Ironing and Pressing a Buzz Kidder

[Riverkilt]

Boy guys, All the BK kilts I've seen on display at vendor booths seem to be wrinkled too. If the folks that sell them can't spruce them up for display its gotta be a chore to iron them. Have you thought of using glue and heavy rocks?

I had success with my cotton Utilikilts. After wash would hang the kilt on the shower rod from three in-line hangars. Then after pulling the pleats into shape by hand would hang a weighted clip from each pleat.

Made the clips by duct taping two half ounce fishing weights to each clip. You can buy bulk clips in big box stores or even use clothes pins.

What I liked was that the technique used the property of cotton that has it hold the shape it drys in. The weights pull the pleats straight while the fabric dries. When dry, the kilt and pleats don't need any ironing.

Ron

[Pleater]

I use a board - it is the stiffening from inside a bolt of material - to press individual pleats - it enables the pleat to be laid out flat even if it would normally fall over the edge of the ironing surface.

Another advantage is that it keeps the pleat separate from the rest, so it does not pick up the shape of a fold or wrinkle from material beneath it.

Anne the Pleater

[Bugbear]

I use a board - it is the stiffening from inside a bolt of material - to press individual pleats - it enables the pleat to be laid out flat even if it would normally fall over the edge of the ironing surface.

Another advantage is that it keeps the pleat separate from the rest, so it does not pick up the shape of a fold or wrinkle from material beneath it.

Anne the Pleater

I'll have to look into that, thanks Pleater.

[Bugbear]

Boy guys, All the BK kilts I've seen on display at vendor booths seem to be wrinkled too. If the folks that sell them can't spruce them up for display its gotta be a chore to iron them. Have you thought of using glue and heavy rocks?

I had success with my cotton Utilikilts. After wash would hang the kilt on the shower rod from three in-line hangars. Then after pulling the pleats into shape by hand would hang a weighted clip from each pleat.

Made the clips by duct taping two half ounce fishing weights to each clip. You can buy bulk clips in big box stores or even use clothes pins.

What I liked was that the technique used the property of cotton that has it hold the shape it drys in. The weights pull the pleats straight while the fabric dries. When dry, the kilt and pleats don't need any ironing.

Ron

Ya, I don't know why they would have the wrinkled kilts on display at the Buzz Kidder booths; they don't come that way when you buy them. Sounds like poor salesmenship...

I don't have the weights and clips to try that, but I think it would work just fine. Although, I think you would have to hang the kilt in a zig-zag way because of the taper at the top.

I have let the kilt dry part way then pressed it dry with a dry press cloth and not as much steam. That works well, but if it's already dry...

Like I said, I lay it out across my table-like clothes drying rack and arrange all the pleats to dry mine. The top of the kilt has to hang over the edge because of the taper, though.

I didn't get this kilt because I expected it to be easy to press, though. It does happen to be the same color as most of the clay I work with...