X-Kilt - My First Attempt has Begun...

[usonian]

One of the attitudes that seems to get beaten into people by the time they reach adulthood (in the U.S., anyway) is that if you're a grown-up, you're too old to learn or try new stuff. If you ask me, you're not allowed to say "Oh I could never do [xyz]" unless you've given it the honest effort to find out! I don't remember the first time I tried to walk, but I expect that I fell right over before taking even one step. I'm glad I didn't tell myself "Man, I'll never get the hang of this so I may as well not even try."

It's the same with any new skill, including sewing. It may take a while to learn how to thread a machine, or to keep stitches going straight. Your first X-kilt may not be 100% perfect. That beginner stage is definitely frustrating, no doubt about it... but you have to embrace it and learn from it! The second x-kilt will go that much faster now that you're a little more comfortable with the machine, and remember the steps from the first time through. If you keep making them, they'll keep getting faster and better.

Or, you may find that you have a knack for sewing and have your first x-kilt come out just right! But you'll never know unless you just go for it!

[cj7ox]

One of the attitudes that seems to get beaten into people by the time they reach adulthood (in the U.S., anyway) is that if you're a grown-up, you're too old to learn or try new stuff. If you ask me, you're not allowed to say "Oh I could never do [xyz]" unless you've given it the honest effort to find out! I don't remember the first time I tried to walk, but I expect that I fell right over before taking even one step. I'm glad I didn't tell myself "Man, I'll never get the hang of this so I may as well not even try."

It's the same with any new skill, including sewing. It may take a while to learn how to thread a machine, or to keep stitches going straight. Your first X-kilt may not be 100% perfect. That beginner stage is definitely frustrating, no doubt about it... but you have to embrace it and learn from it! The second x-kilt will go that much faster now that you're a little more comfortable with the machine, and remember the steps from the first time through. If you keep making them, they'll keep getting faster and better.

Or, you may find that you have a knack for sewing and have your first x-kilt come out just right! But you'll never know unless you just go for it!

This is very good advice, and one of the reasons I refuse to "grow up".

[Rick Y]

To be sure, if I hadn't tried sewing my own x-kilts I would never have learned that I don't have an innate gift for sewing! But, three kilts later (plus one 'authentic' kilt made using Barb's book TAOK) I've actually become better at it than first I thought possible. And, when someone asks me the usual "what do you do, to keep yourself busy, now that your're retired?" I get the most interesting of wierd looks when I nonchalantly reply, "oh, I like to sew kilts!" (Not, you understand, that I am unused to receiving wierd looks; it's just that these wierd looks are deliberately caused by me rather than being incidental responses to the mere fact of my stumbling through life as I have done throughout these many years.)

[ccook]

I decided to a sew a kilt when I left the Army back in 2010. I had a basic idea of what I wanted it to look like and plenty of time on my hands. What I didn't have was a clue on how to get to my finished product. I wasn't very savvy on searching the web, so I used my imagination. I have had some experience with a sewing machine so I was confident enough in my skill there. I was pleased with my final product, upon completion I put it on and went to visit a friend who was on 24 duty to show it off. It was about 2 years later that I found out the apron was not supposed to close to the left. I still wear it though. It is tan canvas (a completely terrible choice of fabric) with a brown nu-buck micro-suede apron, I used a button to fasten the inner apron and two buckles on the outer. I would not call it well tailored, but it is sturdy and I like the way it looks. I was going for a steam punk ascetic and I hit the nail on the head.

The point is give it a try, especially since there are good guides available, and make something for yourself. My dad would never have found out that plywood makes terrible snow shoes if he hadnt tried it first, just like I would never have found out making a kilt is not as hard as I had thought before trying.

[Alan H]

I really love the spirit of the last couple of posts in this thread.

[Taskr]

Forge ahead, folks...If the first one is so-so, the second one will be better.

Two other things...

1.) I didn't write the manual to be casual evening reading, so knock that stuff off . I wrote it to be printed out and sit on the table and get scribbled on and kicked on the floor and get chalk and blood on it. Quit READING the stupid thing and GET ON THE JOB. If you've read the manual six times, then you're already spent half the time reading that it will take you to to MAKE ONE.

2.) If what you read doesn't make sense then do the following;
-- try to figure out what the particular step you're on is trying to accomplish

.......

OK ..so I read the manual one more time and got on with it. About 5.5 hours and I've arrived at the point of tacking down the box pleats at the fell. Only one seam rip because I missed a small section of the fold on the outer edge of the outer apron. Slow and steady. Think just a bit on 'what I'm accomplishing this step' and move on with it. Been very enjoyable this far. Did take a couple of picks for upload on competition

update: the pleats bar-tacked at the fell. Probably should have used a wider zigzag. Less than an inch over the rump measure and can see why even though a little over is ok. To centre the pleat joins I simply folded the 5.25" under pleat to the 3" edges and marked at that point. Might have missed that centre on a bar tack or two though as maybe (just maybe) a few pleats "lean" off "square". All notes for the next one.

[mrok]

When I decided to make a kilt I did some research on line XmarkstheScot provided my with plenty of information. My first kilt wasn't great but I learned from my mistakes, but my second kilt was even better and the third kilt was nearly perfect. Practice and make mistake, be patient and you will get there. Goodluck.

[Taskr]

And done!! Thanks, Alan, for a set of instructions that made this attempt possible.
I can manage minor hand sew and machine mending, but I have never attempted an article of clothing. It certainly has an amateur look, but lots learned for XKilt #2 (cloth was double wide so I can certainly do another). I does look like I make some errors properly "centering" the 3" pleats over the 5.25" under pleat by a wee bit here and there which might be contributing somewhat to the way some pleats are falling. I might also have sewn too tight and too close to the edge of the 3" pleat. I didn't bother sewing the underpleats because of this ...want to see if things might look better after I put it through a wash.
When I sort out my pic dementia I'll post a few of production and kilt.

[Alan H]

There is no magic to those numbers. Three inches? Five inches? Totally does not matter how wide the pleats are. The forward-facing folds that lie under the first pleats on the right and left sides do not HAVE to be EXACTLY what I wrote. If they're close, you're good to go. Now, what would look bad is if the pleats were all different widths. If they're all the same width and the thing goes around your rump and hangs down to somewhere more or less by your knees and you can fasten it, then voila. You made a kilt.

Wash it and strap it on, eh? And take some pictures. You done good.

[marypenny]

Good choice! I won't wish you luck..for I find that " the harder I work the luckier I get." I wish you all success! Mary