Fraser & Kirkbright (custom tartan weavers)

[The Wizard of BC]

ForresterModern,

Do you have a steam cleaner? A Really good Steam Iron?

I have found a few bolts of cloth that when they arrive from the weaver are skewed just as your F&K fabric.


Quickly baste you Kilt as it came from Barb.

Build up a good head of steam in your iron and then put on an over mitt.

Set up an ironing board and lay the Kilt in the big flat end with the Fell on the ironing board and the pleats hanging vertically
Grab the hem, a handfull of pleats and pull down gently. You should be able to pull the fabric straight and take out the skew.

Then pass the Iron over the fabric allowing the steam to pass entiely through the pleats.

The idea is to warm the fabric enough for it to relax and let the skew fall out.

Then remove the steam but don't let go of the fabric until it is totally cool.

Then hold up the entire Kilt and see if the place you just did is now straight in relation to the rest of the Kilt. If it is then simply repeat the process over the whole Kilt.

I've had three times now when I have had to de-skew an entire bolt of fabric that just arrived from Scotland.

[Dixiecat]

Thanks for the info about Highland Dancing... I would be grateful for links to relevant sites. I'm rather ignorant in regard to Highland & Irish Dancing: my eldest daughter is 6yo and has tired of the ballet she started at 3, but was taken with the few tap-classes she got alongside, and has since become Irish Dance crazy (it's even overtaken horses!). We have her signed up for Irish classes in the Fall. My youngest is quite taken with violin and fiddle; so, they may end up becoming quite a duo! :-)

Also, If you know any dancers that may be interested in pre-ordering yardage of my new tartan, I would be happy for the funding to offset the cost of F&K's minimum yardage purchase... :-D

You could try www.dance.net. They have an Irish Dance board and a Highland Dance board. You could even post a few pictures of your tartan to see if you have any interest. Most dancers like to wear dress tartans, but there has been some move back toward the traditional with the older dancers. And certainly the tartan would be perfect for the aboyne costume used for the National dances.

[ForresterModern]

ForresterModern,

Do you have a steam cleaner? A Really good Steam Iron?

I have found a few bolts of cloth that when they arrive from the weaver are skewed just as your F&K fabric.


Quickly baste you Kilt as it came from Barb.

Build up a good head of steam in your iron and then put on an over mitt.

Set up an ironing board and lay the Kilt in the big flat end with the Fell on the ironing board and the pleats hanging vertically
Grab the hem, a handfull of pleats and pull down gently. You should be able to pull the fabric straight and take out the skew.

Then pass the Iron over the fabric allowing the steam to pass entiely through the pleats.

The idea is to warm the fabric enough for it to relax and let the skew fall out.

Then remove the steam but don't let go of the fabric until it is totally cool.

Then hold up the entire Kilt and see if the place you just did is now straight in relation to the rest of the Kilt. If it is then simply repeat the process over the whole Kilt.

I've had three times now when I have had to de-skew an entire bolt of fabric that just arrived from Scotland.

Steve

Thanks for the suggestion. As I said barb gave it a good steam ironing beforethe build up, but the skew came back over time. I do not have a steam cleaner, do have a steam iron but cannot vouch for its quality (or even its location, since I use a drycleaner for everything), and lastly, I have absolutely NO idea how to go about basting a kilt back the way it was when Barb sent it. It took me darn near 20 minutes to get them out---can't imagine how long it would take me to put them back in. I do have a household steamer, still new in the box, to use to remove wrinkles from my kilts but, due to my so far meticulous care of them, I have not had to even open let alone learn how to use it.

For the most part I don't see the skew in the pleats, just the front apron. so maybe I could try it on the front apron only, but I fear that its presence throughout the whole kilt fabric will likely cause it to return in the apron even if I get that part straight. I will talk with my wife and see what we can come up with to try to use your suggestions.

Thanks again for your help.

Jeff

[Fit2BKilted]

front view with basting stitches still in:



front view with basting stitches out and hanging upright for a couple days:



See my other post in the general kilt section in a few minutes when I get it all done for more pictures of the whole kilt.

Jeff :ootd:

That is just the kind of information I was hoping for, Jeff. Thanks so much!

Sadly, "wonky" looms/equipment seem to be sinking the F&K ship.

On the bright side, it looks---from the difference in the degree of bend between pic 1 & pic 2---like the bend is diminishing quickly.