I went and did it now

**Barb T** · 21st February 15, 02:24 PM

There are lots of ways to make kilts, but, if you use the instructions in The Art of Kiltmaking, you'll do all the stitching by hand.

**usonian** · 23rd February 15, 09:07 AM

Yeah - TAOKM instructions are hand-sewing (except for the waistband, optionally) and for a traditionally constructed 8 yard, heavyweight kilt I can't imagine adapting too many of them for machine sewing - at least, not on a first attempt.

But definitely check out the X-Kilt guide by Xmarks' own Alan H (with Reverse Kingussie addendum by Sydnie7!) It's downloadable as a PDF at http://cmgm.stanford.edu/~ahebert/Xk...t2ndedRevK.pdf (Fair warning, it's picture heavy and weighs in at about 43 megabytes.) It's all about machine-sewing, and if you're not philosophically opposed to contemporary style kilts it might be a pretty way to get your feet wet.

Good luck!

**Richrail** · 23rd February 15, 10:42 AM

I do like doing things by hand, so I do look forward at taking my time and stitching by hand. Many years ago my H.S. offered a class in titled bachelor living, that taught hand sewing and cooking. I really did enjoy it and it was an easy A to raise the GPA.

**kiltedtom** · 23rd February 15, 04:00 PM

Richrail,

When I was in the 8th grade (1972) boys had to take 9 weeks of homec, and the girls had to take 9 weeks of shop. Most of the boys complained that they were doing "women's work." Most of the girls found their time in shop useful. Now that men and women often do not marry until well into their 20's or later, it definitely is a handy thing to know how to sew, cook, clean, and all that other stuff. Though I admit, I must not have done too well in the class as I rarely cook. That is what delivery is for.

Good luck with the sewing and have fun doing the kilt.

Tom

**Tarheel** · 24th February 15, 03:31 AM

Originally Posted by kiltedtom

When I was in the 8th grade (1972) boys had to take 9 weeks of homec, and the girls had to take 9 weeks of shop.

I had the same circumstance (1974 as a high school senior). I had a leg up on my classmates because my grandmothers insisted all their male children learn domestic skills. I think they doubted we boys would be worthy of wives.
PS. They certainly weren't coming over to do chores for us after we left the nest.

**Dixiecat** · 24th February 15, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by kiltedtom

Richrail,

When I was in the 8th grade (1972) boys had to take 9 weeks of homec, and the girls had to take 9 weeks of shop. Most of the boys complained that they were doing "women's work." Most of the girls found their time in shop useful. Now that men and women often do not marry until well into their 20's or later, it definitely is a handy thing to know how to sew, cook, clean, and all that other stuff. Though I admit, I must not have done too well in the class as I rarely cook. That is what delivery is for.

Good luck with the sewing and have fun doing the kilt.

Tom

I can still wire up an extension cord, fix my own taps and other basic household fixes from my 9 weeks of 'shop'. I also went on to take woodworking, plumbing and auto mechanics in high school usually ending up being the only girl in the class. I reasoned that since I was forced to do cooking, cleaning and sewing as my chores at home, I'd be d*mned if I was going to take that at school.

Sorry to hijack!

**Barb T** · 24th February 15, 04:29 PM

And I'm so old that they didn't _allow_ girls to take shop back then (some time in the Triassic....). I would have _much_ rather taken shop than home ec, and I even asked, but they said no....

**Stitchwiz** · 25th February 15, 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by Barb T

And I'm so old that they didn't _allow_ girls to take shop back then (some time in the Triassic....). I would have _much_ rather taken shop than home ec, and I even asked, but they said no....

Emboldening added

Ditto for me, Barb. I wanted to take shop because I knew how to sew - started to sew on my own when I started school. I ended up teaching sewing to my classmates outside of class because I knew more than the teacher one year.

But I rose above my disappointment - my first job was in a car dealership as a warranty clerk. It was the only job in the paper. I got the job because I knew my way around the inside of a tractor transmission (I was the only one with hands small enough to get inside!) and I could identify every car part they put in front of me.

Spent my working years BC (before children) in the automotive service business and was 'head hunted' when my 4th child was a baby. They called me steadily for almost 6 months. Pretty 'heady' stuff when one is up to the ears in baby clothes, diapers, toys and would love to enjoy conversation with a person whose vocabulary is above that of a first grader.

But I would not have changed it for the world!

All my kids knew how to cook and clean before they knew that it was work! And they could fix and maintain cars before they went for their learners permit to drive.

That's the advantage to raising children on the farm - they develop skills which give them confidence in themselves long before they hit the angst of puberty.

Reading Barb's TAOK was refreshing because I realized I still have lots of room to learn and my brain is still taking it in! Now if I could just make sure my body will keep up...it doesn't have time to rust...

Isn't life wonderful!

**Creag** · 1st March 15, 08:26 PM

Richrail, that's awesome. Can't wait to see your first kilt. If Mrs. Jones ever says to me "you can do (x) yourself" she generally doesn't mean it literally.