Summer kilts

[Colin]

I'm sure it's been hashed over previously, but I was wondering what's "hot" for summer. Or rather what do we exchange that 16 oz wool kilt for that's a little cooler?

I'm also trying to find a good (relatively inexpensive) kilt for yard work and lounging around the back yard in the summer.

What do you all think of Sportkilts and the UK Spartans?

Thanks,

Personally you couldn't pay me to wear either the Uk spartan or a SportKilt.

For summer I have always found that the PV works wonders. Check out Canadian Casual kilts (from MacHummel) or USA Kilts.

If you are going to spend hard earned money, you might as well get something that actually looks like a kilt.

[Yaish]

The UK camo lines are also very lightweight and cool for summer. The UK Spartan is definately the closest to naked I have ever been while fully clothed, but yeah, its not really and out and about kilt.

[Blu (Ontario)]

I've never had a problem with heat and kilts. My 16oz kilts are cooler than any pair of jeans I've ever worn. Even on a hot summer day, I find kilts cool as long as I keep moving. Heat has never been an issue with me... cold yes.

[UmAnOnion]

The UK camo lines are also very lightweight and cool for summer. The UK Spartan is definately the closest to naked I have ever been while fully clothed, but yeah, its not really and out and about kilt.

I tried on a friends UK camo a while back & found it to be TOO lightweight - made me feel very exposed - this is after gettingused to the ones i made of moderate weight canvas... maybe i shoudl get busy on lighterwieght ones for the summer months ... <sigh>

[Canuck]

Put your regular kilt in the freezer overnight, so it's nice and cool in the morning........
Actually I found my leather kilts to be cool in the summer, Riverkilt I too can't figure it out ...it just breathes differently or it reflects the heat I don't know...it just is.
Cheers
Robert

[Pleater]

If you don't mind the ironing - or have someone to do it for you, then a cotton kilt or three would seem to be just the thing for hot weather. Not much good for sitting around in as they crease easily, but comfortable for walking around in the English summer of '05.

I had a couple last summer. I sewed the edges of the pleats, but not the fell, and at the end of each day I washed the one I'd worn, folded and rolled it and used a separate spin dryer to remove the excess water, then hung it up by the waistband using numerous pegs along a couple of radiator airers. They were usually bone dry after 36 hours.

As I made them myself from cloth I had already, it was a cheap way to be covered whilst slimming out of almost all my clothes.

I sewed the outer edge of the pleats from waist to hem, and the inner fold from the hem up to where the fell would have started. The waist was supressed so the upper part of inner edge was not on the straight grain of the cloth, so I left it free.

It seemed quite an easy way to make my first few kilts, though perhaps rather time consuming even using a sewing machine.

I started off the preparation process by spraying the kilt with starch lightly on the right side where it hung.

Cotton can be blasted with steam to get the creases out, but sewing with an all cotton thread might be wise.

I have cotton, polyester cotton and all polyester threads and usually try to match the thread and fabric. Cotton thread is noticably weaker than the others but I use it on wool and softer fabrics especially if I will be making adjustments, as it is usually strong enough for every day wear and tear, but easier to remove.

With the kilt right side down I iron the lower edge in single layers, then the pleats by laying them on a piece of thick cardboard one by one. As the kilt gradually straightens out I use small safety pins and dressmaking pins to secure it with the pleats folded so it can be pressed wherever it curls. By placing the kilt on the ironing board with the waist always at the narrow end the lack of sewing of the fell wasn't any bother.

I think that a sleeve board would be useful for ironing the individual pleats, but I have not found one yet. They are just a small version of an ironing board, onto which a sleeve can be fitted to be ironed as one layer of fabric. I hope that I will find one at a charity shop - as they are rather old fashioned and not generally available in the supermarkets.

Fabric heavy enough to swing is better than something very light, as it creates a breeze.

I wore sandals, kilt, tee shirt and Tilly hat most days of last Summer, and will be making another set of cotton kilts for this year.

The sun bleached out the colours, and had created an interesting shading of the pleats by the Autumn.

[CameronTaylor]

That's the second or third time I've heard about this Sport Kilt 'Premier' deal, I don't see anything about it on their site though :confused:

The line just launched and until it's running full speed it may not appear on said website. E-mail James at said site or call the 800 number and ask about it.


CT -