I received my new kilt from Freedom Kilts the other day. This one is the Cargo model. Steve and his staff does a very good job on constructing these kilts. This particular kilt is made with 6.2 yards of 14oz Duck Cotton, Sand Gray color, so it is a heavier weight material and stiff as you would expect this material to be. There are other fabric options as well as models as specified on his web site. The closure system uses buttons. Steve offers different options for those buttons and also a selection of pocket types. This one has internal side pockets like p@nt$ as well as two rear internal pockets. The rear pockets have flaps which you can see in the picture of the back of the kilt below. I also ordered the pocket under the front apron. Pockets are an option and others are available that are not on this kilt.

Steve uses a different measurement method than other manufactures. He has a video on how to do it on his site. Kilts that ride at a lower waist than traditional high rise kilts will take on a sloping waist line when viewed from the side just like p@nt$. This can cause the hem to be at an angle also. I like the bottom of my kilt to be parallel to the ground. Steve compensates for this slope. The compensation is figured out by the measurement process. As you can see by the side picture with the two yellow lines I have a straight hem. I like the bottom of my kilts to be at the top of the knee so that is why I specified the length to be what it is. For some reason I never liked the hem of my kilts to hit my knee or be below it.

The only question I have about the construction is on the first pleats to each side of the apron. When I first put o the kilt I noticed the corners of the first pleat left and right hung out below the hem. Looking at those pleats I noticed the edge of the pleat was sewn down as you have to do on cotton material. But on these two pleats the stitching stopped about an inch from the bottom. I suspected the corners of these two pleats were to be turned up so they did not stick out the bottom. I folded the corners up and pressed them down with my pressure steamer. As you can see in the pictures the corners no longer stick out the bottom. Steve, should the corners of those two pleats been turned up?

I like this kilt and will be getting others. I will go after the casual model the next time. Then I will have one of each.

Mike

You will have to put up with my shamelessly posed pictures in this post.






I can now put my hands in my pockets. Mother would not be impressed. "Get your hands out of your pockets" she would say.









Here you can see the slope compensation and I have a straight hem