Amount of hair canvas required

[Glenn Adrian]

Three questions,

In TAOK it specifies 1 yard of hair canvas, but it doesn't specify single width or broadcloth?

This is the top range (firm?) hair canvas, with 50% horse hair and 50% cotton, from the only supplier I can find in NZ. http://www.hawesandfreer.co.nz/produ...x#.T9LRh9XCxoo
However it is only 58cm wide (22.8"), so given a waist of 42" (106.5cm), should I be looking to purchase 1 yard or two?

Also, is the stabilizer is better done in a heavy cotton than in a (non-iron) waist fusing band?

Lastly I am going to also make a Glengarry cap. The pattern recommends 1/8" wool to be self-supporting. The thickest I can get locally is 1/16". The pattern then suggests backing thinner wool with buckram. Would buckram be too heavy? Can I just use the hair canvas?

Also can anyone suggest a good source of patterns for simple leather sporrans?

Glenn

[flyrod6057]

You won't even need a yard; about a 1/2 yard should do the trick. For the stabilizer: just use a non-stretchable fabric. Hair canvas works. I used pillow ticking in my last one. As long as it doesn't stretch, it will be fine.

I don't have any advice on the construction of a Glengarry, but I'd be glad to watch your progress!

[Paul Henry]

Generally hair canvas comes in a single width so anything from about 25"- 28" , I've not seen it wider, but perhaps it exists.
1 yard per kilt is quite generous, I use about 2/3 yard or perhaps 3/4 yard, remember that you only need it about the length of the fell so perhaps 7-10"drops.

Don't forget that the hip measurement is a better one to work from than the waist,as it is usually the greater length, so it's better to err a little on the extra side than find yourself short!
For the stabiliser I use well washed old but fine linen shirts,heavy fabric isn't really needed, but whatever cloth you need make sure it is well sewn as it has to take the stress from the buckles.
I would never use an iron on interfacing on a kilt, I am never confident in the bonding with wool in a domestic situation, and in time it could delaminate, much better to sew the interlinnings.
You could use the hair canvas on the glengarry, but it might not be firm enough whihc is why buckram might be a better idea, but it is worth a sample tryout.

[Glenn Adrian]

Generally hair canvas comes in a single width so anything from about 25"- 28" , I've not seen it wider, but perhaps it exists.

I would never use an iron on interfacing on a kilt, I am never confident in the bonding with wool in a domestic situation, and in time it could delaminate, much better to sew the interlinnings.

I was not aware that hair canvas only comes single width. But that makes sense perfect sense, since it allows one length of horse hair the entire width of the fabric. And makes my question somewhat redundant.

I was not intending to iron anything on, even I don't think that would work. I was thinking of the non-iron tailors fusing used in waist bands of trousers, or maybe some other heavier material rather than a medium cotton?

Glenn

[Paul Henry]

sorry for the misunderstanding, about fusible things!

The role of the stabliser is to strengthen/support/carry the stress, but it doesn't actually need to be heavy fabric, the buckles are sewn into it (from the front) and it takes the brunt of the pull of the kilt when worn .
I use linen, others use cotton sheeting, one kilt maker here uses a print of the USA flag, I like the idea of woven cloth rather than vilene/non fusible stuff as it doesn't havethe same inherent strength simply because it's not woven.

[Dixiecat]

Horse hair canvas does come in 60" wide bolts. It's harder to find as that width is considered more of a wholesale item for commercial use than the 22". The manufacturer actually takes the wider bolt and cuts it down narrower for retail or home sales.

You can find 60" here:
http://www.fabricschicago.com/index....ir-canvas.html

I know it may not help you in the UK, but if you call a tailor, it may be possible to snag a metre.

If you end up using the 22", you can cut two pieces of the width you need and join them. Overlap the edges by about an inch and use a slanting running stitch down, then up the join.

I'm with PaulHenry on the stabilizer being made from a woven and not a non-fusible. The non-fusible will wear and pull apart while the woven will not. Believe it or not, but the stitching from joining the hair canvas in the above instruction, will last as long as the kilt, but the non-fusible will not.

[Glenn Adrian]

Thanks for the advice on the stabiliser.

The only place I could find in NZ was a specialist tailors linning/fusables supply wholesaler. Not even the best fabric shop in town which has all sorts of odd stuff and the most knowledgeable guy in the industry had any. But the only large fabric shop left after the earthquake now has some, but not stiff enough I think. I know there was a tailors in town that could have supplied me hair canvas, although I'm not sure what firmness. Then came the earthquake and flattened all the buildings in town, including their building. I haven't bothered tracking down where any tailors are based now. But I have ordered a meter of the firmest hair canvas from the wholesaler, so I will see what it's like. (This is probably not a kilt that I am going to wear often anyway, although it is a competition piece.)

For joining you mean to basically use a zig zag stitch?

Horse hair canvas does come in 60" wide bolts. It's harder to find as that width is considered more of a wholesale item for commercial use than the 22". The manufacturer actually takes the wider bolt and cuts it down narrower for retail or home sales.

You can find 60" here:
http://www.fabricschicago.com/index....ir-canvas.html

I know it may not help you in the UK, but if you call a tailor, it may be possible to snag a metre.

If you end up using the 22", you can cut two pieces of the width you need and join them. Overlap the edges by about an inch and use a slanting running stitch down, then up the join.

I'm with PaulHenry on the stabilizer being made from a woven and not a non-fusible. The non-fusible will wear and pull apart while the woven will not. Believe it or not, but the stitching from joining the hair canvas in the above instruction, will last as long as the kilt, but the non-fusible will not.