Sarong?

[Nile]

Rob, I just recently received my first 8/16/wool kilt and that was my first impression as well (and, of course, I took out the basting stitches before putting it on). It has about 25 pleats that are approximately 3" deep and it is very heavy. The first time I wore it, it didn't seem to "swing" like my inexpensive acrylic kilt.

As to the "swing", it all happens behind, so you will never actually see it! I can't say that when wearing the kilt, I ever notice anything "swishing" as I walk, others will of course and I suppose if you really need to re-assure yourself, then get a friend to take a film from behind as you walk.

I agree with Jock and as he said, get someone (I used my wife) to observe you from behind to evaluate the "swish". Turns out that the "swish" is just fine on mine, in fact better than the cheap kilt despite the fact that I don't necessarily feel it much.

I believe that this is because my new kilt was tailored for me (just as your kilt was for you) so it fits your waist and your hips. That means that the swishy part is most active below the hips (and therefore, not as noticeable). My cheap kilt is not tailored (doesn't fit as well, of course) so the pleat movement is felt much higher up and seems more active.

Nile

[robgiv]

Basting was removed as soon as I got it home from Scotland.

[Barb T]

Any chance you could post a couple pictures fore and aft, plus maybe one with you walking away from the camera?

[Manxstralian]

Rob, I just recently received my first 8/16/wool kilt and that was my first impression as well (and, of course, I took out the basting stitches before putting it on). It has about 25 pleats that are approximately 3" deep and it is very heavy. The first time I wore it, it didn't seem to "swing" like my inexpensive acrylic kilt.

I noticed this as well when I got my tailored kilt. My cheap PV kilt has the fell stitches ending higher, so I can feel the swing far more. It took a little getting used to, but I find it falls more "square" (as in, it doesn't flare from the hips to the selvedge) in comparison.

Cheers,

Cameron

[Steve Ashton]

'Ya know, we call it 'swish' but the movement of a well made kilt is much more like waves. Have you ever seen a field of wheat swaying in the wind or the waves of a lake washing gently against the shore? That is what the back of your kilt should look like.
Each pleat should move in rhythm with the one next to it. As you walk the entire back of the kilt should look like those waves.

If you stop, the motion should slowly dwindle to a stop, and the the back of the kilt should look like there are no pleats. Then when you step off again it takes a step or two to get the waves flowing again.

The whole back of the kilt should move in such a natural way that you never feel it. It is just a part of your stride.

But from behind --- Well, "Swish + Swagger = Swoon".

[BBNC]

When I first wore my 10yd tank from Dalgleish, I could actually feel it swishing back and forth as I moved, but there is an awful lot of free hanging, pleated material back there.

[HarveyH]

In case the kilt still has its basting stitches (a picture would help us), be careful and be gentle in removing them. But, it is easy to do. They are secured by knots at each end which, if you are careful, are easy to "unravel". I use tweezers to do the unraveling at one of the ends (your choice). Then, gently grasp the thread and simply pull on it to remove all the intervening stitches. When you reach the other end (and the knots there), simply unravel them. There will likely be more than one line of basting stitches, so you will have to do the above more than once. Good luck and post a pic - before and after would be great.

I read this with surprise.

Different makers baste in different ways. My own maker never knots the thread becuase a pull on a knot could damage the cloth. He also uses a holding stitch rather than a running stitch because he wants the pleats held in place securely. See pic (with thanks to Paul Henry).basting-001.jpg

Equally, whilst pulling a running stitch carefully should be ok, you do stand a significant risk of cloth threads being pulled and damaging the finish. When sewing the basting in you can sew through individual threads of the cloth (this is perfectly normal). Pulling a length of thread through such a stitch can abrade the thread itself. I have heard of people doing this to save the thread, but frankly a couple of yards of cheap basting thread is not worth saving by comparison to the cost of a kilt. Using a stitch ripper or (carefully) scissors and snipping through each baste and then removing is much safer for the kilt.

But of course this does not help our Robgiv and his swing...

[tundramanq]

Checking swish and waggle.
Just walk away from the sun in the morning or late afternoon and watch the kilts shadow.
I don't feel my USA PV Casuals with light and few pleats. The shadow check assures me all is well!

[andycwb]

Using a stitch ripper or (carefully) scissors and snipping through each baste and then removing is much safer for the kilt.

Having not read any other advice on this that's what I did. I used the scissors because I knew I wouldn't pull the threads at all that way. What I noticed is the line where they basting stitches were removed was invisible at the time, quite noticeable a few days later, and has become less visible again over time.

But of course this does not help our Robgiv and his swing...

And now to return to the main thread of this evening's symposium, as Tom Lehrer might have put it.

[Riverkilt]

Can't help but wonder how much the chosen wool fabric may contribute to this. Seems to me some of my wool kilt's fabric isn't quite as swishy as others....

AND....don't forget to put a little hip action into your walk....