5 kilts in 3 weeks

**attworth** · 26th May 09, 05:43 AM

With the Scottish festival coming up, I decided I wanted to make myself a new kilt to wear. Of course, everybody in the family had to have one. I was a busy bee this weekend.

#1 - Box pleat for my step-dad.
#2 - Box pleat for my step-brother.
#3 - Box pleated *skirt* for my wife.
#4 - Box pleated *skirt* for our dog.
#5 - RevK for myself.

I gave the two guys the options I knew I could tackle. Box-pleated, knife-pleated, RevK, Regular K, pockets, no pockets, straps and buckles, velcro, apron size, pleat size, etc. Both decided they wanted rather small box pleats (2",) and large aprons.

My step-dad wants three buckles, with the under-apron buckles inside as per Matt and Barb's addition to the AoKM. His will be khaki poly/cotton twill.

My step-brother wants two buckles on the over-apron with velcro on the under-apron for "the look." His will be OD green poly/cotton twill.

My wife just wanted a near replica to the one I made her last year, but in black, with smaller pleats and a shorter rise. It'll sit on the hips rather than her natural waist, and have 2" pleats rather than 3" pleats.

The puppy - well, she's getting a custom little kilt I dreamed up. Should be pretty cool. It'll be in black, which I'm starting to second guess since she's shedding so bad. She's a Sheltie, so we get to bring her with us.

I've wanted a RevK since I first saw the style. I think they're neat. Mine will have 1 3/16" pleats (16 pleats over 19"... I think my math is right,) with a large apron, and the same buckle arrangement as my step-dad's. It'll be OD green poly/cotton twill.

I decided to make all of these somewhat traditionally as far as the construction is concerned. They'll all have reinforcement in the fell and a full lining for comfort. The lining I bought is similar to sheeting material and 100% cotton. Super soft stuff.

Anyway, I know this didn't happen if there's no pictures. I've got a few progress photos, but I still have a lot of work to do.

Here's my work-station at home. Went and bought two clamp lights and bright lighting. Borrowed my mom's folding plastic table, and cleared some space. Our apartment is pretty small so it's a tight fit with the other furniture in there.

Here's my step-brother working on his at my mom's house. He top-stitched the pleats after I showed him how, and bar-tacked them. I finished it up. Top-stitched the inside of the pleats, did the taper, attached the aprons and did all the facings. Attached the waistband to the top via machine, and will hand-stitch the back-side once I get the reinforcement and linings in.

Here's my step-dad's. I'm still working on this one. First picture shows me top-stitching. The second is after pinning the pleats and getting ready to bar-tack them. This thing is big. My step-dad has quite a "corporation." I ended up joining two 4 yard sections. There's roughly a yard left over on each side.

I have my wife's all marked, just need to sew it. It's pretty short so it shouldn't take very long at all to finish. Mine is going to take quite a while with its 16 pleats. I'm also waiting on material since the stuff I ordered for mine ended up being used for my step-brother's.

Updates to come in the following days!

**7 miles** · 26th May 09, 07:42 AM

Looks cool so far. I would love to start my own with a little help from some of my sewing friends

**Alan H** · 26th May 09, 11:22 AM

CRANK 'em out!!!

Guid on ye.

**attworth** · 26th May 09, 12:04 PM

Thank ya. I really appreciate all the support from folks like Alan H., and of course Barb T. and Matt Newsome.

**Galician** · 26th May 09, 12:36 PM

Wow, interesting to see how much talent runs in every branch of the family. I'm waiting for the pic of the pooch in her kilt.

**attworth** · 26th May 09, 12:57 PM

Just got my paypal invoice for 8 yards of XMTS.com Tartan Fabric from the Wizard.

Looks like there's another on the chopping block for a later date.

**JolyStNicholas** · 26th May 09, 01:09 PM

In all the spare time ya have could ya crank me out a spare Fly Plaid or two

Well done laddie, well done.

**attworth** · 26th May 09, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by JolyStNicholas

In all the spare time ya have could ya crank me out a spare Fly Plaid or two

Well done laddie, well done.

Spare time? HA!

I wish I had some more spare time.

And just a shameless plug for Steve at Freedom Kilts. I was in contact with him recently about ordering some XMTS.com Tartan Fabric. He's a class act. Not only is he probably not making much, if ANY money on this stuff, but he's good enough to take time out of running a business to do so. I received my invoice, and mere moments later had a tracking number for my package. If that's any indication whatsoever as to his level of service, I can't wait until I can chock up the bones to order one of his kilts.

....Of course, if I'd stop offering to make kilts for other people, and then using the money they give me for supplies to buy more supplies, I might be closer to that goal.

**attworth** · 29th May 09, 05:29 AM

Small update for everybody. I'm a little bit behind schedule. This week has been... trying...

Last night I top-stitched the inside of the pleats on my step-dad's kilt. I then sewed in a stabilizer for my step-brother's kilt. I started messing with canvas, but had some major problems. It seems it's rather hard to stitch to thin poly/cotton material without it showing through. Still trying to decide if I should try again, or just skip the canvas in the aprons. The pleats don't really need it, so I might just line it and call it a day - in which case it's 99% done.

Still have the wife's black box-pleat and the pooch's box pleat.

My material should be here today around noon. I also get off at noon but have a fairly full schedule for the rest of the day.

Sorry, no pictures.