My first X-kilt!!!!

**The F-H.C.A.G.** · 9th May 07, 08:48 PM

AWWWW, man!!! That sucks! I feel your pain. Post the next attempt please.

Be well,

**Erisianmonkey** · 9th May 07, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by RK-REX

I spent a good two hours playing around tonight, tried everything possible. Upper and lower tensions, new needle, different size needle, stitch length, foot pressure.....no dice. Pucker, pucker, pucker. So I had some fabric of a similar weight that I'd used to make some flashes with. Folded it over, set all the settings back to "normal" ran a line of stitches down each side of a faux box pleat. Perfectly straight. (Insert lots of vulgarity and profanity here!)

Rikk, my guess on your fabric is that there was some stretch in it that you didn't notice. It isn't actually hard to miss in some of the wallyworld fabrics. I bought some really nice olive fabric awhile back that felt really nice in the store, but when I got it washed and was getting ready to cut it, I found out it had a stretch in one direction. I cussed so loud the cats wouldn't come near me for days.

**Alan H** · 10th May 07, 08:59 AM

That could be....little bit 'o "spandex" in that fabric? That'll drive you nuts.

Well, look aat it this way, now you're an expert on the first half-dozen steps and they'll go faster on the second attempt.

**CameronTaylor** · 10th May 07, 01:16 PM

I learned that lesson too, though before any attempt was made at sewing.
Know your fabric.
There's a Mormon (I think) church sewing group in Diamond Bar that just got 10 yards of a nice (similarly colored) brown fabric for free.
I feel you my brutha, get back in the saddle and ride.

CT -

**RK-REX** · 10th May 07, 05:41 PM

Oh I will, I'm just trying to get the time to decide on another fabric. A woman at Joann's suggested one called Trigger. It's kind of like duck cloth, but about half the weight. I may pick up some of that. I've got one more store to check out before I buy. I should be back in business in a few days.

**Alan H** · 10th May 07, 05:53 PM

Trigger has a coating to it if I remember correctly.

How about some Bull Demin? Or get the old reliable....cotton/poly twill.

**CameronTaylor** · 11th May 07, 11:09 AM

Just make sure to tug it in all directions to make sure it doesn't s-t-r-e-t-c-h ...

CT -

**RK-REX** · 16th May 07, 06:50 AM

Stopped and picked up 4 yards of cotton twill of a similar color. I couldn't find the one I wanted, but I'll make it work. Maybe after a few washings I'll like it. After all, it is just an experiment to practice without ruining expensive fabric.

Oh, BTW, I was speaking with a nice elderly lady at Joann's who had been a seamstress for over 60 years and told her about my dilemma with the stretchy stuff from sprawlmart. She said to pick up some cheap white tissue paper, the kind you wrap stuff in, and put that between the presser foot and the material and sew it right to the fabric, then tear if away afterward. She said what does hang up under the thread will dissolve in a gentle washing. Also to use a ball pointed needle on stretchy stuff. She also thought it was neat that such a young man

would take an interest in sewing, let along sewing himself a kilt.

I'm soooo smooth with the 80 year olds.. LOL

I pitched the original Xkilt in the piccies above, but I have enough material to lay out another if I'm so inclined to test this method someday. Anyway, I'll probably begin the next one in the new fabric this coming week. Lots to do this weekend and I doubt I'll get a chance to work on it.

-R