2008 Kilt Kamp in Franklin, NC

[Barb T]

So, things to do before and at kilt kamp:
1. Read Barb's & Elsie's book.
2. Read it again.
3. Practice the stitches on good sturdy cloth - I was surprised at how tough and inflexible my tartan was
4. Find a seat by a window so you have good light - I was in the center of the room and on cloudy days it was a bit gloomy. This is even more important if you are sewing a dark tartan.
5. If the skin on your fingers gets sore from gripping and pushing the needle, paint the area with New Skin it helps protect against abrasion.

1 and 2) I actually don't recommend reading the book ahead of time, although browsing certainly doesn't hurt. The instructions are meant to be used with tartan and needle in hand, one instruction at a time. Most people have a really hard time getting anything out of sequential instructions unless they are actually doing the task. Doesn't mean that the instructions are inadequate; it just means that they weren't written for that purpose, and it can be very frustrating if you think you can get prepared by reading the instructions.

3) If you want to practice, use tartan rather than a stiff non-wool cloth. Working on wool tartan is very different from hand stitching on, say, duck or canvas or denim. Heavy weight tartan is thick, but it isn't stiff and hard to push a needle through the way duck, canvas, and denim are.

4) In the list of "what to bring" that I've sent to those who've registered, I indicate that they should bring a task light of some kind. An Ott-Lite is ideal.

5) A thimble is absolutely crucial and also on the list. I recommend making your own comfortable one:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/c...607/index.html

Particularly for guys, this is a much better alternative than a metal tailor's thimble.

And last, everyone at a kilt kamp works at a different rate. I'm there to teach the same step 12 times, if I have to, whenever someone needs to learn it. Conceptually, the earlier steps are the hardest and the last the easiest to get on your own out of the book. Even if you don't finish your kilt at the Kamp, it's not a tough thing to do to finish it after you get home using the instructions in the book. Elsie taught kiltmaking for years without any instruction handouts whatsoever (that's how I learned), and then it was crucial to finish before you left. Now, with the book, it's not that big a deal if you don't finish.