Well I would have saved myself hundreds of dollars and many, many hours of time if I had just heeded the original advice, and saved up for a good kilt in the first place.

That is not what I did. I bought two "starter kilts" in acrylic, because they were affordable. Not knowing any better (it was before I found XMTS), I then moved on to trying to make one of better materials, but used the inexpensive acrylic as a model. Bad plan. Wasted several yards of really decent wool fabric (though no "real" tartan) making kilts to fit me in decent materials, but based on a very flawed model of how they should be made.

Then I found this place, and decided that I could afford to get one from Matt, and ordered what I thought at the time would be my one and only hand sewn kilt (how naive THAT was). I now have three of Matt's four yard box pleated kilts, two by Barb T and two from ChattanCat. I love them all.

Had I saved up for one "tank" (that still bugs me a little bit, though I DO understand why it was started, and sticks) and got that first, I maybe could have stopped at one, especially if it was the quality of those made by the folks that are here and participate regularly that I already mentioned, and Rocky as well. I am sure his work is first class also, though I have yet to get one myself.

I think the original post was good advice, and it would have saved me a lot of money and time had I heard it before I started down the kilt path.

I wouldn't have learned as much, but that is another thing entirely.