Determining the fabric weight of a wool kilt

[CDNSushi]

I had a great time hanging out with Dixiecat who came to visit us here in Tokyo! (Pix will be posted soon in another thread)... And Saturday evening, as we were enjoying some beers at an outside pub, we got to talking about kilts (fancy that, huh?) and more specifically, the one I happened to be wearing.

I mentioned that it was pretty light and cool for the warm, summery weather but I had some concerns about whether it in fact was, 13oz wool, which is what I ordered and paid for... When Dixiecat felt the fabric, she thought it seemed rather thin and light too -- more akin to her 10z dancing kilt, she figured.

I thought I'd share the story, and the conclusion of my inquest with the rabble, just in case anyone else has found themselves wondering whether or not the kilt they had was in fact, what they thought they had.

So being the inquisitive sort, when I returned back home on Sunday, I looked up some old XMTS instructions on how to reverse-engineer a kilt's weight. Thanks ever so much to Pleater, btw., as those are the instructions I used, but also Steve and a few other members who discussed this at length a few years ago.

This is how to do it:

First, measure the kilt from end to end, along the bottom edge. Mine was 154.5 inches. At 36 inches to the yard, it was: (154.5 ÷ 36)= 4.3 yards.

Then, measure the kilt from top to bottom. Mine was 23 inches. In yards, that's: (23 ÷ 36) = 0.64 yards.

Next, weigh the kilt. I used my digital kitchen scale... My kilt weighed exactly 703 grams, which converted to ounces is: (703 ÷ 28.35) = 25 oz.

Now the calculations:

The idea is to compare what you have to what it SHOULD be. In order to do this, we have to know the latter to determine the former. The problem is, not all mills use the same standard for fabric weight, so we have to make a few assumptions.

Tartan fabric weight (when you see for example: a 13oz kilt advertised) means: 1 linear yard of double-width cloth should weigh 13oz. This is where the problem arises, because not all widths are the same. Many mills assume "double width" to mean 54 inches... But this isn't set in stone. Some double widths are as wide as 60 inches....

So because my kilt isn't made from 1 yard x 1.5 yards of fabric, but much more, we'll need to do a bit of multiplication.

My kilt is 4.3 yards long x 0.64 yards wide, with the pleats at the top of the kilt NOT being cut out (this is important to note). 4.3x0.64=2.752 square yards.

Then, I divide the weight of the kilt (in my case: 25oz) by the square yardage of the kilt (in my case: 2.752). 25 ÷ 2.752 = 9.084...

Final step, I must multiply this number by 1.5 (because a linear fabric yard is actually 1yard x 1.5 yards). So for me: 9.084 x 1.5 = 13.6 oz.

This makes sense. Because of the added buckles and straps, liner, thread, and kilt pin (which I didn't remove due to laziness), it's probably close to 13oz spot-on.

Sanity check:

(1.0yard x 1.5 yards) = ........ 1.5yards^2 ------> 13 oz
(4.3 yards x 0.64 yards) = .... 2.752yards^2 ----> x oz

Rule of 3: (2.752 x 13) ÷ 1.5 = 23.9 oz. So my kilt should weigh this in theory (without straps, buckles, etc) and in reality it weights 25 oz.

Therefore Q.E.D.

Yes, my kilt IS in fact a 13 oz, even though it sure doesn't feel like it!

(I hope my math and explanation are correct. If not, let me know and I will correct it. Don't want to lead anyone down the wrong path here)...

[Spartan Tartan]

Ahhhhh...the math geek in me has rejoiced! I would like to do this now, just for "fun. The problem for me is we do not have a scale anywhere in the house. Oh well...

Thanks for that explaination.

[cdarwin]

Thanks! This is extremely helpful information to have in one place. I'm going to try this myself tonight.

[Nick the DSM]

I've had the same feeling with my new kilt. I'm so use to the military kilt that the 4yd 16oz just doesn't seem heavy enough to 16oz. I'll have to measure it out one day this week.

