Wool Kilt from eBay

[The Wizard of BC]

The best advice I can give is learn to baste. It's not hard. Really it's not.

Learning how to baste a press a kilt will go a long way towards your enjoyment of your kilt over the years.

Lay the kilt out on a table or the floor. Notice please that the kilt will not want to lay flat without the pleats splaying out.

So what you do is lift the top portion that is sewn down. This part is called "The Fell" and is the part that is tapered.



When you lift the Fell the pleats will now be able to lay flat and parallel.


Most kilts that have not been basted and pressed will have the pleat crease running all wonky.



Look at the first pleat up at where the sewing stops. Notice the Tartan pattern at that point. Now insure that the Tartan pattern stays the same distance away from the edge of the pleat all the way down to the bottom hem.

If it doesn't you may need to steam out the crease and re-crease so that the Tartan line is straight down the pleat.

Repeat this for all the pleats.



Then - with a tape measure - find the width of the first and second pleats up at the bottom of the Fell. Pin the second pleat to the first keeping the same width all the way down to the hem.

Thread a fairly large, long needle with some plain white sewing thread.

Make large snug but not tight stiches through the first pleat into the second. The idea is not to be super neat but lock the width of the pleats so they don't move around.

Repeat this process across the back of the kilt. Bast the second to the third and then the third to the fourth.



As soon as you get all the way across the back of the kilt you can even pick up the kilt and it should stay. All the pleats nice and parallel.


You can now send your basted kilt to the dry cleaners. Tell them to clean but no press the kilt.

When you get the kilt home lay it out again. The Fell raised and the pleats nice and parallel.


Heat up your iron and set to wool with steam. Get a pillow case and a spray bottle of water.
Lightly mist water on the pleats. Lay the pillow case over the pleats and with the iron Press down. DO NOT MOVE THE IRON OVER THE PLEATS. Lift the iron - set it down - Press down hard.

The water you sprayed will heat to steam which softens the wool allowing it to take a crease from the pressing.

Go over the entire back of the kilt. One section at a time. Lift the iron, set it down in a new place - and press down.



When you are done you will see nice sharp crease edges and the entire back of the kilt will have nice straight and parallel newly pressed pleats.


You will notice the difference the moment you put your newly pressed kilt on. The back will look like the section of a cylinder. The pleats will lay nice and flat and from a few feet away you should not even notice that there are any pleats.



This one simple garment care skill will save you a lot of time and money and will insure that your kilt always looks great as you now know how to keep it looking its best, anytime it needs a touch-up.

[Moses]

The best advice I can give is learn to baste. It's not hard. Really it's not.

Learning how to baste a press a kilt will go a long way towards your enjoyment of your kilt over the years....

...Heat up your iron and set to wool with steam. Get a pillow case and a spray bottle of water.
Lightly mist water on the pleats. Lay the pillow case over the pleats and with the iron Press down. DO NOT MOVE THE IRON OVER THE PLEATS. Lift the iron - set it down - Press down hard...

Thank you Steve. There are many things I learned but sewing wasn't one of them and I have to say I am nervous about it - I might try it on my acrylic first.

I was wondering too if it mattered which side was ironed? Does it matter inside or outside?

[The Wizard of BC]

Do Not Iron!!!!

You press. Lift the iron up - reposition - press down - Lift the iron up.

I press both sides.

[The Wizard of BC]

OH, and by the way. Dry cleaning today is perfectly safe for woolens. They don't use the harsh chemicals that they did in the past.

I dry clean my kilts and even the leather has come out nice.

If you do take your kilt to the dry cleaners all you have to do - is have them note on the slip - In big red letters - DO NOT PRESS. Ask them to simply clean it and then just hang it up.
My pleats stay nice and crisp for over a year of everyday wear and about 6-8 dry cleanings per year.

If you want to take the wrinkles out be careful with a steamer. A light pass and an overnight hanging will usually let an wrinkles fall out. Concentrated, direct steam that heats the fabric will also take the creases right out. Now you are forced to baste and re-press.

[Moses]

Do Not Iron!!!!

You press. Lift the iron up - reposition - press down - Lift the iron up.

I press both sides.

Got it - press not iron both sides. And I appreciate the visual guide for basting, thanks again. And be sure to be careful with the steam heat if I use a steamer.

But that being said I am wondering if you do basting before dry cleaning? The pleats are still looking good but the apron is wrinkled.

Thanks again Steve

[The Wizard of BC]

I only baste if I need to re-press the pleats to give them sharp creases or fix wonky pleats.

And if it is only the apron go ahead and steam the wrinkles out. There are no creases to mess up.

A caution. The edges of the aprons are wider at the bottom than at the waist so don't be concerned and don't try to straighten them.

[Moses]

A caution. The edges of the aprons are wider at the bottom than at the waist so don't be concerned and don't try to straighten them.

Again, much appreciated, thanks you.

[ctbuchanan]

I convene a tent for our clan at highland games all summer and fall so I need to clean my kilts at least once a year. I have been taking them to the same dry cleaner for over 20 years. They look as good today as when I had them made. No issues with the straps or buckles. He also does two local pipe bands as well which gives me greater confidence.

A side note - most cleaners do not "iron" anything because it takes too long. They press everything with a pressing machine. But it wouldn't hurt to specify that as well.

I would certainly suggest shopping around for a cleaner that has kilt experience, I would ask. I also suspect you might get a wide variety of pricing as it is not a standard garment.

Good luck.