machine vs hand sewn

[David Dubh]

Hi all my question is this. What is the difference between a machine stitched and hand sewn kilt? (besides the obvious!) How would you tell the difference and is a hand sewn that superior? Please keep in mind that we are comparing like product same material, weight and yardage.
slainte

[Riverkilt]

Sewing machines do not have eyes to guide the needle.

Hand sewing craftsmen sew much slower and more accurately.

Hand sewing craftsmen do not use a bobbin thread.

Hand sewing craftsmen - at least members of the Kiltmaker's Guild - use special strength thread from Germany or Britain rather than thread made to feed through a sewing machine needle.

Hand sewing craftsmen can position the kilt at many angles other than flat - as needed.

Hand sewing craftsmen seem to have apprenticed, or gone to Keith Kilt School. Machine sewn kilts seem to be sewn up more like a tailor would sew a garment.

Hand sewing craftsmen can hide a stitch better than a machine can.

Probably missing a bunch more differences...but a start.

Ron

[Bugbear]

You know... I think either The Wizard of BC or Rocky R would be the best members to answer the question. Not that they would agree on everything, but they know both sides... inside and out.

[The Wizard of BC]

Well, since I have been asked........

It isn't really the stitching that is important. Yes, many of Ron's points above are true. Especially the point about hand-sewn stitches having the capability of being invisible. (Although not all hand-sewn Kiltmakers can accomplish this.)
In a machine sewn Kilt the stitches are almost always visible.

The real secret to the hand sewn, Traditional Style Kilt (which we here call a Tank) is the internal Strengtheners and Interfacing which are built into the Kilt, covered with a Liner and which most people don't even know are there.

If you lay a Kilt out flat there will be a piece of Stabilizer sewn into the inside of the pleats from one buckle over to the other buckle.
No matter how much you try to stretch the pleats the Stabilizer will take the stress and never put any strain on the pleat stitching.
The outer Tartan fabric "floats" over the Stabilizer never putting stress on the stitching.

Then there is a strip of Hair Canvas Interfacing sewn from one strap all the way across the Kilt to the other straps. This keeps the stress of strapping the Kilt on, and wearing it, such as sitting, off the fabric and especially off the fabric of the aprons so they never develop puckers.

Most machine sewn Kilts do not have these Stabilizers and Interfacings built into them. All of the stress of wearing and moving in the Kilt are taken up by the stitching and fabric. Sort of like in a pair of blue jeans.

In today's world, where the lowest labor cost is King, we have become accustomed to clothes that do not have interfacings. But it used to be that all clothing had them.
In these clothes the outer fabric "floats" over the interfacings taking all the stress. Many of these clothes will last the life time of the owner.
In todays clothes that are meant to be worn for a short while and discarded the fabric and stitching are worn out in just a few years.

Yes, a hand sewn Kilt costs more than a machine sewn one. But over the life of the Kilt the average cost per year is far less than in one that is worn out in just a year or two.

So, I'm back to your original question. But with a different answer than I think you may have expected.

In my Contemporary Style Kilts the Stabilizer and Interfacing is still there. I just found how to do it a different way. It is my hope that my Kilts will outlast the same Kilt without the Interfacing, and over the life of the Kilt the outer fabric will be subjected to less stress and will look better, longer.
In fact this is the correct definition of a Contemporary Style Kilt. They are machine stitched to keep the labor costs down but still have the durability of a Traditional Style Kilt. (A Casual Style Kilt does not have Stabilizers or interfacings although from the outside may look very similar.)

I hope this answers your question. It really isn't the type of stitching that is most important. What you want to look for is the internal construction.

Please be aware that just because a Kilt is hand stitched does not guarantee that it has a proper Stabilizer and Interfacing. Without them, even though hand stitched, it would be catagorized as a Casual Style Kit.

[Highlander31]

Sewing machines do not have eyes to guide the needle.

Hand sewing craftsmen sew much slower and more accurately.