[azwildcat96]

Here's an idea...If you're really worried that your kilt maker is going to try to sell you an inferior fabric, then run away to another kilt maker!

Another way to insure that you get a 16oz wool tartan is to order one that is physically not available in any other weight or material. I did this with my tank by accident. I chose my tartan before I knew that it was only available in a 16oz Locharron Strome.

I used to be a math geek back in the day. This calculation brought back memories. Thanks.

[CDNSushi]

Here's an idea...If you're really worried that your kilt maker is going to try to sell you an inferior fabric, then run away to another kilt maker!

Of course, having at least SOME trust in the vendor is only fair and logical, otherwise we'd never be able to buy anything. But in some situations, and in mine particularly, there was actual reason to be a bit concerned.

The back story (or the short version thereof) is that when I initially ordered the kilt, I was informed that there would be a significant delay, due to the fact that the 13oz fabric I wanted had to be brought in, as it wasn't in stock... OR, I was told, they had 11oz fabric in-stock if I wanted to change my order.

I informed them that I would prefer to wait for the 13oz... But that experience DID make me wonder if perhaps some signals got crossed somewhere and something wasn't communicated properly.

I can also see this as being useful when, say, you buy a used kilt from eBay or similar, and there was no information given (perhaps the seller didn't know themselves) what the weight of the fabric was... I wasn't trying to imply that kiltmakers are inherently a shifty lot who shouldn't be trusted.

[slohairt]

Also, keep in mind that not every mills' 16 oz. (or 13 oz.) cloth is exactly the same weight. They technically measure their cloth in metric (grams per metre) and then round it to the nearest ounce.

[CDNSushi]

Also, keep in mind that not every mills' 16 oz. (or 13 oz.) cloth is exactly the same weight. They technically measure their cloth in metric (grams per metre) and then round it to the nearest ounce.

Yeah, that's something that I can't quite understand -- there seem to be two different standards being all mixed up and mashed together here -- metric and imperial. Even in your above statement: "grams per metre" and then rounding it to the nearest "ounce."

I wonder then perhaps whether I should have done my calculations using square metres instead of square yards... It COULD make a difference possibly. A meter and a yard are similar but different. Once you start squaring numbers, it could be quite a lot.

Let's double-check.

154.5"=3.92m
23" = 0.58m

54"= 1.37m (that is if we have a double-width of 54" as opposed to 56" or 60")

So the area of one linear METER of tartan fabric measures: 1.37m^2.

Hence, IF:

1.37m^2 -----> 13 oz
2.27m^2 -----> x oz

x = 21.5 oz. Which is still acceptable, given that my kilt weighed 25 oz.

However, using the original formula in metric (but using grams): 25oz ÷ 2..27m^2 x 1.37 = 15 oz. And there's no way that I have anywhere near that kind of weight... Which makes it more likely that the fabric weight was determined by the yard rather than by the metre, it seems.

[Pleater]

Although there are changes as modern looms replace older ones, a 54 inch wide cloth is more likely to be all wool and the 60 inch and wider more likely to be a blend.

I was sold some fabric as wool but when it arrived and was 60 inches wide I was suspicious and pulled a thread out and put it in bleach - wool dissolves in bleach, man made and cotton etc doesn't. Sure enough after 24 hours there were threads left, so it was a blend.

Well done with the numbers.

The' traditional' width for wool being 54 inches, it would distort things if some weights were calculated from 60 inch cloth.

I have seen a seller who gave the equivalent weight - selling 60 inch and wider cloth but calculating what the weight of a running yarn of 54 inch cloth would be using the same thread and all.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Dixiecat]

Here's an idea...If you're really worried that your kilt maker is going to try to sell you an inferior fabric, then run away to another kilt maker!

A 10oz is not an 'inferior' fabric, just a lighter one.

So, CdnSushi, I guess my kilt is actually 13oz. Yay!