ebay, my friend...ebay.

you can machine-sew an X-Kilt in 12-15 hours of time. HAND-sewing will take you forty hours, at least, if not more. Also, a lot of stitching 'shows" on an X-Kilt, and a machine produces very, very even, strong stitching. It would take *HOURS* of brutally painstaking labour to reproduce stitching that was as even and as good-looking as a machine will do. You see, in a traditonal kilt, pretty much none of the stitching shows. It's all hidden. Even the very best hand-stitched kilts don't have stitching that's as even as a sewing machine will do. That doesn't matter, because the stitching is still good and it's all hidden.

Not so on an X-Kilt. Those pleat edges are right out there for the world to see.

Ebay is your friend. I bought a sewing machine recently off of ebay for $20, shipping was $20 and it's a very nice little machine with all the basics.

How much is your time, worth?