"One World" Kilt Prototype

[emolas]

5300 kilts? whew...

Steve Ashton, an engineer and owner/founder of Victoria-based Freedom Kilts, sewed up his first "contemporary kilt" four years ago, and has doubled his business every year since.

In contrast, Steve made one his first year and doubled every year so that means he is now up to 8

[The Wizard of BC]

1+2+4+8=15 and I took an hour off for lunch.

[creativeaccents]

One thing I have learned from tha making of my own is just how much time, thought and work goes into making kilts. Having finished the waist, and the back panel, I have now moved on to the pleating. Got a whole foot done last night. For myself, I have found that the extra work of beig certain that the plaid stripes all match with every new feature and then sewing them precisely into place is the most time consuming part.
Clarence Walker

[cacunn]

1I took an hour off for lunch.

Thats good theres nothing worst than PB&J on the apron as a kilt goes into a box for shipping

[creativeaccents]

One thing may be worse....
getting an hour into laying out the pleats in a plaid with small squares and then discovering that the count was off in one near the beginning..only to then have to pull out all the pins and go back to that one!!

[Pleater]

What a pain - all I can advise is the old carpenter's 'saw' of measure twice and cut once - or more appropriately for us, fold once.

To try to avoid wasting time I mark and then press in the outer folds of the pleats before starting to form the pleats. It is usually fairly easy to spot an error at the marking stage because the total length is off - it is then just necessary to go back along the edge and check the spaces between the pins to find the one that is out of place - though of course all the ones after that one are wrong.

Once the pins are proven right I fold the fabric at that point and put in a safety pin to hold the fold, then extend the fold down to the lower edge. If it is a plain fabric I measure top and bottom, but for stripes plaids and tartans I just follow the grain.

With something a bit unusual I sometimes mark out the total length of five and ten pleats, so if I do not hit that mark I know that there must be something wrong and do not continue until I have found out where the error is.

I only press lightly at the top, but put a bit of pressure on the lower part as that should be there permanently - even if the kilt is remade they usually remain the same.

[creativeaccents]

Thanks for the good suggestions! I am making this one as a means of learning a bit about the process, what to do and not to do, and HOW TO SEW. Some many things to be considered in building from scratch and making your own pattern, like the mechanics of joining seams, etc.. Today I finished the wrap around waist where the belt will go, the back panel that goes just below the belt (non-pleated) to hold something like a nice Scottish patch (sources?), the pleating, and the attachment of the pleats. An 11 hour day!

Things learned:
1. Patterns with a tartan that is made of 1 1/2 inch squares is far harder in that it takes so much more effort to match the verticals and horizontals at every intersection
2. Light weight fabric may be more comfortable in the heat of the south, but it is a HUGE pain to work with in terms of sewing and pleating
3. A GOOD seam ripper is a GOOD investment
4. Just because it looks right on the top when sewing doesn't mean that a pleat or seam hasn't snagged underneath in the sewing machine
5. Needles DO break if you try to sew over the pins!
6. When sewing many layers, a 16 needle is mighty valuable
7. Kiltmakers EARN their money!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a great learning experience. After this one I have some beautiful tweed for my first X-Kilt AND today received some incredible, heavy beautiful tartan for my first real, formal, traditional kilt for when my edition 2 of "The Book" arrives this month. ALL of this raises one's awareness of all that goes into the tradition!

Now, the wife already has a pattern on the way for ME to make HER an outfit to wear next to me at the Stone Mountain Highland games. Alas, the life of an author while awaiting the muse to finish the final chapter of book number five.

Why do I have a sudden urge to learn the bagpipes?

[turpin]

Hey! I hadn't noticed that you are local. Belated welcome to XMTS, and look me up at the Gordon tent at Stone Mountain - or at Loch Hartwell, if you plan to go to those games as well. Both I and Cavscout will be manning a vendors booth at Hartwell. If you need a belt or sporran straps to go with your new kilt, he's your best bet.

[creativeaccents]

Thanks for the GREAT information! I was raised between Sandy Springs & Buckhead, back when Roswell Rd was two lanes and North Springs was 8 miles out in the country. I have added Hartwell and Waxhaw to my calendar. Maybe my shipment of kilts will arrive by then. Now to find some good embroidered patches and buttons for my various kilts.
Clarence Walker

[bunchdescendant]

1+2+4+8=15 and I took an hour off for lunch.

Good one, Steve!

Now I have to get the coffee out of my keyboard!

Ray