Pre Kilt Kamp Grizzled Ian at RKilts shop

**Canuck** · 25th July 13, 10:13 AM

Grizzled Ian decided to drop by and visit my shop before heading down to join the others at kilt kamp. He acquired a hemp kilt from me so I put him to work. He's making the straps for his kilt as well as the belt. Cut out the pockets and will be helping with the layout and sewing of his kilt.

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**sydnie7** · 25th July 13, 10:27 AM

That's cool. Assume he's getting a discount LOL

**crash** · 25th July 13, 12:10 PM

Very cool, indeed.

**MNlad** · 25th July 13, 04:35 PM

Looks like a bit of edge coat or dye—hope he likes brown finger tips. BTDT. I'm sure he will appreciate that kilt all the more having taken a hand in its creation. Neat.

**Canuck** · 25th July 13, 05:40 PM

Ian got a chance to operate Thumper

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He prepped the material for the pockets

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Then put the dies in the press and used all his weight to cut them

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Here he's beginning to top stitch the pleats

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We managed to get a lot done. He cut out his own ranger belt and straps for the kilt.
Tomorrow we shall sew down the fell, attach waistband belt loops and pockets.
We had a fun day

**English Bloke** · 25th July 13, 06:16 PM

Grizzled Ian??

Blimey!! He's strayed a bit from his usual path if he's in Ontario... Good effort Ian!! Give him my regards please Robert.

**Canuck** · 25th July 13, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by English Bloke

Grizzled Ian??

Blimey!! He's strayed a bit from his usual path if he's in Ontario... Good effort Ian!! Give him my regards please Robert.

Surprised the heck out of me. He's been determined. He wanted to come by Wednesday but I was unavailable. Ian was only going to stay for an hour...but he came all the way from Australia via New York. We discussed shipping options and I guess the Jones just got to him so he opted to stay another day and help build his own RKilt to take and show off at Kilt Kamp next week.
I will be sure to pass on your regards EB

**Grizzled Ian** · 25th July 13, 06:22 PM

I'm so grateful to Robert for allowing me to have a hand in the making of my own green hemp kilt. I'll be able to point out the less than top quality pieces of workmanship and proudly blame no-one but myself!

What the action shot of me leaning on the bar of the press doesn't clearly reveal, is that I had all my weight on it with my feet dangling in the air.

For the complete sewing novice that I am, this experience has been a very useful preparation for next week with Barb and Steve, handling the yards of material, pinning pleats, and getting even more excited about it all. It's been a great day.

**seanachie** · 25th July 13, 08:22 PM

Ian:
You definitely picked a good hemp for your kilt. It is extremely comfortable and hides dirt and the like from weekend chores and while I have not put it to any extreme tests is very tough. What color did you choose for the leather?
You are a lucky man, I have oft wanted to meet Robert and visit his shop.

**Grizzled Ian** · 26th July 13, 08:28 AM

Day 2 on the job, Robert is being a most genial host and very generous with his time, and I really appreciate it. I observed to him that there could be half a dozen folk up here doing what I am doing under his tutelage, all turning out a kilt, but getting a real appreciation of the work that does go into a non-Pakistani contemporary kilt. He nodded, smiling. I think there might be a call to "watch this space" for anyone else interested in visiting this corner of Ontario and trying their hand (though Robert suggests fall~autumn or spring as being more pleasant).
Seanachie,
I chose brown leather and brass metal. I have a pair of long shorts at home made of hemp, possibly heavier than the hemp material Robert uses. Those shorts are just showing a bit of whitening where I sit on them, but they rub the back of my knees right where a kilt does, and I gave up wearing them because of that. I'll get them back out for summer this year, because I think they toughened the skin there for kilt-wearing. I bought them at a shop in Katoomba on the Blue Mountains that's closed now. It was called Mountain High!
EB, I never been in the Americas before, and I'm here for three weeks, pottering up and down the Appalachians in a hire car. Round the top of Lake Ontario tomorrow, back to Hamilton College in Clinton NY for the five day Kilt Kamp with Barb and Steve, then a quick whizz down to the western end of N Carolina to poke my head in at the Scottish Tartans Museum and pick up some e-shopping I have done at the shop there, then back to JFK via Rocky's USAKilts. I suppose the Ashes series is all wrapped up?