To all kiltmakers:

[Jimmy Carbomb]

And Bear's CORRECT redirections goes double for me.

You're talking about some SERIOUS material, and need a serious kiltmaker. Kathy was my very first notion for the job as she is classically trained. Angus, here in eastern Pennsylvania is real good too, but takes about six months to do the job since he's THAT good and THAT busy.
http://www.kathyskilts.com

MacIsaac Kiltmakers was the second choice too. I know four guys with their kilts, and they're BEAUTIFUL... that's the kilts not the guys.
http://www.mackilts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv

Linda Clifford is in Maine, and makes the kilts for the Loch Rannoch Pipe Band. I would suggest contacting her too, to see about your needs.
http://www.lindaclifford.com

Anything else would be a risk with that material. You're talking about a serious investment in the tartan, and you need a serious kiltmaker to handle the task. Also, the taper on this kilt will need to be precise due to your husband's "girth". If it's just sewn together... the pleats will pucker, the apron-tips will point out, and the hang will be awkward.

Let us know if there's ANYTHING else we can do to help you out!

[Jimmy Carbomb]

And Bear's CORRECT redirections goes double for me.

You're talking about some SERIOUS material, and need a serious kiltmaker. Kathy was my very first notion for the job as she is classically trained. Angus, here in eastern Pennsylvania is real good too, but takes about six months to do the job since he's THAT good and THAT busy.
http://www.kathyskilts.com

MacIsaac Kiltmakers was the second choice too. I know four guys with their kilts, and they're BEAUTIFUL... that's the kilts not the guys.
http://www.mackilts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv

Linda Clifford is in Maine, and makes the kilts for the Loch Rannoch Pipe Band. I would suggest contacting her too, to see about your needs.
http://www.lindaclifford.com

Anything else would be a risk with that material. You're talking about a serious investment in the tartan, and you need a serious kiltmaker to handle the task. Also, the taper on this kilt will need to be precise due to your husband's "girth". If it's just sewn together... the pleats will pucker, the apron-tips will point out, and the hang will be awkward.

Let us know if there's ANYTHING else we can do to help you out!

[Mychael Sporrano]

Unless I missed this suggestion, how about finding a kiltmaker who is willing to sew permanent pleats into your pre existing great kilt? It would at least make it easier to put on though it doesn't really make the garment itself any more practical to wear.

I know that Chris from www.southerncelt.com offers such a product. He seems to have disappeared from this site and just now I was unable to access his site... Perhaps another kiltmaker here would be willing to assist in this capacity?

Another option is to have this tartan material fashioned into a large shawl and fly plaid [kind of a his-and-her thing] and have a traditional kilt made in a matching plaid. Just a thought.

Mychael

[Mychael Sporrano]

Unless I missed this suggestion, how about finding a kiltmaker who is willing to sew permanent pleats into your pre existing great kilt? It would at least make it easier to put on though it doesn't really make the garment itself any more practical to wear.

I know that Chris from www.southerncelt.com offers such a product. He seems to have disappeared from this site and just now I was unable to access his site... Perhaps another kiltmaker here would be willing to assist in this capacity?

Another option is to have this tartan material fashioned into a large shawl and fly plaid [kind of a his-and-her thing] and have a traditional kilt made in a matching plaid. Just a thought.

Mychael

[Mychael Sporrano]

Unless I missed this suggestion, how about finding a kiltmaker who is willing to sew permanent pleats into your pre existing great kilt? It would at least make it easier to put on though it doesn't really make the garment itself any more practical to wear.

I know that Chris from www.southerncelt.com offers such a product. He seems to have disappeared from this site and just now I was unable to access his site... Perhaps another kiltmaker here would be willing to assist in this capacity?

Another option is to have this tartan material fashioned into a large shawl and fly plaid [kind of a his-and-her thing] and have a traditional kilt made in a matching plaid. Just a thought.

Mychael

[Riverkilt]

I'd support the Kathy's Kilt suggestion. Just dealt with her ordering my clan tartan kilt. My waist is a 46" at the naval and we talked through how she was gonna work with that...I wear my non traditional kilts under my belly where I'm 42".

Point being, she didn't seem to miss a trick in figuring out the sizing.

The other thing about Kathy, besides her training in certifications from Scotland, is that she'll be the one actually hand sewing the kilt so there's no need to pass on the instructions.

You've a situation there that brings to mind the old adage, "you can measure a thousand times, but you can only cut once."

Ron

[Riverkilt]

I'd support the Kathy's Kilt suggestion. Just dealt with her ordering my clan tartan kilt. My waist is a 46" at the naval and we talked through how she was gonna work with that...I wear my non traditional kilts under my belly where I'm 42".

Point being, she didn't seem to miss a trick in figuring out the sizing.

The other thing about Kathy, besides her training in certifications from Scotland, is that she'll be the one actually hand sewing the kilt so there's no need to pass on the instructions.

You've a situation there that brings to mind the old adage, "you can measure a thousand times, but you can only cut once."

Ron

[Riverkilt]

I'd support the Kathy's Kilt suggestion. Just dealt with her ordering my clan tartan kilt. My waist is a 46" at the naval and we talked through how she was gonna work with that...I wear my non traditional kilts under my belly where I'm 42".

Point being, she didn't seem to miss a trick in figuring out the sizing.

The other thing about Kathy, besides her training in certifications from Scotland, is that she'll be the one actually hand sewing the kilt so there's no need to pass on the instructions.

You've a situation there that brings to mind the old adage, "you can measure a thousand times, but you can only cut once."

Ron

[Bryndian_Dhai]

Wow, y'all are absolutely amazing. Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions, I will be looking at contacting both recommended kiltmakers.

I checked out the sites for Bear and a couple others that are linked from here. He has expressed marked interest in a "non-traditional" kilt... Utilikilts was heavily represented this year at TRF and both my husband and his Irish best friend were fascinated. I think they'd BOTH start wearing kilts more often if they weren't always heavy wool. *grins* That's one of the down sides to being such a big man... all that wool, plus the semi-tropical climate of the South is a bad combination. So once I make this $800 investment worth my money, I will indeed be looking at kilts from one of the sites here.

I'm hoping to get him to come peruse the site... he's not comfortable typing, so he'd be a lurker of the first degree, but he's expressed interest, so perhaps you'll be welcoming him, too.

Thanks again
Bryn

[Bryndian_Dhai]

Wow, y'all are absolutely amazing. Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions, I will be looking at contacting both recommended kiltmakers.

I checked out the sites for Bear and a couple others that are linked from here. He has expressed marked interest in a "non-traditional" kilt... Utilikilts was heavily represented this year at TRF and both my husband and his Irish best friend were fascinated. I think they'd BOTH start wearing kilts more often if they weren't always heavy wool. *grins* That's one of the down sides to being such a big man... all that wool, plus the semi-tropical climate of the South is a bad combination. So once I make this $800 investment worth my money, I will indeed be looking at kilts from one of the sites here.

I'm hoping to get him to come peruse the site... he's not comfortable typing, so he'd be a lurker of the first degree, but he's expressed interest, so perhaps you'll be welcoming him, too.

Thanks again
Bryn