putting it on improperly

[OC Richard]

Right, the most expensive items for a startup Pipe Band are the kilts and the drums. (Pipers provide their own pipes, except with some youth bands.)

Established bands which have been wearing the same tartan for many years generally have kilts in a wide range of sizes and can fit everybody. (Bands can wear the same tartan for a half-century or more, due to the tremendous expense of changing.)

Old band kilts have had their buckles moved many times over the decades, and sometimes hemmed for shorter members, and later un-hemmed, and so forth.

[jsrnephdoc]

Right, the most expensive items for a startup Pipe Band are the kilts and the drums. (Pipers provide their own pipes, except with some youth bands.)

Established bands which have been wearing the same tartan for many years generally have kilts in a wide range of sizes and can fit everybody. (Bands can wear the same tartan for a half-century or more, due to the tremendous expense of changing.)

Old band kilts have had their buckles moved many times over the decades, and sometimes hemmed for shorter members, and later un-hemmed, and so forth.

While Grade 5 and 4 bands likely are smaller than at least the Grade 3 units, limiting those "passing the kilt" expenses, your post made me wonder whether the typical band has a seamstress "on retainer," (or at least a favorite they use repetitively).

In Bozeman, I used a woman who made costumes for the local ballet company from SCRATCH). When my weight loss (Ozempic, and necessary for my health) meant I needed to have the straps moved on my Lunar kilt, Barb Tewksbury sent me detailed instructions on just HOW she should move them, for which she was grateful. I provided her a copy of Barb's book, but I rarely saw anyone else kilted in Bozeman (the only games I know of in Montana are in Hamilton.

But, back to the example of the ill-fitting kit that started this thread, there are three other elements in his dress that suggests the band is truly dealing with a limited budget:

1. Although the "protagonist" is wearing his kilt too low, it's still too small, yet his sporran chain is too LONG!
2. His waistcoat is too SHORT
3. His kilt is pleated differently from his mate's

I don't remember what band they represent. If they're local to Las Vegas, perhaps I need to find out who actually DOES those alterations, for future reference.

[YOJiMBO20]

But, back to the example of the ill-fitting kit that started this thread, there are three other elements in his dress that suggests the band is truly dealing with a limited budget:

1. Although the "protagonist" is wearing his kilt too low, it's still too small, yet his sporran chain is too LONG!
2. His waistcoat is too SHORT
3. His kilt is pleated differently from his mate's

I don't remember what band they represent. If they're local to Las Vegas, perhaps I need to find out who actually DOES those alterations, for future reference.

I’ll address these in reverse order:
3. His kilt is also pleated to the stripe. All the kilts in the band are. I don’t know where you’re seeing that his is to the sett, but it’s pleated to the yellow stripe like all of our kilts. We used to work with a local kiltmaker, but for various reasons that I’m not entirely privy to, we have since parted ways.
2. He was probably issued his waistcoat when he first joined the band, shortly after we switched from wearing Prince Charlies to waistcoats. We had less supply on hand and I’m guessing he hasn’t bothered to change out to a different one.
1. We had to buy our own sporran chains. He probably did like I did and bought a cheapo Pakistani chain. I adjusted mine to have the sporran sit better, but it might not have been of any importance to him. Especially since he usually puts his uniform on only when needed and takes it off once we’re done.

[jsrnephdoc]

I’ll address these in reverse order:
3. His kilt is also pleated to the stripe.

TWO excuses for me to seek an early appointment with my ophthalmologist (mistaking his pleating AND not seeing the lack of continuity between his apron strap and his sporran strap).

But, your response suggests you know the band's home. That means you may know people not too distant from me who do kilt repair. I'd love a referral, because I have a project in mind (reducing the size of my own first kilt).



Thanks so much,
Jim

[OC Richard]

I have a project in mind (reducing the size of my own first kilt).

The issues involved with reducing a kilt's size, as you probably know, vary tremendously according to how much a reduction is needed, and how determined a person is about preserving every detail of the kilt's original appearance.

And it's more complicated if the kilt is pleated to the sett and/or has belt loops.

If you're only talking a few inches, and if the kilt is pleated to the stripe and lacks belt loops, you can simply move the buckles. Yes the front apron will now go past the inverted pleat and perhaps overlap a pleat or two. But you can put on the kilt with the front apron centred and the back of the kilt will appear centred too, for the simple fact that it has no centre.

But kilts pleated to the sett and/or having belt loops DO have a centre, which will now be thrown off a bit.

Beyond a few inches, especially if pleated to the sett, you have to alter the structure of the kilt itself (as far as I know).

To keep the front apron and rear of the kilt both centred, and the juncture between front and back symmetrical on both hips, I believe would mean reducing the kilt the same amount on both hips.

Kiltmakers who have done this have told me it's more work than making a kilt from scratch, and a kiltmaker I used to know priced the job accordingly.

[SF Jeff]

But, your response suggests you know the band's home.

Cameron Highlanders in San Diego.

[jsrnephdoc]

The issues involved with reducing a kilt's size, as you probably know, vary tremendously according to how much a reduction is needed, and how determined a person is about preserving every detail of the kilt's original appearance.

And it's more complicated if the kilt is pleated to the sett and/or has belt loops.

If you're only talking a few inches, and if the kilt is pleated to the stripe and lacks belt loops, you can simply move the buckles. Yes the front apron will now go past the inverted pleat and perhaps overlap a pleat or two. But you can put on the kilt with the front apron centred and the back of the kilt will appear centred too, for the simple fact that it has no centre.

But kilts pleated to the sett and/or having belt loops DO have a centre, which will now be thrown off a bit.

Beyond a few inches, especially if pleated to the sett, you have to alter the structure of the kilt itself (as far as I know).

To keep the front apron and rear of the kilt both centred, and the juncture between front and back symmetrical on both hips, I believe would mean reducing the kilt the same amount on both hips.

Kiltmakers who have done this have told me it's more work than making a kilt from scratch, and a kiltmaker I used to know priced the job accordingly.

All bad news (but, still, overwhelmed by the GOOD news of having both my Diabetes and my sleep apnea almost disappear, even though I've spent probably as much on Ozempic as in total on kilts).

USA Kilts sews a little "measurements" tag to the inside of their kilts. My current "kilt waist" is about 7.5 inches smaller than the original. AND, the kilt DOES have loops, and it IS pleated to the sett. My most recent kilt purchase (Lunar, made by Barb Tewksbury) came at the time of steepest downslope in weight and waist measurements. Barb had to wait MANY MONTHS to get the fabric from DC Dalgliesh, so even before I started wearing it Barb sent me instructions to have a VERY skilled local seamstress move BOTH the straps and loops. Fortunately, that kilt is pleated to the stripe, and the outcome was VERY positive.

Ian Anderson, at USA Kilts, tells me there's a highlandswear marketplace on facebook where he's had good success selling used kilts of his own, so I'll look in to that, but my Robertson Ancient Hunting kilt has a special place in my heart, because it was an unsolicited gift from my son, who had a troubled childhood but now joins me (sometimes from other continents) to attend highland games. I should have have introduced you to him at the LV games!