Revisions for The Art of Kiltmaking

[herminator]

I have made one knifepleated and one boxpleated kilt following the instructions, not completely with the boxpleated one obviously!
But my machine-stitched kilts are much better, my right hand is still not up to long sewing after my accident last year. But I always keep the book nearby and refer to it regularily, especially since I do the inside construction by hand.
What I miss is a mention that you should see that the stiches on the hem should catch just one or two threads of the pleats/aprons.
The instructions for tapering are wonderful, I made my first tapered pleats now for my sons kilt - my waist and hip mearurements being the same - it all is easy to understand even for one whose native language is not english!
I am looking forward to the "boxpleat" instructions, I hope my kilts get even better then!

On the other hand I have become very critical of bought kilts! ;-)
And yes, the photos of how you sit when sewing were very helpful, include them!!

[Mark Keeney]

I have read on the net how to make a kilt and I was determined to make my own. I bought the material. I cut it the proper length. I found your book. I Read it. I took the material to a kiltmaker.

When I started I wasn't aware what it took to make a kilt properly. My effort would have been a dissapointment to me. The way I work on projects and the time I have, I would still be working on it (over a year later).

I still am going to make a kilt following your book but It will have to wait untill I can dedicate more time to it.

[wsk]

Echoing others here: Stitching for Dummies. Basting, for example, is not listed in the current appendix.

As you know I'm in the process of reading the first edition - read the instructions first before switching on the power. So I've worked my way through pleat stitching and suddenly encounter joining the two halves of a double width tartan (page 82). How did I get here? Is there something that I missed? Did I just make pleats across the un-joined join? How did I do that? Are there special tricks and techniques to pleating across the join or is it obvious what one does when one gets to the last pleat of the left side / first pleat of the right?

If there are special tricks etc then, of course, they should be part of the second edition.

For details of the process: drawings. When an edge is depicted always label it - like a map or chart always has a compass rose. Even if preceding and succeding drawings have labeled the edge (first drawing following step 5 page 82).

[Mark Keeney]

Hey barb there is a kilt for sale on ebay that has the worst pleating I have ever seen. Do you need more bad examples for your book?

Look here http://cgi.ebay.com/MacKENZIE-HIGHLA...em300058069898

Wow that was long it is item #300058069898 if you want to go that route.

[slohairt]

How shameful. "Designed in Scotland" means of course made in Pakistan! I got a headache trying to follow the pattern of the pleats! I doubt that it's 16 oz.

[bubba]

That thing is ghastly

[GMan]

The real sad part about it is that whoever purchases it, will think it is wonderful. We must continue to educate.

[Barb T]

Ouch - it is indeed pretty awful.

Barb

[bunchdescendant]

Yikes!

That one really hurt my eyes!!

Tell me it's a photoshop trick.......

Ray

[AtagahiKC]

Barb - I'm at the study stage of kiltmaking. I'm reading your book and rereading it to make sure I understand the process before beginning. It is an excellent book. I wouldn't try this if it were not available.

That said, I do have some things I'd like to see you cover in your next edition.

1) Fell - According to the instructions, the fell is marked at 1/3 the length. But, in the photograph section (Fig. 7), you point out a fell that is too short and too long.

Since people's buttock location varies so that the apex or point of flaring differs, should one measure the location of the fell as part of the measuring process or leave it to chance? I'm not altogether clear on the magic of the fell.

2) Military kilts - I like the higher waistband of my Cameron Highlander kilt, where it sits just below the ribcage. It really stays put and feels solid, where kilts with lower waistbands do not (I have a big belly and slimmer hips than belly). How does one plan for the higher waistband in the measuring?

3) The Cameron Highlander military kilts have a strange pleating that everyone struggles to describle. I've seen it here and elsewhere described as "cane" pleating. Basically, it each pleat is a three-dimensional checkmark laying on the long side, if that makes sense. Can you cover how to do this, as well? It has excellent swing, so I'd like to reproduce it on kilts in the future.

See here for a picture.

Each pleat has the stripe centered on the small part of the checkmark, if you follow the analogy. Here is the best illustration I can provide. I hope it is understandable. Thanks again for taking on the 2nd edition.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/3...83cf53.jpg?v=0