New member from Central Scotland

[Steve Ashton]

I had a retail kilt shop and made custom kilts for 20 years. I also taught kiltmaking with Barb Tewksbury for many years.

People thinking about making their own kilt always seemed to have a similar question. - Should I make a "practice kilt" out of less expensive fabric?

The best answer I ever heard was - If you make a practice kilt what you have in the end is a practice kilt that you may or may not ever wear. Then you have to buy more, more expensive fabric, and do it all over again.
If you start out with the best quality fabric you can afford or the fabric you want most. - What you have in the end is something you can be proud to wear and proud to tell everyone, - I made this!

The fact is that making a kilt is not like making a shirt or a pair of trousers. You do not cut out shapes that are then joined together to create a 3 dimensional shape.
A kilt is made from one long rectangle of fabric. Right up until one of the very last steps you do not cut the fabric. At anytime, if you do not like the result of your stitching, you can take the whole thing apart and start over. Your real kilt is your practice kilt.

[ThistleDown]

Welcome, from Inverness-shire and British Columbia.

[Tomak]

Hello and welcome from Southern California.

[Kiltedjohn]

Welcome from a Scotsman living in the English Midlands. I have ancestors from Clackmannanshire (Alva and Tillicoultry). Spent a holiday there a few years ago, exploring the area.

[neloon]

Aye aye, fae Aiberdeen.

Alan

[Kitfoxdave]

A warm welcome from sunny Florida! Best of luck making your kilt! Look forward to your pictures!

[grizzbass]

I have make kilts for the grandchildren (toddlers). The kids loved them even if they were not sturdy stuff. I understand the heavy wool being tempting because of the look. Here in southern California and our last 10 days of 106 fahrenheit it does lose a lot of the temptation.

[joe=totale]

Thanks for the welcome folks! I've just ordered 4 metres of Cumming Hunting Modern, medium weight, single width, from Kinloch Anderson I'll see if I can get a wearable box pleated day kilt out of it for starters.