Kilt making demonstration: Any suggestions?

[MacBean]

Oh, it's in the King of Prussia Convention Center! I could walk to that! I have prior plans to attend a christening in Virginia, but in case that gets cancelled, do you have more information on where or when you will be demonstrating your magic?

[wildrover]

Would you be able to get a video camera on it, so the process might be posted on YouTube some day?

...For those of us who don't live near PA

[The Wizard of BC]

I have done many of just this sort of demonstrations. In fact it is a big part of talking to the customers who come into my shop. Most who know very little about the kilt and Tartans.

Here are some hints.

1) Any sample or example of your work that you have on display should be the absolute best examples of what you are capable of doing.

2) Have some well labeled examples of 'mistakes'. These could be samples of poor pleat stitching where the Tartan lines are offset or the stitches visible.

3) Have a kilt that you are currently working on there and work on it in between talking to people. Many people are amazed that someone actually stitches a kilt. It is almost like they expect them to magically come out of some machine.

4) For samples of different types of pleating take one of your long center strips of fabric and pin it up 'to the sett' and also to at least three examples of 'to the stripe'. Many people will be amazed that one piece of fabric can give totally different looks just by changing what line is used for the pleat. And all from the same strip of fabric.

5) Take another strip and pleat it different ways to show the difference between knife pleats, box pleats, double box pleats, Kingussie pleats, Reverse Kingusssie, Military box pleats, tube pleats, etc.

6) Have as many samples of different tartans as you can manage. If you have swatch books from any major weaver take the entire set.
If you can take your computer and have it set to the home page of the Scottish Tartans Authourity or the Scottish Register of Tartans do so. This is so you can look up any Tartan.
It is also a good idea to have a couple of examples of the different versions of some Tartans. If you have swatches of Modern, Dress, Hunting, ancient, and weathered versions of the same Tartan all spread out it is always an eye opener.

7) As I said, I do demonstrations like this three or four times a day. The first 50 or so times were a disaster. Practice is the key. If you are planning on setting up a booth or tent on grass and you will have a table where you lay out your examples, and a chair where you will be sitting and sewing, practice standing up and sitting down without messing up the kilt you are working on. Then practice moving around in your space. Know where everything is so that you can put your hand on it without hesitation.
In fact this practice thing goes for every aspect of your festival experience. Right down to loading the car.
Assemble everything you want to take in the house and then go pack it in the car. (Remember your tent is the last thing in and the first thing out of the car). Then park the car on the street in front of the house and unload everything, cart it to the back yard, and set it up exactly as you want it for the festival. This will make all the difference if you cannot drive onto the field and must tote everything from the parking lot. You have to move everything and keep everything secure, and be able to set up and tear down with the least amount of time and effort. I have worn myself out at some festivals just getting everything packed, unpacked, moved, set up and ready when the gates open and been so exhausted that I can't even talk to a customer for half an hour.
I would practice this loading, unloading - set up and tear down exercise at least three if not ten times.
Then after you have set up in the back yard do a practice with a friend or family member. Have them walk in and ask questions. Practice finding that scrap of X Marks Tartan that you know you packed somewhere, in some box. Practice getting up from your work and moving around your booth. It's amazing how small a 10x10 tent can get with three customers all asking questions and you trying to keep track of your cash box.

The last thing to practice is your patter. I know this sounds funny, but after a while you will get into a habit of how you explain stuff. The ladies here in my shop will mouth my standard patter behind my back, they have it down pat. But after a while you get the important stuff down well and don't have to think about it. And when an unexpected question comes up you are ready to deal with it.

Well, that's about all I can think of right now. If you have any other questions I'll be happy to help if I can.

[Steve Ashton]

Oh yea, and have a couple of copies of "The Art of Kiltmaking" handy.
I would suggest a dozen copies. And that's not only because I want Barb to to get her money back for the printing, it's because you will be able to sell them. I seem to remember somewhere on ebay where a used copy was going to $4200.00.

[dfmacliam]

Yeah what the Wizard said...LOL... and his alter ego Steve Ashton...LOL

[bonnie heather]

Thank you for all your really great suggestions and advice!

It will be at the King of Prussia Convention Center. I'm sure I'll be sewing most of Saturday and Sunday. There aren't set times yet for demonstrating, but I intend to do several each day.

I'll try to get photos and video.

Your excellent ideas are a huge help! I really appreciate.
...Bonnie