Leather kilt making

[Phicong]

If one , perchance, should desire to make one's own kilt of leather, what size pelts of skins would be practical? Also does each pleat have an edge sew line to keep the pleat sharp? Could a leather kilt be made from smaller pieces similar to the style of pleating used in the "Cheer-leader kilt" recently written up on this board?
I have never set eyes on a leather kilt in person.
Gordon

[ChattanCat]

I have heard that it takes about a cow and a half. The pleats that I have seen are sewn all the way down to hold the crease. I've often wondered what a kilt would look like with multiple skins along the vertical and horizontal.

[Phicong]

I too have heard that about the cow and 1/2 but I was thinking of making one out of deer skins so wonder how many yards are really necessary. FYI: I am 36" w and 40/41 H.
Gordon

[Wompet]

Robert at RKilts uses 6 yards on average in his leather kilts; if I remember correctly he said he uses 4 leather sides per kilt. Deer hides, being a bit smaller, would probably take more.

[turpin]

Gordon,

you will be lucky to find enough deer hides with sufficient 24"wide material, and no bullet holes, to piece together. Go to this vender on ebay and look at the "grain-on" deer hides. Their tan quality is great, but you can still get a hole in the middle of an otherwise good section.

You should look into deer-tanned cowhide, which you can get in sides at about 20 sq. ft. per hide on sale this month for $3.99/sf at Tandy (pg 12-13 of the flyer in link below). They also have garment sides in a lighter weight (1.5-2 oz, versus 3-3.5 oz for the deertan) at $3.29/sf. My bet is you'll need at least 2 sides for a 4-yard kilt. I think Robert uses 6 yards avg. in his Rkilts.

FYI, 1 oz leather is 1/64 inch thick.

The best deal if you've never done a kilt in leather and want to experiment is this one, a whole side of upholstery leather on sale this month for $79.99. I was in the Tandy store in Atlanta and bought one in distressed plum color, 55 sf, thinking to make some ladies bags (sporanettae?). Then I got to thinking I could get 4 yards by 25 inches out of it, and maybe make a leather box pleat.

It is very soft to the hand. A bit heavy at 3-3.5 oz. Quality and hand softness varies from hide to hide, but for 80 bucks you can have an inexpensive learning experience, then go for the deer/deertan cow if you want to.

good luck