Steve and the XMTS Tartan Fabric

[Colin]

I did not order any fabric and this doe snot apply to me, but as someone that until recently had access to the back rooms of Xmarks I would like to make a comment. There is a section set up for Steve and the Mods to discuss this any kind of tartan run, kilt pin, badge, etc before it comes out the the members of this forum for feedback. Steve does a shiteload of work in there and is puts in a lot of effort to look for good deals and to make sure everything is sorted. It's a difficult task and one that people don't often understand. They don't see the people that commit to a product in a thread and than for whatever reason need to pull out of ordering, or the tariff fees, or the emails to weavers, suppliers, etc,etc,etc.

All three of the PV kilts I have owned have been in the Marton Mills fringed material. It is fine to use with the fringe or hemmed.

Steve, I say a big thank you for all your effort, your time, your cost, your attention to detail, and your patience. You have made many great runs of fabric and a wonderful cap badge a reality. Your work is appreciated.

Thanks


** and as a matter of opinion, any left over fabric should be made available at the original price you first listed on the order in November. It will be listed as fringed and there is no surprises, so it doesn't make sense to me for you to take a loss out of your pocket for the sake of those that never contributed to the original order.

[Panache]

Steve,

I want to thank you once again for shouldering all the work with the runs of XMTS tartan fabric and those fantastic cap badges that you designed and had produced.

The F-H.C.A.G. has already said we are happy to take the fabric as is (though let me double check about getting some of it pre hemmed).

But let me add that we do not require a discount

The price we paid for our fabric was a great one for custom woven tartan.

More than fair.

I would also like to thank all the folks who have posted on this thread and those that might decide the same who stepped up and stood behind Steve.

My hat is off to you good people!

Cheers

Jamie

:blimp:

[Zardoz]

One question, Since I know little to nothing about making kilts (or sewing in general) I asked my kiltmaker about the hem, and they say a 1.5" to 2" hem will allow the pleats to hang nicer in the back, that a 1" (or less) hem can make the pleats tend to 'kick out' at the bottom. What would the size of this hem be?

[Barb T]

One question, Since I know little to nothing about making kilts (or sewing in general) I asked my kiltmaker about the hem, and they say a 1.5" to 2" hem will allow the pleats to hang nicer in the back, that a 1" (or less) hem can make the pleats tend to 'kick out' at the bottom. What would the size of this hem be?

I've put hems of all lengths into kilts, and the most important things are as follows:

1) Turn the hem up only once. Turning it up, and then turning the fringed edge over again _will_ make a ridge. Yes, the fringe will show on the inside, but no one should be looking at the inside of your kilt....

2) When you press the kilt, make sure that the iron spans the "bridge" between the double part of the hem and the single part of the rest of the kilt when you're pressing from the front side. If you run the iron on the front side of the kilt "along the ditch" just above the hem, you'll get a ridge. Pressing from the back side, though, you should press with the iron either on the part with the hem or the part without, but not across the two so that you can avoid a ridge.

3) Use a herringbone stitch instead of the standard blind hem stitch. This gives the hem a bit of flex and doesn't pull the outside back in ridge. Here's what it looks like:



Done right, no one will know that your kilt has a hem. If you can put a 1.5" hem in it, great. If you don't have enough length to do that, I wouldn't worry about putting in just 1". Heck, I even lengthened a kilt for a dancer once and had only 1/2" to put into the hem. It was fine.

And Steve, you are the bee's knees.

[Tartan Hiker]

Yes, the fringe will show on the inside, but no one should be looking at the inside of your kilt....

Well...that's no fun at all, Barb!!!

Seriously, as others have said I'll also be happy to offer shelter to yardage that is left unclaimed.

[fhpdo]

Steve ,
You can add me to the list of people that will happily take any unclaimed/unwanted tartan off your hands at full price.
Thanks,
John

[Cherub]

*Cherub Raises hand*

please add me to the queue for extra material, I may only be able to afford 5 yards or so with my EI running out and all but i will take it at the original price.

[TheKiltedCoder]

I finally got the e-mail from Steve, and I'll add my name to the list of the others who are declining the offered discount.

Steve, after all the work you've put into this.... Well, my heart goes out to you. I've had projects fall in the toilet before, as well. I expect I'd sleep no better tonight if the tartan had a kilting selvedge on it rather than the fringe. So, if I ever do make it north of the border, I'll be perfectly happy to buy you a nice bottle of your favorite single malt.

I did ask Steve to put the blind hem in on it, as my old 1950's model Singer doesn't really do blind hems all that well. In order to get that hem, though, I'm perfectly willing to wait until the very end of the list of recipients. I've got another kilt I'm trying to finish, and am not in any urgent need of the tartan at this point.

I'd also like to say I've been very heartened by the response of those others that have posted to this thread, and can only hope that the general response that Steve's received has been the same. But XMTS really is a community, and reminds me so much of what the Internet was like back in the early '90's.

Take care and God bless,

Brian