Making your own kilt. Where to start?

[Barb T]

Hi all,

Personally, I don't think it really matters what kind of kilt you start with. If you're interested in making a traditional kilt (which is all hand sewn), the only real difference between a 4-yard box pleated kilt, a 5-yard knife-pleat, a Kingussie, and an 8-yard knife-pleated kilt is 1) how many pleats you have to sew and 2) which way pleats fold. Other than that, the entire rest of the kilt is made exactly the same. So pick the kind of kilt you'd like to wear, and make that one.

OH - and, as Steve Ashton and I have said many times on this forum, it's going to take you several 10s of hours to make your first hand-sewn kilt, so thinking of doing a "practice" kilt is pretty much a waste of time. Buy the best tartan you can afford (real kilting tartan is, in fact, the easiest to work with), and think of it as not only the first kilt that you make but also the first kilt that you plan to WEAR. The H*** with practice! You're going to put so much time into sewing your first kilt that you're going to want good fabric and your best workmanship, not just a practice piece that you won't want to wear in public (as Steve said, you don't want to make a 50-yard kilt......one that only looks good at 50 yards......)