Alt.Kilt

[fluter]

from sultry South Carolina. I thought I had posted this Saturday, but I must have been distracted (it's easily done).

You know how to make a gal feel welcome!

We certainly try. We have few enough ladies as it is and one cannot have too many kiltmakers.

[Archangel]

I am interested in making them better.

I have been working mainly on demand basis and about a dozen have left my shop but honestly, I am no expert. I make them custom to each client and though most of my past clients own one or more other kilts, no one has given any complaints so I was interested in hearing the commentary here. Very helpful.

I feel that my photos may not be translating well because men's kilts do not fit will on curvaceous female dress form and I am waiting for photos back from clients to add them on.

What can I do better? What am I missing?

Well, there does seem to be a niche market for items like the monster truck kilt in adult sizes. Not for me, but I would look at a Batman something if you offered it and made some of the design changes mentioned. (I have that type of pleating on a kilt, I don't wear it out of the house.)

[techdragon]

Well, there does seem to be a niche market for items like the monster truck kilt in adult sizes. Not for me, but I would look at a Batman something if you offered it and made some of the design changes mentioned. (I have that type of pleating on a kilt, I don't wear it out of the house.)

If I may, what type of pleating do you mean? My kilts are done with deep knife pleats (which I was under the understanding that most urban kilts were done that way).

Also - I do any fabric choices. Not limited to something previously shown so something like Batman would be available.

[Archangel]

If I may, what type of pleating do you mean? My kilts are done with deep knife pleats (which I was under the understanding that most urban kilts were done that way).

Also - I do any fabric choices. Not limited to something previously shown so something like Batman would be available.

So, respectfully, I don't know the tech names for these things so I'll put the pics up and somebody can help us. What I'm looking at is the first pleat on the wearer's right side. That one ends up sticking out and there is a traditional way of making that first one "reversed" to prevent that.








Sportkilt uses a similar design and I'm always trying to pull the apron over more to cover that. It adds to the feeling of smallness of the apron and gives it more a flounce than a swish, (ha, I know some technical words).

Anyway, it's cool that you're asking question on how to make it better, not that I am THE authority. Wait for Hamish.

BTW, t-shirt logo is pretty cool, looks Japanese.

[Hamish]

So, respectfully, I don't know the tech names for these things so I'll put the pics up and somebody can help us. What I'm looking at is the first pleat on the wearer's right side. That one ends up sticking out and there is a traditional way of making that first one "reversed" to prevent that.








Sportkilt uses a similar design and I'm always trying to pull the apron over more to cover that. It adds to the feeling of smallness of the apron and gives it more a flounce than a swish, (ha, I know some technical words).

Anyway, it's cool that you're asking question on how to make it better, not that I am THE authority. Wait for Hamish.

BTW, t-shirt logo is pretty cool, looks Japanese.

Alas, I am no authority when it comes to kilt construction - I wish I were. I find pleat curl, perhaps not what we are thinking of here, intensly annoying, with sticky-out pleats running a close second! If I knew the answers, the problems would not exist!

To me, who has wonderful Utilikilts and Amerikilts (which Alt.Kilts most closely resemble) in The Kollection, I think this lady is wasting her time. Personally, I would not patronise her - especially if she cannot be bothered to present her creations in a neat and attractive condition! Actually, on a second viewing of her site, I do not think I care for the look of her kilts anyway.

[Alaskan Kilted Guy]

I am interested in seeing some reviews. I currently have one kilt and am looking at different options for a new kilt.

[Phicong]

To Techdragon, info others. I am the proud possessor(?) of an Amerikilt and I would hope that your Altkilts would be better made than this one. It has a loose sewn serging stitch on the hem and the looseness of the threads shows. It has a normal tendency for the waist band to roll over (I am 178 lbs and 5'8") so not from a rolling belly. Lastly and the most anoying concern is the fact that almost never can I get the snaps to close without pulling on the apron fabric in a very visable manner. If I would be sure that your snaps on the front would not pull and look like %^$*, I will probably buy one for no other reason for my summer wear.
Gordon
The hippy in a kilt.

[techdragon]

To Techdragon, info others. I am the proud possessor(?) of an Amerikilt and I would hope that your Altkilts would be better made than this one. It has a loose sewn serging stitch on the hem and the looseness of the threads shows. It has a normal tendency for the waist band to roll over (I am 178 lbs and 5'8") so not from a rolling belly. Lastly and the most anoying concern is the fact that almost never can I get the snaps to close without pulling on the apron fabric in a very visable manner. If I would be sure that your snaps on the front would not pull and look like %^$*, I will probably buy one for no other reason for my summer wear.
Gordon
The hippy in a kilt.

Gordon,

I hem my kilts... I think it required to help fabric fall right (especially since it is done before the pleating) and use about 4 layers of fabric on the waistband to keep it in the right place.

Many of my gentleman friends are kilt wearers (being traditional or contemporary) and I have taken it upon myself to ask their lists of positive and negatives with multiple kilt styles. Yes, I prefer contemporary but I can and have wrapped a full 8 yard traditional kilt. I try to give people what they are looking for - which is why I only work custom... to solve people's personal problems with fit.

-Jeanie

[Mr. MacDougall]

Hey, TechDragon. I'm LJ's Cowboy_R. I'm glad to see you've come over -- if this thread had gone on much longer, I was going to point it out on your Men in Kilts entry.

[ozone]

Techdragon,

So glad you came over to check out xmarks....I was the one that emailed you about these postings. You were asking about a reverse pleat. I found a website with this nice diagram to give you the idea of how the reverse pleat helps to keep the pleats from "kicking" out or flaring out. The part marked "double sett" is the location of the reverse pleat.



Incidentally, I measured the apron on my traditional kilts and they start at about 14 inches wide and spread out to 18 inches by the time you get to the bottom of the kilt by the knees. Of course, this would vary by waist/hip size etc. Also, I would refer you to the DIY section of this forum for some more kilt-making ideas.

BTW, here's the website that the picture came from: http://users.telenet.be/jbruyndonckx/kilt_making2.html