Am I on the Right Track for Kiltmaking?

[Mark's Mom]

Hi Barb T..
Thanks for your reply. I am slowly evolving my expectations and am going to try my best to make a precise kilt. The first step was to get help by signing up for Elsie's Kilt Boot Camp. The second step was to listen to Elsie, and buy 4 yards of doublewide high-quality tartan cloth from Strathmore so I wouldn't self-defeat my chances of producing a good kilt. Third, I have been practicing with a needle, hand sewing a cape out of some low-quality tartan fabric. I am finding out where I am likely to stick myself so I can be ready for Camp. I seem to stick myself in the oddest places that thimbles don't protect, but I figured a roll of moleskin would take care of a lot of that.

I found the supply list in your book and I am checking with others to find out if there are any other suggestions to make my first kilting experience a good one. If you have any additional suggestions, please pass them along.

I wanted to know which kind of leather thimble you recommend, as I have seen numerous styles and have no idea which is most appropriate for kilt making. I usually avoid hand sewing whenever possible, so I am a little worried about sore fingers and poor quality. As a person who has done machine sewing for 50 years, I don't quilt because it seemed tedious to me and I hated fussing over the corners of the pieces matching, so I have a lot to learn. I have a lot of patience in other aspects of my life, so now will be my time to learn patience and precision with sewing. It should be a good challenge for me.

I am glad you wrote a book on the precise way to make a kilt. It will give me a standard for which to strive. Thanks for your advice.

[xman]

The first step was to get help by signing up for Elsie's Kilt Boot Camp.

I envy you this opportunity.

I wanted to know which kind of leather thimble you recommend, as I have seen numerous styles and have no idea which is most appropriate for kilt making.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...thimble-18607/

I actually glued some leather to a plastic quilt thimble.

I have a lot of patience in other aspects of my life, so now will be my time to learn patience and precision with sewing. It should be a good challenge for me.

I hope you will enjoy the 'tedium' as I do. I especially like sewing pleats right now. Personally, I found The Book to be easy to follow and understand. Some questions about 'why' something is done gnawed at me until I saw why and a few still do.

[Barb T]

Hi Barb T..
I wanted to know which kind of leather thimble you recommend, as I have seen numerous styles and have no idea which is most appropriate for kilt making.

The leather thimbles that are available for quilting aren't heavy duty enough. The kind of leather thimble that I liked very much is not made any more. I now just make my own. Here's a post with instructions:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...thimble-18607/

You'll have fun at Elsie's kilt kamp! And working with good tartan is, in my estimation, really important for a beginner.