The OUTRAGEOUS Price of kilts!

[RK-REX]

In line with the first post by Alan.

When I first decided to wear a kilt, I looked...and looked...and looked. I educated myself a bit and the purchased what I could afford. USAK Casual BTW. After all, who would spend hundreds of dollars to try something they may not like. That would be like buying a side of beef to see if you like steak.

In my research, I realized that like anything that is made by hand as well as mass produced there are going to be huge cost variances. So you figure your budget, or how long you're willing to jones by saving your pocket change. Then purchase what you can afford, or wait to build your funds.

So then I decide I'm going to learn to make kilts. Being the person I am, I decided to research as much as I could, then start small if you will. I chose the X kilt as my first victim. Granted, in past lives I've been a toolmaker, a designer and a mechanical engineer, so figures, measurements and calculations are no stranger to me. Neither is my anal retentive, perfectionist nature that makes me wish the marks on a tape measure came to a point so you could accurately measure the length of a 2 x 4 when building a dog house within a few thousandths of an inch. But I digress....

I purchased my material after wandering around looking at various colors and fabrics for a few days and set to work.

I had my kilt laid out and ready to sew. In about 6-8 hours!! Yeah, that was just the calculations, cutting the yardage in half, measuring and marking, which is probably the easiest part IMO because you can remark the lines and refigure if you make a mistake. You haven't sewn anything yet.

Then I find out that the fabric I've grown to love and couldn't wait to see around my waist contained a bit of spandex that was not known to me and when I started sewing my pleats they puckered like, well, something that really puckers. Mind you this was after I spent god knows how long pressing all of the folds for the pleats. I thought maybe this was the way it was supposed to be, so I kept at it and sewed about 5 of my 16 pleats. I'm now about 6-7 more hours deep into this kilt project. I press the pleats again so they look good.......for about 5 minutes then they pucker again. After a few hours of messing with the machine, I find out it's the fabric and I pitch the lot into the trash.

I've invested between 12 and 15 hours and not even finished sewing 1/3 of the pleats. (the first major sewing operation for those who haven't made an X kilt) I kept thinking throughout the process that if this wasn't relaxing to me, I'd never be able to earn a living at it, or have the patience to finish one kilt. And this was an X kilt with very good instructions. After this experience I couldn't believe how Rocky could only charge what he did to get me my casual in a less than a week.

Even if you don't know how to sew, or don't want to sew, look through the X kilt manual and go through the motions up to the point to which the sewing starts using a roll of paper towel for your "fabric". You will be AMAZED at the time it takes and if nothing else, you'll come away with a much better appreciation of kiltmakers. Be they hand stitching, 80 year old Scot sewing by lamplight in a cottage overlooking Loch Ness or the guy who whips out inexpensive "first kilts" for the masses at the rate of several a week.

Everything looks easy when you're watching a professional do it. That is why they are called professionals.

That being said.....

I tip my hat and raise my glass to all who have ever sewn a kilt, be it X or tank, it matters not, you have my admiration, respect and a bit of jealousy.

[Kilted-Marine]

After all this talk about the fun of sewing them yourself, I have decided to give it a whirl.. but not just the kilt. I figure that anything worth doing yourself and trying to recreate how they did it in the long ago back home in the highlands (I am Keith and MacIntyre) is worth doing 100%.

So after much arguing with the wife and rearraging some things in our small apartment we took a drive south and picked up the neccassary items needed to accomplish the task.

It was a bit of a struggle to get the 2 sheep into the van and then even worse to get them up the elevator. but we have them penned in the den and I figure we should be ready to start wool production in about 5 months and the first kilt should roll off the production line early May 2009.

Next step figuring how to color the wool.... I will update you as we progress.

[The Wizard of BC]

Ah yes, but did you get the correct breed of sheep?

