Pre-shrinking traditional kilt fabric?

[davidlpope]

Or do you consider yardage from the top-name mills to arrive needle-ready?

Yes. Kilts are best cleaned by gentle handwashing in the tub, as to avoid shrinkage. See this thread:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...st-time-58379/

David

[sydnie7]

Yes. Kilts are best cleaned by gentle handwashing in the tub, as to avoid shrinkage. See this thread:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...st-time-58379/

David

The point is that the fabric will have been "gently handwashed" or equivalent prior to making the kilt, so that any shrinkage which might occur will not affect the finished product.

[Pleater]

If it is any help - and it might not be - when I start out to make a kilt I press the folds into the fabric so I am working on only two layers of it. That is a fold for the outside and inside of the pleat from lower edge to hip, and then whatever is appropriate from hip to waist, which depends on how the taper is being dealt with.

I start off with the outer fold, then measure between them for the inner fold - so if there is any shrinking when pressed it is pretty much dealt with before sewing starts.

I don't press the original piece of fabric as there doesn't really seem to be much point, I work on the cut piece or pieces for the garment. I might iron out a bad wrinkle or twist in the original, just to check that it is not a permanent feature.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[davidlpope]

The point is that the fabric will have been "gently handwashed" or equivalent prior to making the kilt, so that any shrinkage which might occur will not affect the finished product.

Really don't think this is the case.

Matt, Barb, Rocky, John etc.: Do any of you do any sort of washing/cleaning to the tartan fabric prior to sewing up your kilts?

Cordially,

David

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Really don't think this is the case.

Matt, Barb, Rocky, John etc.: Do any of you do any sort of washing/cleaning to the tartan fabric prior to sewing up your kilts?

Cordially,

David

Nope. And never experienced a problem.

[sydnie7]

Nope. And never experienced a problem.

OK, so at least one professional kiltmaker considers kilt fabric to arrive "needle ready" from the mill. That was the gist of my question, sorry if it got obscured by the backstory.

From what I've read in several tailoring texts, this is generally not the case with woolens unless they are marked "needle ready" from the mill. Would be interesting to hear from the mills themselves, I know we have at least one representative here.