Big surprise inside a kilt to be altered

[NeightRG]

How many layers does the machine stitching go through? Since the pleats aren't cut out, maybe they just count on all those layers for the structure.

[bonnie heather]

Because this kilt is 8 yards and has 31 pleats, I thought of it as a regular kilt and expected pleat cut outs and inner construction.
House of Edgar is very highly respected. I do see now that they have Casual Heavy weight kilts listed on their site. Probably this is constructed as a casual kilt, thus no cut outs, etc. As a casual kilt, it looks good and sturdy. The pleats are even and machine sewn from the inside through 2 layers of fabric. The tartan is aligned on the tabs and loops.
I don't know the price, but it was part of a band order, and less than the cost of a well made hand sewn kilt. This gentleman bought his own and asked me to make it shorter from the top and smaller by moving buckles and straps.

[turpin]

Thanks for sharing...

I guess it's a matter of Caveat Emptor...

It seems more like a matter of Caveat Edgar!

[celtophile]

I have a similar one-of kilt 8 yard kilt from HOE and found the same thing. It cost $440 and was ordered with many emails back and forth directly from HOE. When I received the kilt I was flabbergasted when I felt behind the lining and found no skeeting and no cut outs. What peaked my attention was that they had agreed to give me the cut-offs so I could provide swatches to all the conveners for my clan (it was a new tartan) but no cut-offs were included.

After several heated emails with the vendor I found out that they make all their kilts like this. Their excuse was that they do mostly large band orders and to make them cost competitive they cut corners on internal construction. I ended up cutting, skeeting, sewing in canvas and stabilizer myself and then stitching the lining back on. I was very surprised that a company as well respected as HOE would sell such shoppy work but their reputation is for their FABRIC not their KILTS. I got the impression that their kilt making was a sideline that they contracted out.

I bought the kilt from them because they made the new MacNaughton Hunting Tartan fabric and this material was not available from anyone else. In the future I will get the fabric from HOE and let someone else make the kilt.

TANSTASFL! $440 sounded like too good a deal and it was.

On the plus side, the fabric is wonderful and they sent me the cut-off from the top of the kilt so I have a good 7 meters of 4-5" wide fabric to play with!

[David Dubh]

I had enquired of HOE whether they were hand sewn? I was told that they were handsewn except for the pleats which were machine sewn!!!??? Since that is most the kilt in my opinion being machine sewn I decided to look elsewhere for a kilt maker, as I am of the opinion that a traditional kilt should be handsewn which is what I want. I am surprised that the staking etc in the back is absent

[Alan H]

When I make 6 yard kilts, I usually leave out the "cut outs", steeking and panel. The bulk of fabric under the fell doesn't warrant it, IMHO. This goes double if the material is polyester-viscose or an 11 ounce blend.

But 8+ yards, made out of 13 or 16 ounce worsted? Nah. Cut out the pleats and do it right, machine-sewn or not.

---------------------------

celtophile...there's a MacNaughton "Hunting" tartan now.
Uh-oh. Oh, dear.

[Tobus]

When I make 6 yard kilts, I usually leave out the "cut outs", steeking and panel. The bulk of fabric under the fell doesn't warrant it, IMHO. This goes double if the material is polyester-viscose or an 11 ounce blend.

I'm still learning kilt mechanics, so pardon my dumb question.

I can understand perhaps not needing to stiffen the top of the kilt for the weight of the pleats hanging below it. But what of the cinching force when the wearer tightens the straps? Without anything holding the kilt together but the stitches between the pleats in the fell area, won't it come apart pretty quickly? Or at least distort like crazy between the buckles?

[Pleater]

It certainly will not be a kilt that is going to become an heirloom if it gets any amount of use, not unless a tape or stay of some kind is put in at the waistline. I think there was a photo of distorted pleats in a thread not long ago, an older kilt where there was nothing to stop the wool being pulled out of shape. That is the great feature of wool fabric, it can be shaped by pressure.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[auld argonian]

I'm sure that any kilt can be modified with a stabilizer and whatever else is necessary...

...but, with respect, every kilt is not destined to become an heirloom...some you wear until both you and the kilt wear out and what's going to happen to it down the road isn't a consideration. Nobody in my family is going to care about mine and I really don't feel like giving some future thrift store rummager a big score in the future. Maybe you can't take it with you but I plan on being cremated so they can just toss 'em on for extra fuel when the fire gets going good.

If you feel like you paid for the A#1 job and you didn't get it, that's one thing and take it up with the maker or just give them a bad review here and thousands of potential customers will steer clear of them. I can see how the very serious and craftsmanlike kiltmakers will look at shortcuts and shake their heads in disapproval, though...when you're used to doing the job to the max and you see someone who takes shortcuts, it's always disappointing.

Best

AA

[chewse]

I think traditional kilt makers are under the same competitive pressures as many domestic industries. The consumer is only willing to spend a certain price for a kilt. The traditional kilt makers labor cost is not going down nor is their material costs. As such, the traditional kilt maker has to find ways to reduce costs which probably means finding opportunities to cut out material from the kilt not easily seen by the consumer.