My Last Tartan Kilt???

[possingk]

Alan,
Whether you choose to continue to make kilts or not, please know that your x-kilt directions, as well as your coat altering directions have inspired many people on this list to tackle making thier own kilts. Your kilt making legacy will live on through this site, and the many people that have made the x-kilt. These simple directions have not only inspired me to make an x-kilt (with two more on the way), but also my Sabres kilt. With you sharing your knowledge with this list, I was inspired to make an x-kilt then purchase Barb's book to make my own traditional eight yard kilt shortly. It has also given me the confidence to alter two SWK's for band members and make our youngest member a kilt from a fly plaid (with the help of Barbs book The art of Kiltmaking). Without your brave first attempts and great documentation I never would have undertaken these projects. If this is your last kilt, I am sure that it will be perfect.
My mother is working on making me a kilt jacket, which has taken her about a year. With your jacket directions I was able to alter one jacket, for me in a few days, I altered one for my wife in just a few short hours, and I plan to pick up two more coats from the post office I got off of e-bay for $25 that will be great kilt jackets.
So whether you continue to make kilts or not, your legacy will continue. I will still order kilts from our great kilt makers on this site, but anytime I see a tartan fabric that I can get cheap, I know I can make a very nice kilt out of it, and it all started with your little x-kilt project.

Continued thanks,

[Panache]

Alan,

After you have finished kilt making you can start working on building your own bagpipes from scratch. That should keep you busy for at least 6-7 months. After that you can get together with O'Neille on finishing the X Marks transporter device. Then Oh what a kilt night shall be had with the entire rabble of X marks the Scot!

Cheers

[Erisianmonkey]

Then Oh what a kilt night shall be had with the entire rabble of X marks the Scot!

Why do I get flashes of the burning of Atlanta from Gone With the Wind when I read that statement?

Seriously, Alan, I've not yet made as many kilts as you have, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to stop. I've had a couple of weeks where I haven't been able to work on a kilt and I've really missed it. I've actually seriously given thought to starting to do this as a business --IF-- I get good enough at it. But if you're done, you're done.

[Alan H]

Why do I get flashes of the burning of Atlanta from Gone With the Wind when I read that statement?

Seriously, Alan, I've not yet made as many kilts as you have, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to stop. I've had a couple of weeks where I haven't been able to work on a kilt and I've really missed it. I've actually seriously given thought to starting to do this as a business --IF-- I get good enough at it. But if you're done, you're done.

Every time I crunch the numbers I shake my head. I can see how I can make about $25,000 a year if I'm REALLY good and REALLY fast and I never take vacation and I work my tail off. But here in the San Francisco Bay Area you can't live on $25,000 a year. Double that number and I can think about it. I've got a mortgage to pay down. ....Triple it and we're getting really serious, here... but that'll never happen.

I don't know how our kiltmakers on the board do it. I have no clue.

I've thought about taking half a dozen X-Kilts to El Salvador to a socially-important sewing factory co-op. I'd have them crank out 100 of them in various sizes.. My best estimate is that including the cost of the material and duty,etc. I could have them back in the USA, ready to sell for about $28-$32 a kilt. I could then sell them for about $80 a pop. That would make me, not counting any of the advertising budget, etc. etc. etc. about $50 a kilt. Sell 100 kilts, and that's $5,000. Sell 1,000 kilts and that's $50,000, which is an actual working, living wage around here. Can I sell $1,000 kilts in a year? I don't think so, and I wouldn't want to impact my friends like Steve and Rocky by doing it anyway,whenI can make more money for less grief doing IT work..

Besides,ifI did that, then I'm not a kiltmaker...I'm an import-export guru....No Wanna Do That.

Nope, for me, here in the SF Bay Area, kiltmaking has to remain a fun hobby.

[andyfg]

These are hard economic facts Alan. No argument really. But you do seem to be a skilled kiltmaker. Perhaps, a small sideline? It seems for such skill the going price is about $200 plus material each kilt.

[Warlock]

More power to you! Let us know of any future plans.