Kilt making?

[The Wizard of BC]

I am going to say this again here, and then I'm going to say it again and again till the rabble is tired of hearing it.

The secret to a kilt, and I mean any true kilt has nothing to do with the pleats, or the stitching or the fabric. It is all in the method used to take the stress of a body moving inside a garment.

In almost any piece of clothing today all the stress is taken by the stitching. As mass production looked for ways to keep costs down the first thing they did was leave out the interfacings. It is thought that if it's not seen, it won't be missed.

If you take out the cases where the fabric of a garment is worn through or torn you will see that it will usually be the fabric right next to the stitch line to give way. This points to the stitch line as the weak point of a garment.

The interfacings and reinforcements take up those stresses and keep them away from the stitching. THIS IS THE SECRET TO THE MAKING OF A KILT.

In a Traditional Style Kilt there is a horse hair canvas strip sewn inside that stretches from the straps on one side to the buckles on the other side. This canvas is what you actually wear. The outer fabric can then just float on the outside with out the stess being on the stitch lines of the Fell.

In a Contemporary Style Kilt we use a waistband (with interfacing inside it) to take the stress of strapping the kilt on.

These are just two ways of keeping the stress of a moving body away from the stitch lines. By doing this the sewn down Fell area remains intact. The pleats are free to move and swish. And the aprons do not develop puckers.

When reading Barb's book, everything up to the chapter on the hair canvas is just preparation to get to that point. My advice to anyone wishing to make a kilt is to skip the entire front of the book and read the interfacing chapter first. Once you understand why the interfacing is there and how to put it in then go back to the begining and start to make the kilt.

Every person who wishes to call themselves a kiltmaker needs to understand just what is hidden behind that liner of a kilt.

OK, I'm going to step off my soapbox now. The next installment of this tirade will be "Steeking, what's the big secret."

[Barb T]

And just to put into perspective how long it takes to make a trad kilt properly.....

I've been making kilts for 12 years, and Elsie, my co-author, has been making kilts for over 50 years after apprenticing for 5 years in Scotland. Both of us figure if you're making a trad kilt in less than about 18 hours (that's solid work), you're skimping or short-cutting. It's just not physically possible to do all the necessary handwork and construction in less than that amount of time.

[AlexMDN]

Steve, Barb don't get me wrong I have great deal of respect to you, in fact to any person how put an afford to build up his/her skills whatever it might be, specially one I have interest in. And I'm not trying to downrate kiltmaker's craftsmanship or line out kilt as plaited cut of fabric. And I believe that I do understand kilt construction as well, my grandma didn't want me in the navy, so she tried to hummer some of her knowledge along with other staff in to my head. Well, guess she succeeded at some point, so I wasn't new when I tried it first, just needed a refreshment.

And may be I cheated a little, and I spend 12, ok may be 14hrs strait plus machine not hand sewn.

Ok, now you can shoot me.

[The Wizard of BC]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a machine sewn kilt. And it has nothing to do with how fast or slow you are.

If you can create a kilt that will last, will hang correctly, and will look good then you have achieved the goal.

What I'm trying to get across is the difference between just sewing some pleats in a piece of fabric and calling it a kilt and constructing something that will actually look and act like a kilt.

This is the heart of the Tartan Tat controversy.

Anyone who has taken the time and pride to learn what goes into making any garment hang correctly deserves the respect of us all.

Most guys here understand that a good quality jacket has shoulder pads built into it. But do they understand why they are there? It's not to make your shoulders appear wider. It's not to please the jacket maker. The shoulder pads are there to make the sleeves hang correctly.
Can you make a jacket without shoulder pads? Sure you can. But the jacket will never look the same as one with shoulder pads. It will always hang loosely and be only for casual wear.

The same is true of any garment. We all start out with a flat piece of cloth. We then try to make it fit a round body. How we do that may be different. We may use different methods to achieve a different look or use.

Anyone who showed up for a band parade in one of the kilts sold at Lidl's and bought for 20 pounds will probably be asked to go home and change. That one kilt will be noticeably different among all the others and will ruin the look of the band.

That same kilt worn to a football game is perfectly acceptable. I own two USA Kilts Semi-Trads, I have a SWK Standard. I bought them and use them for completely different things than I use my Tewksbury Tank.

That is because I understand the difference and use the kilt appropriate to what I am doing.

If someone wishes to try their hand at kiltmaking I am all for it. I will try to help in any way I can. All I ask is that they have, at least, been exposed to a Full Traditional and understand what it is. They should have been exposed also to the other styles and types of kilts out there. Then knowledge becomes power and they can choose what they wish to make.

If all someone wishes to do is make as many as they possibly can and sell them to people who have no idea what they are buying, then that is what we call Tartan tat.

[AlexMDN]

Ok, now got me way wrong. I've never said that I'm trying to make as many kilts as I can as fast as I can, nor that I know everything about it, but I do know something about kilt construction and principles. And I'm still learning from my own mistakes and from other's experience.
These kilts I make are not for sale yet, not until I'll be satisfied myself.
What I's trying to point out in my original post is that:
1.Kilt as any other garment complicated in its construction for the one who knows
2.There are chip kilts on the market so uneducated public.
3.Share that I made few steps down the road of kiltmaking. so thank you for the respond on this one.

You hit me up a little on this, but that's ok.
I just fill like I have to put my butt on the ferry and see you in Victoria to have your opinion on what I did.

[The Wizard of BC]

Alex, your taking me completly wrong man. I'm not hitting you up at all. I'm encouraging you.
My points are directed at the original question.

"Is there a certain way to make a kilt? Do you just need the fabric and sew it like a skirt I guess? I'm not sure what it takes or what else is needed to make a kilt."

I'm very sorry if they came across as being directed at you. That was not my intent at all.

If you ever get the itch to get on the ferry just let me know and I'll have fresh coffee on when you get here. I find Kiltmakers are some of the nicest people in the world.

[AlexMDN]

Well, maybe I took it way personally, my apology. But I do plan to visit you and honestly value your opinion on my kilts, so I'll see you some day soon, right?

Alex.

[Jake_S]

I wish I still live in Seattle! I would be up at Steve's place as often as I could to gain some knowledge, and hope that his talent would transfer to me by some psychic means!

Seriously, I have to agree w/ Steve in that the secret to the kilt is how it hangs and moves on the body.

I'm still learning that.

Cheers,
Jake

[Barb T]

Well, maybe I took it way personally, my apology. But I do plan to visit you and honestly value your opinion on my kilts, so I'll see you some day soon, right?

Alex.

Don't stress. We all just call Steve the curmudgeon. A lovable curmudgeon, but, hey. That's just Steve. He's emphatic, but we love him anyway.

[The Wizard of BC]

I AM NOT EMPHATIC!!!