Hand sewing craftsmen do not use a bobbin thread.

Hand sewing craftsmen - at least members of the Kiltmaker's Guild - use special strength thread from Germany or Britain rather than thread made to feed through a sewing machine needle.

Hand sewing craftsmen can position the kilt at many angles other than flat - as needed.

Hand sewing craftsmen seem to have apprenticed, or gone to Keith Kilt School. Machine sewn kilts seem to be sewn up more like a tailor would sew a garment.

Hand sewing craftsmen can hide a stitch better than a machine can.

Probably missing a bunch more differences...but a start.

Ron

There's an element of pride that a hand sewing craftsman puts into their work. When someone hand sews a kilt it can take up to forty or fifty hours to complete. They definitely are not going to get rich sewing kilts.

[Bugbear]

Oh Great One, thank you for your wisdom, and for leading us to the enlightenment of steekism.

Your humble convert...

* Sorry, I couldn't help myself, but I do love it when you explain things Wizard. *

[Rex_Tremende]

Most machine sewn Kilts do not have these Stabilizers and Interfacings built into them. All of the stress of wearing and moving in the Kilt are taken up by the stitching and fabric. Sort of like in a pair of blue jeans.

I recently picked up a made-to-measure machine-stitched kilt from a local kiltmaker, and while I think it is a perfectly suitable casual kilt, reasonably well crafted, this describes it pretty well. It does not have a strap-to-strap interfacing.

Also, there is no tapering in the aprons on this kilt. Barb T's book describes in several places where you would gently stretch the fabric as you stitch to achieve a particular curve or allowance. I would imagine that this is harder to do on the flat surface of the sewing table.

Regards,
Rex.

[The Wizard of BC]

Actually Rex the tapering of the aprons is one of the first and easiest traits to identify in a well made Kilt. The tapering allows the edges of the aprons to gently roll around the legs and not curl outward.
In a Wool Kilt this taper will be a gentle "S" curve.
In my Kilts, because I normally use fabrics that do not mold under steam and pressure, I have to use straight lines. This also means my tapers must be larger that those in a Wool Kilt.

The Stretching of the fabric as it is stitched is actually easier on a sewing machine table for me. When hand stitching you use one hand to stretch the fabric aligning the lines of the Tartan while the other hand guides the needle to create the stitch.
When machine stitching on an Industrial Sewing Machine which has a knee lift I have both hands free to guide the fabric. I can hold and align both pleats as I stitch them together. Of course a hand sewing Kiltmaker will probably disagree with this but is my opinion that it is easier and faster with a machine.

The hallmark of a Kilt that has been made with pride is the perfect alignment of the lines of the Tartan in the Fell where the Pleats are sewn and tapered. There should be less than one yarn of misalignment in the lines horizontally. The misalignment of the lines of the Tartan horizontally is called "Stairstepping" and is visible from quite a distance. In fact it is more evident from a distance than it is close up.

This precision should also be evident in the vertical alignment of the Tartan pattern down each pleat. If, for example, a white line disappears off the edge of one pleat it should disappear in the exact same place on each pleat.

It is then a secret of the Kiltmaker that adds the final element of the total construction. Using steam created with moisture and heat combined with very high pressure that molds the fabric into a three dimensional shape. The fabric behind the aprons is molded with this steam and pressure. The Fell area is shaped and the creases of the Pleats are set all with this final step.
Barb used to use a regular ironing board but I believe she has stopped because she would lean so heavily on one to create the pressure that she would bend and destroy an ironing board in the process of making only two or three Kilts.

[Laird O'the Cowcaddens]

Thanks Wiz for again expanding my limited kilt knowledge. If we were to try to obtain this level of knowledgeable information anywhere else, we would expect to pay a fee. Thanks, from a grateful member.

[The Wizard of BC]

Well, if you want to drop a couple of hundred dollar bills in an envelope and send them to the shop I promise I'll only use them to buy Kilt related things.
Such as Scotch.