[Kilted-Marine]

A hand made kilt produced by a skilled maker is worth every penny. When I got maried, I purchased 4 Kilts, 4 Belts, 4 Sporrans, 4 sets of hose, 4 kilt pins, and 4 pair of Ghillie shoes. I bought these from Alexis Malcolm, who got the fabric directly from Scotland and hand made the kilts herself. At the time I was living in Ft Lauderdale and actually drove down to her house and picked everything up. I got to see where she did her work and had a pleasant time with her and her husband.

Never did I think she over charged me. although I did grimace a little when I had to hand over the money.

To those out there sewing by hand for yourself or other people, I say bravo..you are doing a wonderful job. Heck I would like to partner up with a good company like that and offer the products.

And yes, Everybody should have at least one good hand made wool kilt. But they should also have 6 good quality "Frugal Kilts" and you won't have to save your change as long to get one.

On another note - We try to make sure we are honest and ethical in all our dealings. We legally have set up business as an LLC, we have a Minnesota Tax ID, and a Federal Tax ID. (and every 2nd or 3rd time we import stuff customs holds an order and asks for the Federal ID)

I have actually seen an ebay listing where I was sure that the person had bought from us and were reselling it with different and out right wrong labeling. what can you do...

And we have had to said sorry a few times and also have sucked up a few bad deals.
1. At one point we were using some pictures on our site that we later found out were from locharron (they were of ladies dresses) heck there are 1000's of sites using them. But somebody sent an email to locharron and we got an email from locharron asking us to remove the pictures. we remove them within 45 minutes. (I later found out those pictures were taken in the 1970's)
2. We order a bunch of kilt hose- they came in and looked like thin soccer socks. OK for giving away or as an emergency pair but not good enough for us to sell. we have been slowing giving them away.
3. We ordered about 80 16 oz kilts from a new vendor as a trial. They were not 16 oz..we can sell them as a medium weight or a light weight but not a 16 oz.
4. We ordered a bunch from another company -100 kilts and other stuff - we received 1 kilt... yep 1 kilt

[Alan H]

Just the other day I saw some camouflage sheep. Digital ones, no less.

Honest!

hey, stop looking at me like that.

[Canuck]

OK who wants to go in with me for three cows? It takes 1.5 to make a leather RKilt....Then we can throw one hell of a barbeque!

[Kilted-Marine]

Cow for the Belt and shoes
Rabbit for Sporran
Sheep for kilt
Barley, Malt, Hops...for well...after

[arrogcow]

Ok, kilts are worth every penny.
Sporrans too.

But, can someone tell me why kilt jackets are so much? A regular tweed jacket can be purchased for less than half of a kilt cut tweed jacket, and uses more material. What's up with that?

Adam

[McMurdo]

Ok, kilts are worth every penny.
Sporrans too.

But, can someone tell me why kilt jackets are so much? A regular tweed jacket can be purchased for less than half of a kilt cut tweed jacket, and uses more material. What's up with that?

Adam

You bring up an interesting point, not sure I have an answer for you. I do know that every kilt jacket I have has also been worth every penny I paid for them, perhaps it is more expensive because there is more tailoring involved, a kilt jacket is a more form fitting garment than your standard sport coat, or suit jacket. Thats about the only thing I can think of.

[Robin]

Ok, kilts are worth every penny.
Sporrans too.

But, can someone tell me why kilt jackets are so much? A regular tweed jacket can be purchased for less than half of a kilt cut tweed jacket, and uses more material. What's up with that?

Adam

Part of the whole "expensive" problem...kilts, jackets, sporrans...the whole shebang.... is the weak $ and the strong £ and €. The dollar went down almost 30%...add cross Atlantic shipping expenses and import duties and the nightmare is complete (for those in the USA).

No kiltmaker or shop to blame.

When I buy a Prince Charlie jacket (example) from Lochcarron I pay €250...that's $337,50, but for us it "feels" like $250...or even less.
No import duties within the EC and low(er) P&P rates.

This is essential for the whole discussion I think and explains why "we in Europe" don't think kilts and related stuff is over expensive, while "you in the USA" fall off your chair when you hear what you have to pay.
We're not snobs...it's just cheaper for us...30+%.