The Art of Contemporary Kiltmaking

[The Wizard of BC]

Yes, The Art of Contemporary Kiltmaking is a work currently in progress. As it has been for the past three years.

I have much of the text written and some of the photos. I have much of what I have written formatted.

The Art of Contemporary Kiltmaking was never designed to be a step-by-step set of directions to make one particular type of Kilt. I am not teaching how to make a Freedom Kilt although many of my techniques are used.
I am also not going to teach anyone how to make a MUG or a Pub Style Kilt.

What I have tried to do is give the reader a choice. For example in the chapter about pleats. I discribe the different kinds of pleats, and then describe the different ways to create those pleats.

In many places I do a direct comparison between a Traditional Style Kilt so that you will first understand how those are done to better understand how a Contemporary Style Kilt is made.

There is already Alan H's X Kilt manual on one end of the spectrum and The Art of Kiltmaking on the other end. What my book is intended to do is span the difference between the two.
It is for those who want a kilt that could possibly pass for a Traditional but machine sewn with the possibility of adding pockets if the reader wishes.

The secrect of a Contemporary Style Kilt is that the Stabilizer and Interfacings of a Traditional Kilt are still used but the fabrics may be different or the fastenings different or the way it is worn may be different.

I appoligize to everyone that this project is taking so long. I am not a writer, I'm an Engineer. I know how to make a Kilt but I am having a heck of a time putting that down in words that others can understand.

Actually if I had the capability of having a professional videographer follow me around for a month I could produce this much better and faster as a video on CD because I can talk about and explain the process much better verbally than I can in writing.

[Zardoz]

Thanks Steve, I didn't know anything like that was in the works, it sounds very interesting.
I, and I'm sure Moski as well, thank you for an actual answer!

[Moski]

Thanks a lot Steve. I had heard about it and have been eagerly looking foreward to it's completion. As you have said, Alan H's manual has been indispensible to me in starting from nothing and making an acceptable kilt on the first go. Now I look foreward to your work as my intrest is mostly in contemporary kilts (IOS and Pennsylvania Modern are still on the want list). I have to dump about 35lbs of extra me, I'll winter well enough without it.
I'm getting more wear out of my kilts nowadays, my wife barely blinks when I kilt up, and she complements me more. I want to up my game some but still stay contemporary. Thanks again for all you do, you're an asset to our community.