent like me. I have both nationalities in my blood as well. Mom's Dad was nearly full Scots with a little English, and Mom's mom is "pureblood" Norwegian. Dad is English, Danish, and French. I have countries ringing the North Sea pretty well represented!!

If this jacket gets bone buttons, they'll be carved from some scraps of moose antler that I inherited from my Norwegian great-grandpa who used the material for knife or file handles.

[Thomas H]

Awesome Ideas ,cant wait to see them.

Yes I have both heritages in me as well . On my Dads side I come from Stavanger Norway in 1825 on the Norwegian Mayflower (Slooper)

And on my Morthers side I come from Clan Ferguson.

I have spent the last 5 years not knowing I could even claim My Morthers side.

So when I found out I could I went NUTS
(Everything Scottish ) I loved it .

I have had alot of Norwegian fun But not in the South where I live as there is not much to do here (Viking) but a friend took me to a Highland Game and
got me Hooked of Kilts like a drug -friends ?????? what do you do.

[MT4Runner]

Funny you should mention the Mayflower. My Dad's Dad's Mom's G-G-G-G-G-Grandfather! came over on the 3rd voyage of the actual Mayflower.

(I think I'm counting the generations right--I know it was up my paternal grandfather's mom's line)

I just ran across Oddern's link in his signature and am now seriously considering a tartan in the Norwegian Centennial.
http://www.tartan.no/home/norwegian-centennial-6689


I don't know that I can make any clan claims. My maternal Grandfather was a Shepherd, and his mom was a Mitchell. He was the youngest of 5 and passed away 18 years ago, so I don't have any better way to find out.

I got into kilts 8 or 9 years ago, as "freedom" is a great way to dry out after kayaking--my #1 passion.

[Thomas H]

I like the Norwegian Migration Tartan

http://www.tartan.no/home/norwegian-migration

But I would settle for any of them ,I would love it ,But I am sure they would
be high dollar to get them made . But it is fun day dreaming.