And sew it begins: BarbKilt 1.0

[TheKiltedCoder]

Good Evening, All,

As I'd threatened in an earlier thread, I've started my new kilt according to the instructions given in The Art of Kiltmaking. I'd read the book pretty much start to finish 3 times before I started, just to get an idea of what needed to be done, and, even then, there were a couple of instances where I really had to sit down and think about what I was doing.

Just for review, we started with 4 yards of double-width US Army tartan from Scotweb (16 oz/yd x 8 yd = 1 heavy kilt). Per the instructions, I've ripped the tartan (and wasn't THAT just a nerve-wracking experience), and I've marked the aprons and pleats. So, I should be just at the beginning of chapter 6, wherein I get to pick up a needle and actually start sewing.

I've got several pictures taken at various points in the process that I'll try to get up at some point. The only problem is that, with the size restrictions on the galleries on XMTS, I may have to find somewhere else to host the pictures if anyone really wants to be able to see anything out of them.

Also, as an experiment, I took a piece of the Joanne's chalk (which I believe has a wax base) and some Goldstar chalk (which, as far as I can tell, is just pure chalk), and performed an experiment on a small, leftover piece of the tartan. The objective was to see if the wax-based chalk was harder to get out than the recommended stuff. When I get the pics up, you'll be able to see the results for yourself. The Cliff's Notes version is that the Goldstar chalk was just noticeably easier to remove, and after equal effort, was just barely more noticeably faded. Note that I didn't work on either test mark until it was completely gone, so I don't know if the light marks that either the good or bad chalk left will be removable.

I'll reply back to this thread with the pics sometime tomorrow evening (I hope). If nothing else, I'll post the smaller pics and, if anyone is interested in the full-size pics that you can expand, I'll be happy to e-mail them to any interested party.

So far, the process has been fun, and it kind of scares me that I know where I am, have not yet been lost by the instructions, and that all of the instructions have been consistent with other instructions.

I may end out making a nice kilt yet...

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

...I've got several pictures taken at various points in the process that I'll try to get up at some point. The only problem is that, with the size restrictions on the galleries on XMTS, I may have to find somewhere else to host the pictures if anyone really wants to be able to see anything out of them.

...

You've beat me to it! As the queen of ad nauseum, DIY, picture rich threads, I bow to you for getting around to posting a photo tutorial of "The Art of Kilt Making" before me.

Might I suggest Photobucket? That's what I used for all my picture threads-can get good photos easily. You can check out many of my threads for examples of how the photos look. I'm sure there are dozens of folks here more technically savvy than me who can explain the process. In fact I think there's a sticky about photo posting/photo hosting.

I can't wait to see the pics!

Be well,

[pdcorlis]

Ah yes! The ripping of the tartan - how wonderful! I think that if one can survive their first ripping of some very expensive imported wool tartan material the rest is certainly downhill from there! Personally I find perverse joy in the exotic smell of ripped wool.

You've made a good start!

[Aldisimo]

I love looking at these progress pictures. Can't wait! I expect that I'll learn a lot, too, as I always do from the efforts of others.

[meinfs]

Yay! Good luck on the journey. Can't wait to see the pictures...

[Barb T]

Hi guys,

I'm not quite sure how to phrase this. And I don't want to quash enthusiasm or offend anyone. But I'm uncomfortable with someone making an online pictorial tutorial from my book. I certainly don't mind when people post pics on XMarks of stuff they're working on, but a whole pictorial tutorial of all the steps in my book is something else. I don't think that would be very fair to me. I hope you understand where I'm coming from.

[DWFII]

I think Barb has the right of it...and the moral high ground, as well, if it comes to that.

No one who hasn't done it realizes how much effort it takes to write a book. Yes, some hope of renumeration is always present but the impulse that informs such a massive undertaking is, by and large, selfless.

And writing a book that has as its focus the teaching of a particular skill or process involves not just the wordsmithing but literally years of study, experimentation and devotion to, not just perfecting methods, but honing the words and the language to accurately and clearly describe the process. If only because the writer knows, as surely as can be known, that there is a real responsibility to get it right.

Having someone else take all those years and all that effort and re-present them (without having actually made the effort or spent the time, themselves) is pretty much the same as plagiarism, in my view. But more importantly it is hugely disrespectful.

Books like Barb's are invaluable...priceless...and deserve every bit of respect that we can offer.

[hospitaller]

Amazing how quickly you guys went from 'I've got several pictures taken at various points in the process that I'll try to get up at some point.', to 'online pictorial tutorials' to 'plagiarism and disrespect'.

Amazing indeed. It happened so fast I'm still trying to figure out how and when did it actually happen.

I'm sure that someone posting pictures of a kilt or any garment made after reading a book is NOT plagiarism and it certainly does not replace buying the book in question.

I know sensitivities are fragile around here about kilts and book authors but c'mon...are you guys really that quick to suggest plagiarism and suggest disrespect?

wow...

[meinfs]

Indeed.
But importantly, NO HARM was done
and I think that no harm was intended.

Keep it cool, guys.
Have a dark beer! int:

[Barb T]

Eeesh - whoa. As I said, I'm _totally cool_ with people posting assorted pictures on XMarks. It's just that I'm unhappy about the prospect that someone might post a step-by-step pictorial tutorial based on my book. Those are two totally different things. It seemed to me that the first two posts in this thread were heading toward the latter and not the former, and I thought it would be good to let people know how I feel.

In fact, the person who started this thread was really nice and PMd me to ask me about posting pics as he made his kilt. I told him exactly the above - I'm happy with pictures but would be uncomfortable with a pictorial tutorial. I deeply appreciate the fact that he PMd me to ask.