Stabilizer for a StillWater

[ardchoille]

These are the links I used that explain all of this in detail.


Barb T.'s thread "the stabilizer inside a kilt"

Barb T.'s thread "Canvas interfacing for kilts"


The Wizard of BC's thread "Military Kilt repairs"

The Wizard of BC's thread "Freedom Kilts reviews a Stillwater"

RobertParker's thread "replacing canvas backing"

I M Kilted!'s thread "Kilt lining interfacing and lining."
Kilted Taper's thread "Stabilizer and Apron Canvas"

ChattanCat's thread "Interfacing material for a PV material"

Links for the apron edge adjustment:

Alan H's thread "Have Iron, will travel to Stillwater"

Mark Keeney's thread "apron not tapered"

Thank you very much for posting these links. I am learning to make my own kilts and this information is crucial.

[Bugbear]

Thank you very much for posting these links. I am learning to make my own kilts and this information is crucial.

I'm very glad the links are helpful to you, and hope your kilts turn out well.

[Bugbear]

Update:

I did finally tack down the lining in my wool SWK, and that discription has been added to the first post. It probably needs a little more tacking down at the top in the waist area. I'm thinking that attaching it loosely to the stabilizer's bottom edge would be best so I don't have to put any stitches through the outside of the kilt.

Also, I put the first pleat hem and underapron hem on the wool kilt. The underapron was all right, but I went ahead and put the hem in anyway. That discription and Barb's thread link explaining it has also been added to the first post.

Still no pictures of that first jacket conversion, but I have pinned up the jacket and waistcoat of a dark gray suit which was missing the matching trousers.

If I ever do get pictures, I will start a new thread on these conversions, and transfer the information I have posted here.

[fluter]

Well done, Ted!

I have a new Stillwater that I'm planning to take apart, so that I can cut out the pleats and add a stabilizer and canvas.

Based on the two kilts I have built, it seems pretty easy to tighten up the waistline by half an inch or so, when the stabilizer is installed. Hopefully that will make the waistline the most snug part of the fell. Stretching out the top of the pleats as the waistband is replaced should help, too.

[Bugbear]

Thanks, fluter.

Good luck with your kilt rebuild. That waistband and two inches of taper at the top are the main drawback as far as I can tell. There are a few ways that could be handled as well, but for now I can live with it.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I am pondering the labor to value/quality ratios in what I have done. I think it is a better, higher quallity kilt after alterations and is worth what I have put into it. I also know much more about kilts now.

[Bugbear]

Post deleted.

[Bugbear]

On these next two jacket conversions, I will probably start with the dark brown jacket, the lapell and buttons are a little lower than on the corduroy. They will end up being single button jackets; it will also be a little easier to make the curve fit.

I now have very dark brown hose that will go well with the dark brown jacket, and that is why I will probably convert it first. This will be for the Weathered Half Lamont outfit. Other than the curve and number of buttons, it will probably require the same changes as the corduroy. Both the gray and brown jackets and waistcoats are the same general construction; the main differences being that the gray has a floting hair canvas shield at the front of the sholder and the lapells are stabilized differently.

[Bugbear]

Well done, Ted!

I have a new Stillwater that I'm planning to take apart, so that I can cut out the pleats and add a stabilizer and canvas.

Based on the two kilts I have built, it seems pretty easy to tighten up the waistline by half an inch or so, when the stabilizer is installed. Hopefully that will make the waistline the most snug part of the fell. Stretching out the top of the pleats as the waistband is replaced should help, too.

I was just talking to someone through PM about that. I'll bump this thread with this, but I do think it is very possible to do exactly that. You would have to put the steeking at the bottom of the fell and a pleated hair canvas in the cutaway area. I am sure that you could use the instructions in Barb's book to do this.

I don't know the exact details of doing that, and I am not an kilt maker. That being said, you have about eight yards of wool, tartan fabric there; it has been pleated etc; it needs at least a stabilizer, but you could probably take it all the way to finnished.