Do kilts have a "break-in" period?

[The Wizard of BC]

If you have been watching this thread you know we are now ready to start putting this kilt back together and get it back to Tobus so he can enjoy wearing it again.

The first step is to install the stabilizer to the inside of the kilt. The job of the stabilizer is to give strength to the back of the kilt between the buckles as you have seen.


Last night as I was watching TV I sewed the stabilizer into the kilt. Here is a photo of the finished stabilizer.



The white strip of fabric is the stabilizer itself. This is carefully cut from a piece of cotton similar to a bed sheet. This fabric is very strong along the grain or weave. It does not stretch very much so, while light weight, makes a very good reinforcement.

I thought it best to stitch this using a white stabilizer and black thread so you could see the stitches better. Notice how many stitches there are. The stabilizer is stitched to the back of all the pleats to anchor it and reaches across the back of the kilt from one buckle to the other.

You can see one pencil stuck through the strap hole and the other two point to the location where the buckles will be sewn on the outside of the kilt.

Next step is the interfacing.

[Barb T]

Or you can have a little fun with the stabilizer, because it never shows (unless someone like the Wizard deconstructs your kilt....). I always use American flag cloth.

[Emmet]

An interesting thing to note is the stitching on the two stabilisers just posted, very interesting to see thats there's more then one way to do things

[Paul Henry]

An interesting thing to note is the stitching on the two stabilisers just posted, very interesting to see thats there's more then one way to do things

There are many ways to do the stabilising strip,I use old and fine linen shirts!

[Emmet]

Funnily enough I use an old linen jacket for my strips

[The Wizard of BC]

I've had some time to work on Tobus's kilt today so here is the continuation of this thread -------

The next step is to install the interfacing.

Most kilt makers today use what is called 'Hair Canvas". This is a woven fabric that is stiffer in one direction than the other. It is also dimensionally stable which means that along the grain this fabric does not stretch. This fabric helps support the back of the kilt giving it shape.



But the most important reason for the interfacing is to take the stresses of strapping the kilt on without transferring those stresses to the Tartan fabric or the stitching.

Where the stabilizer stretches across the back of the kilt from buckle to buckle, the interfacing spans the entire length of the kilt including both aprons.

There is a problem though. In this photo you can see that when laid out, because the Fell is tapered, the kilt forms a curve. If you cut the interfacing in a matching curve you will loose the strength and resistance to stretch. You must fold darts into the fabric forming it to the curve of the kilt.





Everywhere the interfacing fabric is folded must be sewn down. As you saw from the before photos, if the folds of fabric are not sewn, they will open like an accordion defeating the whole reason that the interfacing is there.

Here is how I sew the folds of interfacing. Again, I am using a contrasting black thread so it is easier to see in these photos.




And yes, as others have pointed out, there are many ways to stitch the interfacing. Mine is my way. It is no better or worse than another kiltmaker as long as the fabric conforms to the shape of the kilt and will not stretch. When the kilt is worn the interfacing should act like one long piece of strong fabric.
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[The Wizard of BC]

My goal with this project is not to make a new kilt or alter this kilt in any way to turn it into a Freedom Kilt. My only job was to evaluate if anything was wrong with it and if so correct it if I could.

I would like this kilt to look exactly as it did from the outside as when it was bought.

But there is one thing that I am going to have to change.

In this photo you can see the outer apron straps. They are machine sewn to the apron edge. But they were not sewn to the interfacing.





If I were to remove these and sew them back onto the kilt it would significantly weaken the straps themselves. You can only put so many holes in something without weakening it.

I have decided to replace the straps.

In this photo you can see the new straps sewn on. Note that they are sewn through the interfacing and the fold back of the apron but not all the way through to the outside.




I also aligned the straps to go straight across the apron and not with the tapered apron edge.

Our other kiltmakers will also notice that I did not tuck the interfacing under the folded back facing of the apron. This was done to better show you that straps must be sewn to the interfacing and not the apron itself. This was the cause of the distorted fabric we saw during the evaluation of this kilt.