R'Lyeh, where, how, who...

[Kylahullu]

Well, this R'Lyeh tartan got me with a surprise attack before I had any fixed idea of my next kilt and my first proper wool kilt. So I have now paid it and the 5 yards of it is waiting some decisions at USAkilts.

Decisions to make:
1. Who makes the kilt?
2. Pleating and style?
3. Should I just make a tartan waistcoat and use the rest of it as a day plaid?

About the first; when imported from USA to EU there will be a VAT added by the customs on the total of material, work and shipping. In Finland it is 24%. This makes me thinking of kilt makers in EU. One option is a professional seamstress in my (extended)family, but she has never made a kilt, or seen a proper one, so I would be kind of a guinea pig. "The Book" will help but... we are having some more talks anyway after The Book arrives.

An intriguing option would be let Rocky make it or ask Freedom kilts make it traditionally looking with pockets but again the VAT. Coming to EU there is Lady Chrystal and her double box pleating. How does it work when sitting? Is the knife pleating better for driving and sitting? Pleating to set or to stripe, what stripe then?

Any opinions to help me choose?

[HarveyH]

I know that Stilletto_Rebel in Melbourne had his made by Paul Henry in the UK there were some pleating samples posted in an old thread when the cloth first emerged from Dalgleish http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...11#post1045308

Obviously an EU based maker would avoid some of the tax issues for you.

[artificer]

Decisions to make:
1. Who makes the kilt?
2. Pleating and style?
3. Should I just make a tartan waistcoat and use the rest of it as a day plaid?
How does it work when sitting? Is the knife pleating better for driving and sitting? Pleating to set or to stripe, what stripe then?

Any opinions to help me choose?

1)As HarveyH mentioned, Paul Henry has done kilts in the R'lyeh set before, I believe Lady Chrystal has as well.
2) Regarding sitting on the pleats- a basic box pleat is the most comfortable to sit on for long periods as there is less of a wadge of fabric under you. I imagine the double box would be on par with a finely pleated knife pleat in regards to how much fabric you're sitting on. The sett is large and reasonably simple, so you could have it pleated to one of the stripes or to the sett without too much difficulty.
3) if you've ordered 5yd double width you probably won't have enough for the kilt, waistcoat, AND plaid. Assuming you're doing an 8yd kilt of one pleating or another that leaves you with ~1yd dw, which is just over what you need for a bias-cut waistcoat.

:cthulhusmiley:

[Kylahullu]

3) if you've ordered 5yd double width you probably won't have enough for the kilt, waistcoat, AND plaid. Assuming you're doing an 8yd kilt of one pleating or another that leaves you with ~1yd dw, which is just over what you need for a bias-cut waistcoat.

:cthulhusmiley:

Thank you for your opinions.
That 3rd option was meant to be "no kilt but only a waistcoat and a day plaid" to be used with my black kilt.
As you see I am struck with the magic of Cthulhu so I can not express myself or make decisions. Must find the Lovecroft books and read them again. Last time was years ago....:cthulhusmiley: (Borrowed your smiley. Can this be called a smiley?)

[artificer]

Thank you for your opinions.
That 3rd option was meant to be "no kilt but only a waistcoat and a day plaid" to be used with my black kilt.
As you see I am struck with the magic of Cthulhu so I can not express myself or make decisions. Must find the Lovecroft books and read them again. Last time was years ago....:cthulhusmiley: (Borrowed your smiley. Can this be called a smiley?)

Ah, apologies for the misinterpretation. FWIW I'd still do the kilt and waistcoat and leave the plaid off. You're almost certain to get more use from the kilt than from a plaid.

Here's what my kilt and waistcoat look like



:cthulhusmiley:

[Barb T]

Here's a "flashy" option for pleating the Cthulhu that I did for a customer last fall. When the person is standing still, the kilt looks dark from behind. As soon as he/she starts walking, the pleats "flash" the bright green.

If you're thinking of having someone make the kilt who has never made one before, it is a _very_ easy pleating option for a beginning kiltmaker. The pleating is the hardest part, and the pleating in the pic below is easy because it's pleated to a solid color block. I have no doubt that the seamstress you know in your family could do a fab job using the instructions in The Art of Kiltmaking.

[Mel1721L]

If you buy from the UK, the VAT is included in the price and you won't pay any extra. The tax and postage costs make buying from the U.S too expensive. I used to buy clothes from there but the postal rates increased so I had to stop.

[Kylahullu]

Thank you all for these useful ideas. While the jonesing for The Book goes on I have had some looks at Lady Chrystel's and Paul Henry's pages. Both look good. Paul Henry has even a picture of this R'Lyeh tartan there, I think that is a sample of pleating to purple line.

One example I find very tempting is Barb's picture (#6). Might be my choice if continuing on the path of having the professional seamstress but a first time kilt maker making this kilt. Would be nice to have a kiltmaker close. There are not many kiltmakers in Finland, I know none making traditional kilts. Well, not so many using kilts either...

Waistcoat; this picture (#5) of artificer shows a really nice example.
Is it possible to have a waistcoat to be used with kilt and with trousers or do they have to be different?

Day plaid; the idea struck me when ordering tickets to an open-air show in a court-yard of a medieval castle in Finland this summer. The evenings can be chilly and they advice taking something warm with you when attending. But I think this R'Lyeh tartan will become a kilt and I will attain something else to keep me (and the companion) warm. But I am still thinking that having a length of cloth carried as day/shepherd's/shoulder Plaid might be a convenient way to have something warm with you to be used when in need... let's see.

[chasem]

Generally speaking, a kilt-cut waistcoat will be shorter than a pants-cut. The reason is that the kilt rides higher, and the kilt-cut waistcoat will allow for the sporran so they don't overlap.

A pants-cut waistcoat will generally be longer to reach the pants-waist which we all know is generally lower on the body than the kilt-waist.

[BCAC]

Thank you all for these useful ideas. While the jonesing for The Book goes on I have had some looks at Lady Chrystel's and Paul Henry's pages. Both look good. Paul Henry has even a picture of this R'Lyeh tartan there, I think that is a sample of pleating to purple line.

One example I find very tempting is Barb's picture (#6). Might be my choice if continuing on the path of having the professional seamstress but a first time kilt maker making this kilt. Would be nice to have a kiltmaker close. There are not many kiltmakers in Finland, I know none making traditional kilts. Well, not so many using kilts either...

Waistcoat; this picture (#5) of artificer shows a really nice example.
Is it possible to have a waistcoat to be used with kilt and with trousers or do they have to be different?

Day plaid; the idea struck me when ordering tickets to an open-air show in a court-yard of a medieval castle in Finland this summer. The evenings can be chilly and they advice taking something warm with you when attending. But I think this R'Lyeh tartan will become a kilt and I will attain something else to keep me (and the companion) warm. But I am still thinking that having a length of cloth carried as day/shepherd's/shoulder Plaid might be a convenient way to have something warm with you to be used when in need... let's see.

In case you are having trouble deciding between the kiltmakers Lady Chrystel and Paul Henry (I have a kilt from each of them) then I wouldn't hesite to say that Paul Henry is the better kiltmaker of the two (by a country mile). Just my experience.