sewn in weights (clipped from '4yd vs 8yd' thread)

[jjoseph]

I do know that a 4 yard gets blown about in the wind a lot. The sporran keeps the front down but not the back. Still, I guess what you cannot see you don't worry aboot!

There's a trick that I learned about from one of the ladies on a sewing newsgroup. Stitch a few fishing weights around the hem. The ladies have been using this trick to keep light skirts from flying up in the wind for a very long time

I had thought about doing something just like this, BUT I wasn't sure if it would cause the garment to wear out... I know that pulling on fabric or frames does not have to be heavy or hard; if it's done over a long time it will pull them apart.

So my questions for you tailors, kiltmakers, seamsters and seamstresses are, "What do you think of sewing in a few weights? Will it unbalance the garment or cause excessive wear? Would the kilt need to be stored flat rather than hung?"

[Jewddha]

I'm no tailor, but I can think of a few options.
Firstly, make them removeable. Depending on the style of kilt this would be easier or harder. Frankly, if you wanted to do it, this seems the only "safe" way, because if you do this on a contemporary kilt that get's put in the washing machine, I think it might just tear it apart.
Secondly, maybe add a band of some sort of light reinforcement along the line where the weight would hang.

[Pleater]

Try sewing in a tape or ribbon along the hemline - that will actually reinforce it rather than do damage. You might need to sew the folds into the tape to keep the kilt's pleats sharp

If you need more weight than that you could try adding net curtain weighting strip, which is a continuous tape either with small beads in - which is not the best option, or a smooth strip of plastic-y stuff which can easily be cut into short lengths. You could then put a strip of it along the hemline of the underside of the pleat, or vertically into the lower part of the inner pleat and then sew the fold down to make a narrow pocket from which the tape could be removed for washing.

I am assuming that type of weighted tape is available to you, though if you use the pocket method you could use any small weight, but wrap it to prevent damaging the fabric. A strip of old handkerchief of a thin shirt material would do the job.

[Iolaus]

Attach small tabs of velcro to where you want the weights, and glue the opposing peice of velcro to some nickles?

I think adding weights to the edge might substantially change the way the pleats "swish." The only place I can think of that a weight might help, would be the corner of the outer apron; sew a little pocket about an inch in, and drop a coin into it.

[Aggie]

I have read that Duncan on MOTG had weights sewn into his kilts.

[switchblade5984]

i had often thought about that.....

thanks for the ideas all

[michael steinrok]

I don't know if it will wear out the kilt,but, it may wear you out. It would also make a great weapon

[davedove]

I don't know if it will wear out the kilt,but, it may wear you out. It would also make a great weapon

I'm picturing a new martial arts style based on a twirling weighted kilt.

[Kilted KT]

the whirling kilt is actually a little-known move in Scottish Kung Fu. After kicking an attacker below the sporran, and before yelling at him unintelligably as he was kicked while he is down, ancient scots added injury to insult by swinging thier pleats at their enemy quite forcefully.

Masters of this technique once had small stones or spiked pieces of wood attached the their pleats for increased effectiveness.

Scottich kung fu is pretty dangerous, both to the attacker and the untrained practitioner!

[Riverkilt]

Seems like they'd cause bruises bumping against knees and legs.

Solution for me has been to hike in the wind and get used to the kilt blowing around, its usually not as bad as we think because we're not as used to it as women are.

And, gee, was just a few weeks ago I had on my heavy leather UK and the wind still blew that up. Would guess its even heavier than a lighter weight kilt with weights.

Visions of weighted hems flying up in the wind and giving bystanders uppercut blows to the chin.

Ron