building a kilt

**awoodfellow** · 21st March 04, 09:03 AM

thanks for all the tips folks. i'm going to look for fabric today. not quite sure what i'll find here in the hills ..... but here we go !

ambrose

**awoodfellow** · 27th June 04, 08:10 PM

been out and away for a few days and WOW, the new front end to XMTS really rocks!

ok ,,, after much searching and asking every fabric shop i could find in these here parts, i finally found some fabric to work with. i bought eight yards of a real nice poly fabric ( it was unnamed on card, but it was fairly heavy and could just barely see light through it. the best part; it only cost $1.00/per yard in the sale bin! i always asked about the poly/viscose but i would get a shrugged shoulder or a 'i have no idea' type answer from the clerks.

the mrs. is really interested in seeing if i can do this or not. i'm more handy with a table saw than i am with a needle. so, we'll see!

i'll try to document what i'm doing, though no promises.

so here's a Guinness to ya boys!

regards,

ambrose

**bubba** · 27th June 04, 08:26 PM

Ambrose, I really recommed getting the Scottish kilt pattern set from www.folkwear.com The instructions for the kilt are the clearest I've seen plus you get a pattern for a waistcoat and Prince Charlie. It's well worth the $20. Good luck with your project. It's fun making your own.

**awoodfellow** · 27th June 04, 08:52 PM

thanks, bubba!

i just had my first mistake ......

moral ...

never unfold 8 yards of material without knowing which end is up!

ambrose

**Graham** · 27th June 04, 08:58 PM

You can keep that idea for yourself !!, I'm hopeless at sewing. I have a friend who is most experienced at sewing and even he wouldn't attempt a kilt.

I'd rather buy one from someone who knows what they are doing and earn the money doing what i do best.

IMHO

**bubba** · 27th June 04, 08:59 PM

At least that's a correctable mistake. You should have seen the fun I had unfolding and laying out 14 yards. I'm making myself another kilt and a matching jumper for my wife. I'm modifying the jumper pattern to give the skirt a kilted look. There's a pic of the fabric in my gallery. It's a polyester/rayon blend I got for $5 a yard from www.bestfabric.com .

**Xcop** · 28th June 04, 12:34 AM

Good luck Ambrose. I've been thinking of making a kilt myself. I reckon that it can't be more complicated carpentry. I'm not realhandy with a sewing machine but its a machine and I will not be defeated by it.

David

**bubba** · 28th June 04, 07:21 AM

David, it really isn't complicated, it just requires a bit of patience and by all means have someone experienced with sewing teach you the basics of using the machine. It'll speed up the learning process a great deal. I took a beginners sewing class when I started and it was well worth the time. Once you know the basics you can pick up most techniques from books. One book I still refer to often is the Readers Digest Complete Guide to Sewing. It covers a little of everything and is enough to get started with. Another good book to have is the Singer Sewing Essentials. These are beginners books and great references to have on hand. You can probably find them in your local public library.

**Tigger** · 28th June 04, 08:09 AM

Here's the site, http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/chegc/kiltsite/page2.htm

They have quite a write-up and at the bottom of the page it gives you a link to the detailed diagrams. Let me know what you think.

**bubba** · 28th June 04, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by Tigger

Here's the site, http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/chegc/kiltsite/page2.htm

That's one of the sites I used when I started. I've found the Folkwear set is simpler, especially for someone that's never made one. All the extras in the set are great too if you want to put together a relatively inexpensive Highland outfit.