Never too old to start! - and yes, spectators are welcome, but why not try your hand at an X-Kilt? The manual is right here for download, and you can just go to JoAnne's and buy some solid-color cotton/polyester twill, or some camouflage and bang out a knockaround kilt. You also could scope out ebay for some budget wool or wool blend tartan. While you couldn't really get through a handsewn knife pleat kilt in one day, you can get pretty close to "done" with a super-simple box pleat, if it had only about 5-6-7 pleats.

I will be bringing down two sewing machines and a crummy iron and an ironing board. I'll need one of the machines myself, but the other one is available for someone else to use.