Suzi: buy the book now, and dive right in! I made a kilt "by the book" long before attending Kamp, and the pre-experience allowed me to get much more benefit from Barb's tips and tricks. That is, I had the basics already and could pay attention to her fine details vs just trying to grasp the overall concepts. Get some fabric and take a first shot at it, Mary and I can help you through any rough patches! I used a length of Pendleton for my first or we can talk about other possibilities. See you at the Scotsman's Ball or shoot me an email in the meantime.