What's Your Sewing Experience?

[richardljohnson]

8 yards of black cotton duck on sale at Walmart for $.85 a yard. This was a test.

After this I found some camo fabric on sale and made 13 kilts of green, grey, sand and my favorite rust(black and white) autumn camo.

All were using a machine. I did try 1 hand sewn but too many mistakes. Lucky for me it was from a fabric warehouse on sale for $5.00 a yard and not the $50.00 a yard it normally sold for.

It's been a year and I am getting the 'bug' again so no telling what I'll try next.

Richard-

[possingk]

I saw this in Wal-Mart just the other day and was wondering if anyone had made a kilt out of it. If I may ask, how was this to work with? If you had it to do again would you use that fabric or something else?

I really appreciate any help you can give me on this fabric.

Thanks in advance,
KP

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Sherry, I am the seamstress, err tailor, in our family. My wife has never been much into sewing, although she is currently taking a basic sewing class. One of my birthday or Xmas gifst from her about 6 years ago was a Singer sewing machine. Haven't done a lot with it, but looking forward to making the kilts.

[Oldpagan]

I have sewn two kilts so far. A couple of buddies that I run around with at pagan festivals started wearing kilts they had made. They are twins, and looked pretty well in them, I looked like the odd man out in shorts. So I looked online and ebay to see if I could buy one. Argh! I could not afford what I was finding at the time, so I called them up and asked how they had made theirs.
They said they had read a few web sites and just sat down and made them. Ok, I found a few web sites that had pages of information, and a few diagrams. I went out and bought a sewing machine for about a hundred bucks (didn’t dare risk screwing up my wife’s) and about 9 yards of a nice green wool blend tartan at the fabric store.
Two weeks later I had a nice kilt with knife pleats and a Velcro closure. It was an odyssey cutting and sewing it. The first time I broke a needle on the sewing machine I thought I had been shot. I broke three of them total in the course sewing.
It was a turning point when I first wore it. I found that I like the way it felt and the freedom it gave me. Later I was asked to take part in a wedding and to wear the kilt. I made a second one from the same fabric, only this time I used box pleats and knew a bit about what I was doing. Only took about a week to make it, and it looks great.
Now would I make one for someone else, or make a kilt to sell? Hell no! Based on what I have seen, the cost of fabric, and the time it would take to make on correctly it would cost me about $550 or better. How the guys and gals that have businesses selling kilts make a living is beyond me.
That’s why I have two Utilikilts, and an Amerikilt on order. I encourage anyone to learn to make one and do it at least once. It will make you appreciate what a deal you’re getting when you order one!

Blessings
Geary

[Riverkilt]

At 61 success is threading a needle

I did grow up in the cut and sew business, but that was all industrial sewing machines. Did take a clothing construction course in college over 40 years ago and made a shirt for myself.

Ever since have just done hand sewing, patching things, buttons, securing embroidered patches.

Have done some repairs on kilts. Did sew down the pleats in one of my old style SportKilts.

Do use a thimble sometimes.

Catch myself eyeing the cheap sewing machines at WalMart sometimes...

Concepts like thread tension, bobbins, etc. elude me.

I did buy Barbs book and it convinced me to invest in Kathy Lare's sewing talents rather than my own :-?

Ron

[bubba]

I'm just trying to teach myself to sew. (Don't even ask why we have a sewing macine) I'm not about to attempt a kilt - I can't even get the needle to pick up the bobbin thread without sewing the fabric to the bobbin.

Sign me: Getting REALLY fed up with sewing. Please PM me if anyone has an idea.

Sounds to me like your machine needs some fixing. Take it in for cleaning and adjusting.

[bubba]

I'd made some outfits for my wife and a few odds and ends before I made my first kilt. Mostly I've used my Baby Lock machine.

[richardljohnson]

I saw this in Wal-Mart just the other day and was wondering if anyone had made a kilt out of it. If I may ask, how was this to work with? If you had it to do again would you use that fabric or something else?

I really appreciate any help you can give me on this fabric.

Thanks in advance,
KP

In the begining I used the cheap fabrice to practice. I developed 3 different way to 'fast kilt'. Good for 'around house' but not really public kilts. The camo kilts were fun to play around with and when wearing a camo out someone said to me "I didn't know kilts came in camo?" My replay was, "Yes, the Camo Clan is a little known Clan. We just blend into the background!" The guy thought on if for about 3 seconds then got it...he laughed so hard I though he would have an acident!

I have always been a 'start small and build' and 'do a trial run or two' kind of guy. Some people are the opposite. They will buy expensive material and take time and build their experience from there.

If you want to start with the Walmart method I would suggest a black or dark emerald green medium weight fabic. Remember, too light a material will 'parachute' in the wind and too heavy will not swing. The black or green will be wearable and most people when they ask about the kilt I would tell them I was of Scottish and Irish ancestry and it was common for Irish kilt to be a solid color.

Also, cotton material like most camo fabric will shrink and 'compact' after washing, so, I got about a yard then washed it to see how much it would shrink or compact down. After this I would then know how this type of material would behave. However, I was fooled on 2 occassions and the fabric would feel one way and after washing feel like a plywood plank! Totally unwearable or shrink down to a mini-kilt!

Hope that helps...

Richard-

[Jerry]

I'd like to try a Kilt, but my hand sewing experience is limited to hemming navy Dungarees, replacing buttons and sewing on rating badges and ships patches. I've tried a sewing machine, but the nachine has me down one fall, and is way ahead in a best of three falls match. Really, I can't figure how in the heck to make the thing sew a straight line? Any help would be appreciated.

[davedove]

The camo kilts were fun to play around with and when wearing a camo out someone said to me "I didn't know kilts came in camo?" My replay was, "Yes, the Camo Clan is a little known Clan. We just blend into the background!"

I've got to remember that; it's great!