Alright, so I probably don't have the guts...

[D.A. Guertin]

Picked up a tartan I'm really loving from a local fabric store. Liked the look of it when I bought, liking it more and more every day. It is *dark!* My family tartan is MacLeod of Lewis, so anything is comparably dark, but this has got to be some kind of Ancient or Hunting tartan. Been through Linda Clifford, House of Tartan, and I'm through the C's on one other I have written down at the house, with no luck in finding it. Not a 'normal' tartan by any stretch, so far as I can find.

So, here's the rub. It's either 96/4 or 94/6 wool/cotton, very nice weight (though I don't know the oz.) and I really don't want to screw it up. And I'm liable and likely to screw it up. I'm a knife maker, not a kilt maker, and black smithing doesn't exactly translate into sewing...

I have a photo of the tartan, and I'll upload it and post the link here to keep people's PCs from exploding. I have 2 1/2 yards of 58" plus another yard for the fly plaid, which is probably the only thing I'll make, aside from the flashes, without having a coronary...

[vorpallemur]

Do you have Barb's book? ( The Art of Kiltmaking/) It's very good. With the exception of splitting the fabric in half, there's nothing that can't be undone and redone.

If you can make a knife, you can make a kilt....

[Livingston]

Do you have Barb's book? ( The Art of Kiltmaking/) It's very good. With the exception of splitting the fabric in half, there's nothing that can't be undone and redone. <snip>

...... until you cut out the pleats. Do make sure that what you have is enough to make the kilt based on measurements. That sounds like JUST enough for a slim person to me. I'd suggest not cutting off the part for your plaid until you check all measurements and calculate sizes. Just a quick CYA before you cut.

[longhuntr74]

Especially if it's "knife" pleated!!! Sorry...bad pun. I'm not sure that knife-making skills really imply sewing skills though. I agree that Barb's book is awesome...and Barb herself is awesome!! I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to correspond with her on the side (outside of this forum). She's a very nice and generous lady. If you have any experience in sewing...I think her book will set you straight. If you don't and want to try...I'd also recommend pursuing it. The nice thing about Barb, I've learned, is that she's ready, willing, and able to answer any questions you might have during the entire process...so you've always got someone to ask!!

[The Wizard of BC]

Can you tell us what style of pleating you are thinking of. 2.5 yards double width is not enough fabric to create a standard 8 yard knife Pleated Kilt which usually requires 4 to 4.5 yards of double width fabric. The actual amount will depend on your hip circumference and the size of the Sett of the Tartan. (The Sett is defined as one full repeat of the Tartan pattern.)

You can however create a very nice box pleated Kilt from that amount of fabric.

Or you can create a Kilt with less yardage but from you statement that you got the fabric from your local fabric store I suspect that it is not Kilt weight.
Box pleated Kilt are usually made from the heaviest fabric available.

To find the weight of your fabric follow these directions.
You will need an accurate scale. Preferable a postal scale that can measure in ounces up to 4 pounds. If you don't have a scale like this perhaps you can go to your local post office and ask them to weigh the fabric on their scale for you.

First some definitions.
1 fabric yard = 36 inches long X 60 inches wide or 2160 square inches.
1 Kilt yard = 36" long X the total length of the Kilt from the hem up to the top of the waist band.

We measure the weight of fabric using fabric yards.

Accurately measure the length of your piece of fabric along the selvedge or finished edge. Take this measurement in inches.
Accurately measure the width of your piece of fabric from one selvedge to the other. Take this measurement in inches.

Multiply the length times the width in inches to find the total number of square inches in your fabric. Divide this by 2160 to find how many fabric yards your piece is.

Then weigh your length of fabric. Divide the weight in ounces by the fabric yards.

voila, you now have the weight of your fabric in ounces per fabric yards.

Suitable fabrics for Kilts are usually between 13 and 16 ounces per fabric yard.

Some Kilts are made with lighter fabrics and some with heavier. But this will give you a good comparison.

If your fabric is indeed 2.5 yards long(90 inches) and 59 inches wide it is 2.45 fabric yards.

If it is 13 ounce fabric it should weigh 31.85 ounces or 1.95 pounds.
if it is 16 ounce fabric it should weight 39.2 ounces or 2.45 pounds.



:ootd:

[D.A. Guertin]

Thanks very much - I'll see what I can turn up on the weight this evening if I can find my digital shipping scale. I know it weighs a good deal more than the similarly-sized blanket I picked up at Dunvegan, and is the heaviest material of any of the other 4 kilts I have.

I'm built 5' 11", with 31" hips and a 28" waist, and was planning on box-pleating this one (though Kinguisse has always been a favourite).

[blackbeard]

First off I'd like to say Hi! And welcome to Xmarks. A more knowledgeable (regarding kilts) group of people you would be hard pressed to find.

Second, I am no expert but I just finished my first kilt and have a few thoughts.

1. Get Barb's book. Her instructions are geared toward the experienced and not so experienced sewer. The price is worth more than every penny you'll spend on it.

2.Have patience. You'll need a lot of it.

3.Since it came from a local fabric store the material you have is probably not a registered tartan. Maybe close, but not quite. That's why you can't find it in any database of tartans. But don't let that discourage you from making a kilt from it. I have seen quite a few examples on this forum of kilts made from “non tartan” plaids. You'll just have to be more creative.

4.My hip is 39 inches and I used a foot over 7 yards (single width) for 25 knife pleats to the sett.

5.Leave your mind open during the decision process.

6.Did I mention patience?

7.The great thing about making kilts is that up until a certain point, you can take the whole thing apart and start over. (Not the best way to go about it but it can be a learning experience.)

8.Don't give up and never underestimate your own abilities. Making your own kilt is a very rewarding experience... Not easy, but rewarding.

9.Come back to this forum often and ask questions. You will get a lot of help.

10.Again, patience.

11.Good Luck!

Here is a link to a great PDF of hand sewing terminology and stitches. A lot of them are used in the kilt making process.
http://www.ca.uky.edu/hes/fcs/FACTSHTS/CT-MMB-002.pdf

[D.A. Guertin]

Right, here's a link to the tartan I picked up. Hopefully it's just one of those really bizzare ones (I tend to find things like that. :-(

[The Wizard of BC]

OK sir, what you have there is not Kilt fabric but Tweed Jacket fabric.

Kilt fabric, as the term is used today, is where the yarns are first 'Worsted' or pulled and straightened to be parallel. They are then spun very tightly.

Kilt fabric will not usually have a "nape" or fuzzy surface. You should be able to see the Twill weave produced by the warp yarns going over two and under one of each Weft yarn.

In Tweed the yarns are not usually worsted but left fuzzy.

It is this fuzz that causes the "itch" that is often associated with Wool. All the ends of the yarns are sticking out every which direction and poking you.

But Kilts can be made from Tweed. I have seen some really gorgeous Tweed Kilts.

So go for it and enjoy.

[D.A. Guertin]

Ahhh, right. Hmm, ponder... May still be worth it, considering I just pulled up a place on-line with tweed fabric for kilts at $70 a yard, and I paid quite a lot less than that... Easy enough to work?