Pressing and/or basting pleats before stitching

[Barb T]

Main thing to learn from this post is that there is no one right way to make a kilt. What matters is making a kilt that is beautifully and accurately pleated, fits well, hangs right, and lasts a lifetime. Occasionally we have a bout of chest-pounding on this Forum where people claim they have the one true way. Hogwash!

[Stoff]

I have a question for Steve. Where did you get your fine line chalk and mechanical pencil setup? I have never seen this and as a tailor I am very interested in finding chalk that dose not need to be sharpened every time I go to use it.

Thanks,
Christoph

[Adrian]

Had to laugh at Barb's comment on chest pounding and hogwash.......probably goes way beyond this forum when it comes to kilt making methods....several places now offering courses in Scotland...a SVQ kiltmaking qualification has emerged again...

There is/was Kilt Makers association of Scotland and the standards .....
Most larger kilt making firms followed there own method and training notes...so how did they fit with this, not everyone would meet the criteria...Certainly not one right/true way in Scotland, a few... variants....

Like a lot of crafts, the next kilt is better than the last ... learn what you can from whoever is willing to share there knowledge and experience and help get the newbies through the sticky bits...

[Barb T]

Well said!!!!

[The Wizard of BC]

It may seem strange or odd to those who do not know Barb and I. It may sound like we are always at each other's throats or that we are arguing over "the proper" way to make a kilt.

I can assure everyone that Barb and I are very good friends. We may approach things from different angles, but there is one thing that binds us together and is the reason we get together each year and hold our annual Kilt Kamp kiltmkaing course.

For me the reason is summed up in a little sign that hangs in my shop.

[Adrian]

Nothing wrong with healthy discussion and different viewpoints on the route to that beautiful kilt.... like the quote.

Hope one of these days you add a Scottish maker (and their kiltmaking method) to your kilt camp...perhaps even have a kilt camp in Scotland in a year or 2 ???

[Steve Ashton]

Well, quite frankly about three years ago I approached one school and was severely reproached. They actually voiced the concept that as we are not Scottish, or based in Scotland, that we were not 'real' kiltmakers and had no business teaching others.

It was quite clear that they were not interested in the kilt itself, but were concerned with the certification, the funding, and the newly proposed labeling.