Comfort in Kilt and Hose

[Red1leader]

Having the luxury of making myself a new kilt whenever I feel that I would like one

Anne the Pleater

Oh you are so lucky, wish I could do that, cost wise how much cheaper is it to make your own?
I am very tempted but I need to build up my confidence first

[Barb T]

If you want to make a kilt from kilting tartan and you can order tartan wholesale, enough for an 8-yard trad kilt ranges from maybe $150 to about $225, depending on the mill you order from, what tartan you order, and how much you have to pay for shipping. If you order from a retail vendor, you'll pay more. But, it's still a lot less than ordering a custom made kilt.

And, if I may make a shameless suggestion, the 3rd printing of The Art of Kiltmaking is available from Amazon (including Amazon UK), would give you all the instructions you need, and would add only about $20 to your project.

[Pleater]

My costs are almost zero - I have so much fabric, sewing thread, an excellent sewing machine, canvas and strips of rigid material that I could sit and sew for a very long time. I also have a magnifier with inbuilt light which helps me to sew the darker materials.

If you do decide to try a non tartan material the best and easiest option is something with a woven pattern - I made the mistake of trying to use something with a printed pattern and found it impossible because it was not printed straight on the grain of the material.

A pattern shows you the grain of the material, but it also shows you where you departed from it.

Anne the Pleater

[Barb T]

Anne has made a great point - it really depends on the kind of kilt you want to make. It's totally possible to make a kilt that you will love, that is made from fabric that is easily available in a fabric store, and that is sewn by machine. On the other end of the spectrum is an entirely hand-stitched kilt made from kilting tartan by traditional methods. And there's everything in between, and none of them are wrong - just different.

Me, I only make hand-stitched traditional kilts using traditional methods, so, when I express my point of view, that's where I'm coming from. I don't think other people's methods are wrong, and I try to be clear what my viewpoint is (although, to my great chagrin, I don't always succeed....) .

[Red1leader]

I would love to have a go at making my own kilt, but not sure I have the confidence to spend the money on all the required materials and equipment.

I am aware of Barb's book, The Art of Kiltmaking, and have looked at the outline instructions and it looks a little daunting to me and I think it would require a fairly large investment of time to understand, as I have not done much in the way of sewing in my time.

I know that it can be done on the "cheap" but I would not be happy spending the time making a low-quality item, I would prefer to use a wool tartan and do it properly. You are very lucky Anne

I have an ex-hire 8-yard kilt on its way (should arrive in the next day or so) which will be my first "real" kilt, so will be interesting to see how it is built as I now have some of the knowledge to tell

Thanks again to all the information, I really do love it all.

[Pleater]

I just have decades of being unable to resist craft materials - particualrly if the price is good - but once you get past a certain point I think that it acts as a black hole and attracts other similar things to itself.
I visit a 'Scrapstore' quite regularly and they often have fabric which has been saved from landfill - I have not seen anything but fashion tartans and general 'squared' patterns but if I had not been very firm with myself I could easily have a room full of fabric I am sure would look good as kilts - as it is I have a fair quantity of quality woollen material, plus cotton and man made stuff as well.

The scrapstore has also supplied quite a few useful bits and pieces, leather straps, nice buckles, webbing and plastic snap together fastening, tape and ribbon for edging and backing - the list is endless.

There is also irresistable wool yarn should I ever want hose or a beret, leather, always useful, cord and ribbons, buttons and bells - they even supplied a top hat for my morris dance kit - oh and I made waistcoats for a team of young dancers a couple of years ago.
My grandmothers were very capable and I picked up the making of things just by being around them. I do have a slight regret that so far I have not passed on much to the next generation, but I suppose there is time yet - if there is more need to be self sufficient in future I have the knowledge and the materials as well.

To make a kilt even with some use of a sewing machine, does take some time and care, so it isn't really worth using a material which isn't up to the task - though if there is something just lying around you could use if to make a mock up to see how to handle firstly the pleats and secondly your own measurements and how they are to be divided between pleats and aprons - and depending on how far you get, the larger pleats at the edges of the aprons.

Anne the Pleater

[Red1leader]

To make a kilt even with some use of a sewing machine, does take some time and care, so it isn't really worth using a material which isn't up to the task - though if there is something just lying around you could use if to make a mock up to see how to handle firstly the pleats and secondly your own measurements and how they are to be divided between pleats and aprons - and depending on how far you get, the larger pleats at the edges of the aprons.

Anne the Pleater

Is the square pleat kilt easier than a knife pleat kilt as there are less to make?

Sorry bit off topic now

[MichiganKyle]

I visit a 'Scrapstore' quite regularly and they often have fabric which has been saved from landfill...The scrapstore has also supplied quite a few useful bits and pieces, leather straps, nice buckles, webbing and plastic snap together fastening, tape and ribbon for edging and backing - the list is endless.

This sounds like an amazing place!

[Pleater]

Is the square pleat kilt easier than a knife pleat kilt as there are less to make?

Sorry bit off topic now

I have never made one - I looked at one as a way to use some heavyweight material, but that was all. I think you need fabric with some gravitas to do box pleats well.

I also like my kilts to fly a bit - why else spend all that time on the lace - not that that would bother many others on this forum, but black over crimson almost always guarantees shock and awe, I find.

Anne the Pleater

[Pleater]

This sounds like an amazing place!

Totally awesome.

I go in with my small bag at the ready with thoughts of just having a look around for a few bits, and an hour or more later emerge with a huge black bin bag stuffed full - they have books, magazines, knitting and sewing patterns packaging of the most astonishing shapes and colours from tiny to huge, coloured and printed paper - and that's just the first corner.
The binbag costs £7 and a small carrier bag size is £4, the fabric is usually £1 per metre off the rolls or there are cut pieces which usually work out cheaper. Its the sort of place where you can find a thousand pound sewing machine for £45 or someone's bobbin lace equipment being sold of at £5 for a pack of 10 hand made bobbins with spangles attached.

I really miss it, but the lockdown is giving me time to work my way through some previous acquisitions.

Anne the Pleater