Revisions for The Art of Kiltmaking

[Barb T]

Hi Blazn

Thanks for the feedback. Because Steve Ashton and I are collaborating on a companion book called The Art of Contemporary Kiltmaking, I'm not going to include anything about machine-made kilts in the revision, which will remain focused on traditional, hand-sewn kilts.

Let me give some thought to the photo issue. It's not a problem to take photos and replace the drawings with the photos. There is some research to suggest, though, that people do better with line drawings that show only what's important - photos have all kinds of extraneous detail that can be distracting or even confusing. Let me look over the drawings and see which might benefit from a photo instead of a line drawing. If you have particular suggestions about drawings that didn't work well for you and that would be better as photos, I'd be delighted to have specific suggestions.

Barb

[bubba]

Barb, I'd be happy to give the book an endorsement. Do you want it emailed, PM'd or just posted? I'm looking forward the the additional chapter on box pleating, put me on the list for it. I'm also looking forward to the contemporary kilt book, it'll be a must have for my library.

[Barb T]

Any of those ways is fine.

B

[Alan H]

MY ENDORSEMENT:

I used Barbara and Elsies book to make my very first heavyweight tartan kilt, and I'm on my way to making two more. That first kilt was a big investment in time, but it was worth it. Without the book it would have taken me three times as long and my kilt wouldn't have been nearly as good. The instructions are clear and understandable, the illustrations are helpful, and the background information on kilts and tartan is very useful. The book is worth every penny of its very modest price.

For the first-time kiltmaker looking to make a traditional kilt or for for someone who wants to see how a very experienced kiltmaker does the job, I heartily recommend this book!

Alan Hebert
San Francisco Bay Area

[beerbecue]

How about some additional tips and tricks?

For example, what to do if your apron edge curls, some illustrations on how to properly iron (I just can't quite visualize that part, I have never before used a ham)

[HeathBar]

I found that using basic cotton thread for the basting was not working for me. It was too thin and wore out quickly. I used the white polyester thread like the regular stitches for the second kilt and found it worked much better.

[Paul Henry]

without meaning to hijack this thread.... but a note for Heath... be very careful about using "strong" thread for basting, one of the reasons for using cotton is that it is more likely to break than the actual fabric, when the basting is removed soft thread is much kinder

[wsk]

Echoing others here: Stitching for Dummies. Basting, for example, is not listed in the current appendix.

As you know I'm in the process of reading the first edition - read the instructions first before switching on the power. So I've worked my way through pleat stitching and suddenly encounter joining the two halves of a double width tartan (page 82). How did I get here? Is there something that I missed? Did I just make pleats across the un-joined join? How did I do that? Are there special tricks and techniques to pleating across the join or is it obvious what one does when one gets to the last pleat of the left side / first pleat of the right?

If there are special tricks etc then, of course, they should be part of the second edition.

For details of the process: drawings. When an edge is depicted always label it - like a map or chart always has a compass rose. Even if preceding and succeding drawings have labeled the edge (first drawing following step 5 page 82).