That is a LOT of sewing!

[jhockin]

http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/peo...kilt-1-4509855

[The Wizard of BC]

Um, OK. But just because I like numbers --

If this lady has been sewing for 20 years, working 5 days a week, that would be 1,000 kilts per year or 3.8 kilts ever day.

If she has been making kilts for 30 years, 5 days a week, with no time off for vacations or sick days, she is still putting out 2.5 kilts every day.

Amazing.

[Geoff Withnell]

I was just thinking about doing some math when I read your post, Steve. I guess engineers all think alike. I am not kilt maker, but given the picture, it seems she would need to be older to have made that many kilts.

[The Wizard of BC]

That is amazing speed. Even when using a sewing machine, making a really basic, box pleated kilt, I can only manage 1 kilt per day.

If I am hand stitching an 8 yard kilt with 28-30 pleats it takes me 3 to 3.5 days.

Even Barb who stitches lightening fast needs 3 days per kilt.

I was unable to pull up the entire article. Can anyone clarify if this was one person working or was this the output of an entire shop? And how long a career?

[Tobus]

The article says she's 54 years old, and started when she was 15. That's 39 years of sewing kilts. 20,000 kilts over 39 years is 513 kilts per year, or 1.4 kilts per day on average. She claims she was doing as many as 3 kilts per day between 1987 and 1999, which bumped up her average (though she claims she was only averaging 14 kilts per week at that time).

[Bruce Scott]

That is amazing speed. Even when using a sewing machine, making a really basic, box pleated kilt, I can only manage 1 kilt per day.

If I am hand stitching an 8 yard kilt with 28-30 pleats it takes me 3 to 3.5 days.

Even Barb who stitches lightening fast needs 3 days per kilt.

I was unable to pull up the entire article. Can anyone clarify if this was one person working or was this the output of an entire shop? And how long a career?

The main points from the Article:

A kiltmaker has celebrated a landmark year in the industry by hand-sewing her 20,000th kilt.

Elaine Skedd created the milestone kilt on her 40th anniversary at the Tartan Weaving Mill on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile yesterday, after first joining the company in 1977.

Mrs Skedd, 54, only began her apprenticeship as a 15-year-old because she was too young to join her brothers in the army.

However, after being rejected again at 17 due to women not being allowed to join the Royal Marines at the time, Mrs Skedd became “addicted” to weaving, at one stage hand-sewing around 670 kilts a year.

“There was a long period when I couldn’t sleep and was sewing three kilts a day. I think between around 1987 and 1999. I went through what I call my ‘powerhouse phase’ of hand-sewing kilts, hitting a peak of 14 kilts every week.”

Mrs Skedd said each kilt usually takes around a day to make, although at her fastest she was making three per day.

[Stoff]

My question would be to what kind of quality are they. It goes to the old quote "You can only have any two of quality, quantity or speed"

Stoff

[bonnie heather]

Um, OK. But just because I like numbers --

If this lady has been sewing for 20 years, working 5 days a week, that would be 1,000 kilts per year or 3.8 kilts ever day.

If she has been making kilts for 30 years, 5 days a week, with no time off for vacations or sick days, she is still putting out 2.5 kilts every day.

Amazing.

I can't even imagine being able to make such a huge number of kilts.

She did say that she loves making kilts and is addicted to making them. So I wouldn't be surprised if she works from 5am to 9pm almost every day. I would suppose that she loves her work and cares about the quality and has developed efficient time-saving methods and techniques over all those years.

Maybe some of the kilts are tiny ones for kids, or 4 yard box pleated kilts that take less time than 8 yard knife pleated kilts.

But even so, that's a vast number of kilts !!!

[neloon]

4 yard box pleated kilts that take less time than 8 yard knife pleated kilts.

Box pleated kilts are virtually unknown in Scotland so I doubt if that's the answer.
And she did end up with carpal tunnel syndrome!

Alan

[WillowEstate]

An intriguing article. It is a huge number of kilts. One wonders if she is making the entire kilt from start to completion? Every direct quote refers to "hand sewing the kilt(s)". The only place "make" or "making" is used is a statement by the reporter: "Mrs Skedd said each kilt usually takes around a day to make, although at her fastest she was making three per day.". You would imagine that in a mill turning out that many kilts a year, Operational Research would dictate a team operation, with each member performing a specialization in the process. None the less, it she was just sewing the pleats, it's still a staggering performance.

One might also wonder that if she wanted to join her brothers in the army, why would she apply to join the Marines, rather than the Black Watch, an infantry regiment, with her brothers?

But aking the whole story at face value, congratulations are indeed due.
Mrs Skedd said each kilt usually takes around a day to make, although at her fastest she was making three per day.

Read more at: http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/peo...kilt-1-4509855
Mrs Skedd said each kilt usually takes around a day to make, although at her fastest she was making three per day.

Read more at: http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/peo...kilt-1-4509855