need help w/ "rough" kilt

[Downunder Kilt]

Hi Arete, if you give us some money parameters, I am sure members of the forum could put you in exactly the right direction. There are ready made kilts available from about $80.00. Good luck with your search

[James Hood]

Highest recommendation for Stillwater. Bought one each Thrifty, Economy and Standard this summer, total about $180, fast service. The velcro-fastening Thrifty seems to have gotten the most warm weather wear, by far.

And by the by, welcome, from the Central Coast.

[LitTrog]

Hey there,

I asked this very question a little while ago myself. If you search "knockabout" you'll find the whole fantastic thread there, and it contains a lot of information and links for you to take a look at for more background info.

Offhand, I've narrowed my options for a knockabout to USAKilts and J. Higgins.

Slainte!

Without subjecting everyone to my muddy pic again, I'll simply second Newfoundlander. I have no "rough" kilt other than my USAK casual, so I cannot make a fair comparison to other makers/material.

A good thing to consider is versatility. Are you wanting it just for heavy duties, or would you also like it to be part of a publicly presentable outfit?

[LitTrog]

Another thing--some knockabouts are machine-washable, too. Just throw them in the washer and let them hang!

[Mac-Attack]

Welcome to the addiction, and if you have a sewing machine, and some time, you can do a nice one for yourself. I wait for the Jo-Ann adds for the 30+% off coupons or sales, and look for large scraps or what they have on sale. I just finished my first one, and on a 2nd. With that in mind, you can work one for about $25-50 (cost of material, a spool of thread [opt. snaps, buckles, etc]). The X-kilt is a great start and fun. (and if you have kids, a way to make one for them as well)
If it is a matter of time, (and you know how to sew) you can knock one out in a weekend, else, on your spare time (if you work/kids) in a week. Probably faster then waiting for a purchased one. Though, a purchased one from one of the advertising makers, would garner you a quality product.

Either way, GL! and we need pics.. or it never happened ;-)

[seanachie]

Perhaps a few specs would help. I have not seen the annotation that said tartan only so perhaps I missed it. If wool or wool substitute is not a criteria then there are some great options. AltKilt is a forum advertiser and owned and run by a woman. Jeanie makes great box pleated kilts out of a variety of fabrics and they are extremely durable and hold up well and easy to clean. I spent lots of time playing with my dogs. Another would be RKilts, Robert Pel makes wonderful kilts from hemp that still maintain a lot of traditional features. They are a little more than other non tartan kilts, but they are premium quality.

PV kilts as mentioned here are, in my own experience, fine if throwing it in the washer is dirt and mud or soda spill. Personally anything where rips or tears are concerned I would tend to be careful especially a nice one with buckles. Acrylic kilts are also mentioned here, and I think they are a matter of personal taste as far as comfort and feel. I am not being negative, just suggesting you check one out. They are also flammable so not good, perhaps, for fireside camping.

So is anyone getting warm with what you were looking for or do you have some other criteria to throw out?

[Arete]

Thanks for all the tips! I am currently following up a number of them. Yes, I do prefer wool. I'm afraid I don't sew, so making one is probably not an option, but it seems I should be able to choose from among all these good sites. I'll let you know what I decide on!

[Arete]

Actually, I just thought I would add a couple more specifics. My perfect kilt would, I suppose, be just like one from several hundred years ago--an unrefined wool, obviously hand washed as there weren't dry cleaners or washing machines--pleats unimportant (were there buckles sewn on away back then? probably not). I suppose MAYBE such a one wouldn't require fancy sewing, and I could even have a try at making it if I could find just the right fabric and GOOD instructions. About $200 extreme upper limit--would prefer less!! I've seen a few "costume" kilts that are a bit like this, but they had acrylic, which I don't really want. So there you are.

[Bugbear]

Actually, I just thought I would add a couple more specifics. My perfect kilt would, I suppose, be just like one from several hundred years ago--an unrefined wool, obviously hand washed as there weren't dry cleaners or washing machines--pleats unimportant (were there buckles sewn on away back then? probably not). I suppose MAYBE such a one wouldn't require fancy sewing, and I could even have a try at making it if I could find just the right fabric and GOOD instructions. About $200 extreme upper limit--would prefer less!! I've seen a few "costume" kilts that are a bit like this, but they had acrylic, which I don't really want. So there you are.

I think it was the 1790s that the earliest example of sewn in pleats shows up. Just get a belt and a few yards of wool fabric: no sewing needed.

Good luck.

[Mikilt]

One of our members/advertisers here at XMarks is Jeanie at Alt Kilt. Not only can she make exactly what you have described so far, she will work with you to design the perfect kilt for you.