Xmarks Tartan Pleated to Yellow Stripe

[O'Neille]

That is one fine kilt!

How many hours do you have in the project? By that I mean, just how long does it take to sew a kilt?

I would estimate that It took me ten hours to lay out the kilt and get the pleats sewn and basted. It took an additional five hours to finish the inside and another five to comlete the aprons. Add in another five to Ten for searching for lost scissors and needles and head scratching.

On a side note, The Art of Kiltmaking is a lot like a pharmacology text. The first time you read it it doesn't make sense. After a while you learn a new language and get some practical hands on experience. When I went back and read the book it all made perfect sense. The book is written to guide you through the process. Let it!

[James MacMillan]

I would estimate that It took me ten hours to lay out the kilt and get the pleats sewn and basted. It took an additional five hours to finish the inside and another five to comlete the aprons. Add in another five to Ten for searching for lost scissors and needles and head scratching.

On a side note, The Art of Kiltmaking is a lot like a pharmacology text. The first time you read it it doesn't make sense. After a while you learn a new language and get some practical hands on experience. When I went back and read the book it all made perfect sense. The book is written to guide you through the process. Let it!

Well, I now have Barb's book, and I'm reading it through slowly. But I have little confidence in my ability to sew. But I'm learning things!

[O'Neille]

Get some small amounts of tartan that matches some of your kilts that don't have flashes. Then practice sewing some flashes. The stitching required to sew the back hidden seam on one is the same as the amount of sewing for one pleat. It's hidden so it doesn't have to be perfect. Once you've completed a couple sets you'll have some stitching experience equal to sewing eight pleats. When you attach them to some garters you'll have experience with another type of stitch you'll be doing on the kilt. Flashes don't require that level of sewing but it's a great way to practice your sewing skills.

[Tartan Hiker]

Which flash recipe are you following?

[O'Neille]

Which flash recipe are you following?

None, I just sew a tube about 8 inches long folded to a pleasing reveal of the tartan pattern. Once folded over a garter and sewn, the length is about 6 inches. It's a little longer than most of my purchased flashes but works better for me. I use a bit heat fusing to keep the notch from fraying and cut along the twill line from the right to the center and then from the left corner to the center. That's it.