11-ounce kilt question

[James MacMillan]

OK - I have 19 kilts now, and one on order, but I never have completely grasped the concept of cloth weights.

How do you determine the weight of the cloth?

Is there some wierd formula? Or do you cut a square meter, foot, or yard and actually weigh it?

I have PV's in two weights. I think of them as haevy and light. I have wools in the same - heavy and light.

So I really don't know if I have 11 oz, 16 oz, 44 oz or what?

Could somebody de-mystify the process?

[Woodsheal]

I have an 8 yd. traditional from the KiltStore.net in 11 oz. Forde tartan. I love it! Comfortable in warm or cold weather, and the swing and look of any other 8 yd. kilt. Pleat depth is not dependent upon fabric weight, but overall yardage, sett, etc....

[Pleater]

I believe the weight of the cloth is ounces to one yard of the cloth as woven - so the width of the cloth would have to be taken into account.

Although we buy all fabrics in metres, I would assume it is weight per yard if it is given in ounces.

If the weight is given in grams then I would assume that it is the weight of a metre. It is not usual to mix the two systems.

[Riverkilt]

If I remember correctly its ounces per square yard, which eliminates the width worry.

Me, I just learn the "hand" (how it feels) of each weight. Its obviously pretty tough to tell the difference between a 14 oz and a 16 oz but easy between an 11 oz and a 16 oz.

Ron

[gilmore]

I was once looking at some wool fabric at the local Hancock's fabric store, and asked the saleswoman how many ounces to the yard. She gave me a dirty look as if I had insulted her and said most vehemently, "There are 36 INCHES in a yard."

[ccga3359]

I was once looking at some wool fabric at the local Hancock's fabric store, and asked the saleswoman how many ounces to the yard. She gave me a dirty look as if I had insulted her and said most vehemently, "There are 36 INCHES in a yard."

So my reply would be "How many inches in a square yard" and after she figures that out (1296") "Now that you have your calculator out, what does that weigh in ounces?"

[davedove]

The 11 oz. wool makes a fine kilt. My first traditional kilt is an 11 oz. one.

If you do much sitting, you will find that the lighter weight does winkle a bit more than the heavier cloth, and with heavier cloth the weight of the cloth will pull out the wrinkles easier with just hanging.

I've also heard that the heavier cloth gives you a better "swing" when you're walking.

[BEEDEE]

I was once looking at some wool fabric at the local Hancock's fabric store, and asked the saleswoman how many ounces to the yard. She gave me a dirty look as if I had insulted her and said most vehemently, "There are 36 INCHES in a yard."

Was she blonde?

Brian

[auld argonian]

Was she blonde?

Brian

Have you ever been to a Hancock's Fabrics? All of the help looks like the old ladies who used to work in your high school cafeteria only with an even worse attitude.

Blonde? She probably had that blue hair....

Best

AA

[Barb T]

The description says "4-inch pleats" on both of them...I assume this is the depth of the pleat.

It's not clear what "4-inch pleats" actually means. If the kilt really has pleats that are 4" deep, then the sett would have to be about 9". That's an uncommonly large sett for a lightweight tartan. In my experience, lightweight tartans more typically have setts under 6" and sometimes even under 5". So, maybe this is a tartan with a 5" sett, and the kilt has pleats with 1" reveal and 4" total hidden inside the pleat (which would make it more like 2" deep pleats). Or, maybe it's a tartan with a 4" sett and they put in a pleat every 2 setts.

Realize that, if a kilt is pleated properly to the sett or to the stripe, a kilt can't be made with an arbitrary pleat depth. The pleat depth is governed almost entirely by the size of the sett (not by the amount of tartan in a kilt or by the size of the person). If you had a 5" sett, and a pleat roughly every one repeat, the pleats couldn't be more than a bit more than 2" deep. If the sett were 6", pleats would be a bit more than 2 1/2" deep. If the sett were 9", then the pleats would be a bit more than 4" deep.

Whether a kilt made from lightweight tartan has all of the internal construction details that a heavier weight kilt has depends on who made it. If the kilt is made properly and in traditional fashion, it doesn't need any reinforcing.

I agree with the others who have said that an 11 oz kilt wrinkles more easily. And I've also found that there's 11 oz tartan and then there's 11 oz tartan. Some makes better kilts than others.

And one last. Most 11 oz tartan is not made with a kilting selvedge, meaning that the kilt will have to have a hem.

Cheers,

Barb