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kilt making

jothwade | Posted in Patterns on

Hi… I want to sew myself a kilt, some kind of denim or chino fabric. I have found some plans/instructions on line but they are somewhat vague. I am not interested in matching tartans, but rather a workman like kilt… sewn pleats, no sporan, simple pockets, no rivet, nothing fancy, in short.

Jotham

Replies

  1. starzoe | | #1

    Folkwear has a kilt pattern. As you probably know "real" kilts are complicated (they are meant to last a lifetime), but a utilikilt is much simpler in design and much easier to sew. Am not familiar with the Folkwear one though.

    Also, I guess you know there are multiple sites on the internet about men in kilts - Braveheart, etc. I live where men in kilts only get a lot attention from non-locals....it's quite a common sight. There's one gent who wears one all the time. I'm on Vancouver Island by the way, a bit of Brit in Canada.
    http://www.voguefabricsstore.com/store/catalog/Patterns-Folkwear-152-Scottish-Kilts-p-1648.html

    1. sally ryan | | #2

      go to x marks the scot.  that website has a 30 page tutorial.  I just finished my fourth utilikilt!

      1. KharminJ | | #6

        Dear Sally ~ That's a fascinating site! http://www.xmarksthescot.com/I never did get to the tutorial you posted it for - got caught up in reading the forums (imagine that? Hah!)Bright Blessings! Kharmin

        1. sally ryan | | #7

          The tutorial is in the DIY msg board folder.  My sons wore theirs to run a 10k from our running store on Saturday.  Nothing fell down so I guess they were a success!!!!!

          1. zuwena | | #9

            The tutorial seems to be missing to us ordinary folks. Only those with the special "code" can get it. Strange to have a link that leads one to a message about bandwidth thieves. Actually kind of ridiculous.

          2. SewistKitty | | #10

            You do have to register to get into the site and the directions for making a kilt are in this section beginning with http://dmgm.stanford.edu

  2. gailete | | #3

    Way back when, Threads had an article on making kilts. Perhaps they have the article on line? I think it was within the first 30 issues.

    Gail

    1. Sancin | | #4

      Boy, this brought back memories. I spent the last two high school summer vacations making pleated skirts and kilts for fall classes (55 years ago). One of the nearby department stores used to have a fantastic fabric sale once a year where I would buy lovely wool tartan. My grandmother showed me how to do the pleating on an ironing board. Now it would take me a long time to figure out how to do it. In those days it took some adjustment as well as I had a tiny waist and big hips - funny thing now is that those areas are reversed!

    2. woodruff | | #5

      That was a TERRIFIC article. The more yardage, the better the kilt moves. There's nothing sadder than a dress kilt with too few yards in it.

    3. carolfresia | | #11

      Yes--issue No. 33, Feb./Mar. 1991. It's not on our website, but you might find it in your local library.

      Carol Fresia, Threads technical editor

  3. jane4878 | | #8

    Jotham,

    If you get into serious kiltmaking or want to purchase one. Get hold of The Art of Kiltmaking by Barb Tewksbury and Elsie Stuehmeyer. Barb T. is on Xmarksthescot.com and there is a downloadable free supplement for making box pleated kilts that works with the book. You can find the book at most Highland Dancing websites. i.e. Highlandisland.com (US) or Tartantown.com (Canada). There's pages and pages of kilt mistakes that are fun to look for at Highland Games etc.

    Jane

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