SK vs SW Standard vs SW HW

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Surprise, this is not a request for information on these kilts, but actually my experience and comparisons of them based on their construction and how well they fit.

I have been reading Barb's book so that I can begin making my own kilt (hopefully more than 1). She has some good information on how a good kilt is constructed, where it should be worn, length, etc.. Based on this I have the following observations for each of my 3 kilts.

Sportkilt in gun metal gray (no pics, but you can see ithere
My first kilt, made of a gray khaki or similar material. Wrinkles fairly easily and always needs to be pressed after washing, although is can just be thrown into the washing machine. No A-line tailoring in either the apron or the pleats. Bottom edge hemmed (just a 1/8" turned under and stitched), pleats not sewn down at all, length about 22" and meant to be worn lower than a traditional kilt. Fastens with velcro, which is nice as weight fluctuates. I would suggest taking some hem tape and taping down the folded back edge on the apron and underapron. It tends to curl up something fierce. Overall, a cheap way to get into kilts, and quick delivery, but I use it primarily while sititng around the house or when I walk the dog, run to the store, etc.. Definitely very casual and I now treat it as a replacement for a pair of athletic shorts, don't usually even bother to iron after washing, unless we are going some place casual, but where the nicely pressed look would be appropriate. I like it, but not sure I would get another.



Stillwater Standard in Nightstalker standard
My second kilt and my first one that is close to being traditional. Nice A-line tailoring on the apron and pleats, fabric (acrylic) falls nicely and is appropriate for any weather I have encountered so far, including a 48 degree morning last week. Pleats are not sewn donw, so points off for that. Buckles seem a little cheap, but do the job. Finished length is about of 23 3/4", which hits me just right, but would probably be too long for somebody shorter (I'm 6' 3"). Hasn't needed pressing yet, and any creases from wearing seem to hang out in the closet. Worn at the waist line (wherever that is!), but for me the top comes to about 1-2" above the navel. Might be too high (anybody have an opinion?) but seems the right place, especially when sitting. Fabric does pill and fray under the sporran, so needs a shave every couple of wearings. I assume that at some point this will have the effect of wearing through all of the material in the apron, but hopefully that will be a long time coming. Tapering on the right edge of the apron for the A-line is a little jagged when inspected closely.


Stillwater Heavy weight in solid black (shadow tartan)
My newest, and currently favorite, kilt. The shadow tartan is outstanding, especially in a bright light. Seems to be a different material from the standard, maybe just heavier, but does not seem to have the fraying problem, at least after 1 wearing. Nice A-line in the apron and the pleats, and the pleats are sewn down for about 1/3 the length of the kilt. Hangs great on me and "swishes" nicely. Worn at about the same height on my waist as the standard, seems to be slightly longer, maybe 23 7/8", than the standard but very close. I basically love wearing it, and can see it being used for almost any occasion depending on the shirt, shoes, and accessories.

Just thought I would share my observations on these three kilts. Now to wait for the one I ordered from rocky so I can compare to custom fit kilt!

[macgreggor]

Please let us know about the custom fit difference. I too have an EL Cheapo and a SWK blackwatch. When the latest lottery ticket strikes big (lol) I would like to get a couple of new kilts.

macG

[David White]

Hi KiltedCodeWarrior,
The Stillwater Heavy weight in solid black (shadow tartan) is pretty
neat looking. I like it.

dave

[Sherry]

Thanks for sharing about your kilts. SW has come up with some great patterns for those kilts.

Sherry

[Riverkilt]

Ahhh laddie, You are SOOOOO hooked now :grin:

So many kilts, so little time and money....

As Ham says, "Everyone needs another kilt."

Ron

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Since I am beginning my kilt making experience, I decided to check the size of the pleats and the pleat depth on my 2 SW's last night. In taking this detailed a look I found out that neither kilt appears to be pleated to either the sett or the stripe, which surprised me. I now that adds a bit of complexity, but since these are simple tartans and they make so few tartans, that it should be a case of figure it out once for each waist size, then just follow the recipe. I know that the Nightstalker is not pleated to the sett or the stripe as it is obvious when you look at it with anything more than a casual glance. The shadow tartan HW appears to be the same, but it is more difficult to tell given the black on black. Has anybody else noticed this? I haven't checked their site yet to see what they claim as far as pleating.

The other thing I noticed is that the pleat reveal is not completely consistent, better on the HW than the standard. On the standard the pleats seemed to vary from 1/2" to almost 1". On the HW it was more cinsistent and most were right around 3/4". What surprised me more was the variance in the depth of the pleats, everything from 2 1/4" up to 3 1/2" on the standard, and from 2 3/4" to 3 1/2" on the HW. Is it that hard to get a consistent pleat size, or is this a compromise in workmanship to turn out a cheaper kilt?

[chasem]

They're pleated to the sett according to the website. However, it's a very rough pleating to the sett. On mine (standard black stewart, heavyweight black watch) it's close, but it's certainly not precise pleating to the sett.

[george7]

You get what you pay for. My HW SWK cost me less than the labor from my Scottish kilt.