Stoff,

I know that you are one of those who have wanted a copy of "The Hand-Crafted Contemporary Kilt" for a while. And I'm sorry. It is all but written.

But due to the comments and reception that my concept of, and what I still believe is, the next evolution of the kilt, I don't think that my book would find a wide enough audience to cover the cost of printing.

When the Utilitkilt came out it was all the rage. Over 100 small companies sprang up making anything from direct knock-offs to other very inventive, but similar items.
Very few are left today.

By the time I had the Contemporary style kilt fully fleshed out and proven, the kilt world had changed.

21st Century is still successful because he caters to the wealthy and famous.

One notable exception to the change in the kilt world is USA Kilts. Rocky is a consummate businessman.

The other options with kilts are either staying with the high end, what is called traditional styling, or are out-sourcing their product, or have gone by the wayside.

Only one other kilt shop has retained the essence of my development. And I trained them in my shop. But they wanted to go in uber-macho direction. Lower end, tactical styling, P/V, Box Pleats but with my pockets and my way of setting the waist height. But that shop is primarily relying on the sale of accessories to stay open.

I closed my shop and retired at exactly the right time. One month before the first cases of Covid in N. America.
Since then I have gone on to different things and different interests.

I'm actually making more money manufacturing and selling the yarn winder that I developed for the hand cranked sock knitting machines, than I ever did making kilts.



I am actually having a lot more fun making custom kilt hose that I did listening to the criticism from the traditional kilt makers. The week each year I would spend teaching Contemporary kiltmaking at Kilt Kamp and the atmosphere became more and more toxic. It was not any fun any more.



So right now my book is sitting on a thumb drive. I have not worked on it at all during this period of Covid and I am finding that I have less and less interest in ever printing it.

I wish I had a finished copy that I could just give you. If you wish to make a kilt I suggest buying Barb's book and making a real kilt.
The posers like myself will just slink off into obscurity.