Should kilts come with basting stiches?

[Downunder Kilt]

I think this ties in nicely with Brice's thread regarding the price comparisons.......it really goes to show that you get what you pay for. Would you have happily paid another $10 for better packaging and basting stitches?

Yes.

[Chas]

I think this ties in nicely with Brice's thread regarding the price comparisons.......it really goes to show that you get what you pay for. Would you have happily paid another $10 for better packaging and basting stitches?

I don't know if this is all the same thing. I have seen military kilts with 4 or 5 rows of basting shipped in quite rubbishy packaging. Ron says that his Kathy Lares are well packaged and have no basting. The end result of both will be a kilt that requires only the minimum of attention before wearing.

A year ago January, Frugal Corner had a free shipping sale. I took advantage and they shipped 2 kilts to me in the UK. One was their lightweight and the other their heavyweight. Both had 2 rows of basting stitches. The lightweight was $60 and the heavyweight was $90 - the customer service was built into the price.

Regards

Chas

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I've done it both ways.

When I started out selling kilts, I carefully pressed each pleat by hand and then packaged the kilt to ship off with no basting stitches. I don't think I ever got a complaint about it, or anyone asking, "Hey, aren't basting stitches supposed to come on this thing?"

On the other hand, kilts the museum has made in Scotland all come with basting stitches in place, and we often have customers ask, "Hey, what's the deal with this white thread at the bottom of my kilt?"

But I would notice on occasion that people would send me pictures of themselves in the new kilt I just made from them, and the pleats would sometimes look quite wrinkled from shipping. Even though no one complained about it, I didn't like that.

So I began to put two, sometimes three (depending on the kilt length) rows of basting stitches in the kilt, before I pressed it. It was an additional step and so added time to the process. But I discovered that it made the pressing go a lot faster, and it really helped the kilt retain its shape during the shipping process. Plus, my clients seem to appreciate the fact that I've taken the extra care to ensure that the kilt arrives to them looking the best it can.

So for some time now I've been shipping all my kilts out with basting stitches in place. If I'm making a kilt for myself, or for someone local who plans on picking it up in person, I don't bother with basting stitches. But if it is going in a box and shipping out, it will have basting stitches every time.

[skauwt]

i bought my kilt from Hector Brussels in Glasgow and it had basting stitches, the thing that bothered me the most was the handing over the kilt in a carrier bag they hadn't even took the time to place it properly in the bag....i agree that id expect stitching on collection or by online ordering

[ForresterModern]

Of 4 handsewn heavy or midweight wool 8yd kilts I own all have had at least three or more rows of basting stitches when recieved by shipping. One had 5 rows.

Of 10 machine sewn or partially handsewn heavy or midweight wool 8yd kilts I own half came with basting (usually two, maybe three rows max) by shipping. 2 of the ones that came with no basting have been sent out to Kathy Lare for some subsequent size revisions which returned without basting but well boxed.

One PV off the peg 8yd kilt had no basting upon arrival.

I must admit that although basting helps keep the kilt from developing wrinkles over the pleated sections it does nothing for the aprons, and that is where I seem to find the most problems with wrinkles/rumples upon receipt. Nothing a good steaming either with a formal steamer or by hanging in the bathroom for a couple days where showers were taken couldn't fix right up. I do not recollect ever having rumpled or creased pleats eitherwith or without basting. I would say it is about half and half as to whether my kilts arrived neatly folded in an appropriate length box (so the kilt was not folded across its length, only along the pleats) or in a soft shipping bag (usually folded several times along the pleats and at least once across the pleats).

Enough rambling about history. I guess what I am trying to say is I think basting has some value but am not sure exactly how much, as my pleats have never been an issue from the standpont of requiring (ever) a pressing, as a simple steaming returned thier natural shape. I may have (carefully) pressed a front apron once or twice when I did not wish to suffer the time to do a full steaming, but steaming and proper hanging (Scotweb and Celtic Croft kilt hangers only) have been all my kilts of various types and grades have required over several years. The steamer remains in the closet with them, ever at the ready.

I hope I never have to send a kilt out for formal cleaning that requires I have to re-baste the pleats, as, although I have a history with a needle and thread sewing some clothes and kites, I would never pretend to know I had any idea how to baste a set of kilt pleats properly for cleaning and/or pressing.
jeff

[saxandpipes]

i bought my kilt from Hector Brussels in Glasgow and it had basting stitches, the thing that bothered me the most was the handing over the kilt in a carrier bag they hadn't even took the time to place it properly in the bag....i agree that id expect stitching on collection or by online ordering

My Kilt from Hector Russell also came with basting stiches, and was packed well (it arrived to me in Spain, 2 days before a wedding). It was also a very good price (200GBP for heavy weight, 8 yard kilt).

Not being placed in the bag properly is probably just a case of a lazy or careless store clerk. I've had that before- having a shirt or something stuffed into the bag- just seems a bit insulting, as if to say, well here's your shirt mate, too bad you didn't buy the more expensive one.

[Richard]

mine did

[Barb T]

The question of the rumpled apron in part depends on the quality of the tartan. I've made kilts from tartan that I have been less than fond of where the apron wrinkled in the time it took to fold and unfold the kilt. My favorite heavy weight tartans, on the other hand, don't wrinkle nearly as badly.

In the kiltmaking method that I learned, basting the pleats is part of the construction process. I can't imagine trying to press a 27-pleat kilt properly if the pleats aren't basted first. So the question for me isn't whether to baste the pleats for shipping but, rather, whether to take the basting _out_ before shipping. I figure that I'll do everything I can do to have a kilt arrive in dandy shape, so I leave the basting in rather than taking it out before shipping.

Maybe other kiltmakers don't baste their pleats at all. Maybe that's what's going on with the Scotweb kilts that arrive in a big bundle and are separated and shipped. I don't know. If the kilts are basted, and the kiltmakers are taking the basting out before sending them to Scotweb, it would be an easy matter for Nick to ask them to leave the basting in. If they don't baste the pleats in the first place, then it would be an extra step to baste them before sending them to Scotweb.

[Nick Fiddes]

Hi guys

I'm just back from holiday a couple of hours ago, and haven't yet been in to the office of course, so I've not been able to check on what you were told. But right now I can tell you that our reason for not using basting stitches has nothing to do with price, as a couple of people have implied. I think Matt's reply expressed it well - it's a judgement call whether to do so or not. Some kiltmakers do, and others don't. Our own decision a while ago was in the other direction, which was that more customers were complaining about the confusion and nuisance of having to remove them (which isn't entirely easy without any risk if you're not used to handcrafts) than were appearing to benefit from having them. So we decided to go 'naked'.

So please don't imply it's a matter of "you get what you pay for"... The overwhelmingly positive reviews that our kiltmaking receives even from the most discerning buyers speaks for itself, at any price. Just read the reviews on our site, which are unedited and all for real. Our incredibly low prices (even before the XMTS discount!) are entirely down to the highly efficient retailing operation. So please do me a favour and don't imply we're somehow cutting corners when we aren't. We're doing our very best to deliver the finest product and service we can. Period. Thanks. :-)

[Stoogy]

Does basting make the kilt juicier ???????