Bunny Sporran

[Bugbear]

plain leather

Plain leather would work with this outfit too. In a different thread, we were talking about using simple leather belts that match the sporran in place of the chains. I like that idea an plan on switching to those.

I might also get shoes that match the brown leather belt I have. I can see where different options can all be worked into this. It seems like a slow process, going piece by piece, but I think that will help me get it right in the long run.

Thanks for your input, SFCRick.

[Bugbear]

I think what I need to do is find several pictures, perhaps here on the forum, that I can have the seamstress look over in relation to the jacket and vest conversion. I'll do some more serching because she is asking for a patern. It seems like I read about one somewhere, or at least instructions.

[Moosedog]

Ted, I have read several good threads on this--the F-H.C.A.G. posted a nice detailed look at the tweed jacket she converted--hope this helps: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/c...ket+conversion

Moosedog

[Bugbear]

Thanks Moosedog. That thread looks like it will help a lot. Glad you posted the link here.

[Bugbear]

I might have to find a different person to do the work on that corduroy jacket and vest conversion for me. It's a little difficult for me to know what is supposed to be done.

I'm starting to look around on a few different sites for the brown hose. I like good thick wool or wool blend hose. I've been calling them wolly lamb leg hose... I'm not so sure what "snuff" colored is, but I'm not seing that term anywhere.

I might look for a second pare of shoes that are leather dress shoes or something on that line... I can see now how different parts of the outfit can be changed out for variety centered around this kilt.

[Bugbear]

One kind of hose I'm thinking about going with for this outfit is the Lewis Kilt Hose from The Scottish Tartans Museum.

http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/hose.htm

They do have these hose in brown. That would be a wool acrylic fifty/fifty blend, so they are woolly lamb leg hose...

I should probably think a bit about the color of the flashes with the brown hose. I have maching tartan flashes that might work, but I might also pick a color out of the kilt and go with that contrast. I might also look over my color charts and see what might go best against the brown... I'm going to have to get some sighted help for that part I think.

I have been playing with the idea of having flashes made from the corduroy that is being removed from the jacket, but I don't know if that would work so well. I might have that material made into a driving cap. It would probably be best to look into getting traditional garter ties from The Scottish Tartans Museum.

* I need to store this somewhere so I can find it later.

2 inches is about the maximum amount you can take in a tank without throwing off the look of the kilt. But it can be done quite simply.

The first step is to put on the kilt without putting the straps through the buckles. Insure the kilt is on snug but not tight and that the waistband is aligned along the top. Have a look in a mirror to check that the kilt is hanging correctly, the pleats are not splaying and the apron not puckering.

Mark the kilt on the buckle side with a piece of sharpened blackboard chalk along the edge of the outer apron from waistband to the bottom of the Fell. This is where the apron will lay after you reposition the buckles.

Now with a sharp knife, seam ripper or scalpel cut just the stitches fastening the tabs that hold the two buckles on the right side and also cut the stitches that sew the left strap to the under apron. DO NOT CUT OFF THE LEFT BUCKLE!

Put the two right buckles onto the right side straps using the center hole. Lay the kilt out on a table as if it were fastened on you with the area where the buckles go on the top and centered in front of you.

Bring the outer apron over until it is aligned with the mark you made and with the chalk mark the new position of the two buckle tabs. This is the new location of the tabs and where you are going to carefully sew them back on.

Use a good quality polyester thread, such as Gutterman, in a color that matches the color of the buckle tabs. Use little tiny stitches and try to make them as close to the edge of the tabs as you can. The idea is to catch just a couple of yarns with each stitch and make them as invisible as possible.

Once you have the right side buckles re-attached put the kilt back on with the center hole of the loose left strap through the buckle and also through the hole in the waist.
You will now make a mark on the front of the under apron where the end of the strap now aligns. You will need to push the outer apron down and out of the way to mark the under apron and it helps if you have one of those big spring alligator clips or a real strong clothes pin so you can do all three things at once. (pinch the strap in position to the inner apron, push the outer apron out of the way and make the mark with the chalk.)

Now all you have to do is sew the left strap back onto the front face of the inner apron. (yes, it is going to be moved from the edge of the under apron to some where on the front face.) Make three or four passes of the thread through each hole in the strap. This sewing needs to be strong because this is where the most stress is when you cinch the kilt on everyday.

That's basically all there is to it. Remove and reposition the two right side buckles and remove and reposition the left side strap.

If your kilt has sporran loops on the back you will find that they may now be off center. You can simply cut them off and throw them away. They just help the sporran strap from falling off really skinny hips.

You may also find that the pattern of the pleating may be off center too if your kilt is pleated to the Sett. You can't correct this and will just have to live with it.

But hey, your kilt will fit, you get bragging rights that you did it yourself, and two or three hours sitting sewing your kilt is a lot more fun and relaxing than the same time sitting and watching TV.

ps. If you stick yourself while sewing it's considered good luck.

[BoldHighlander]

One kind of hose I'm thinking about going with for this outfit is the Lewis Kilt Hose from The Scottish Tartans Museum.

http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/hose.htm

They do have these hose in brown. That would be a wool acrylic fifty/fifty blend, so they are woolly lamb leg hose...

I should probably think a bit about the color of the flashes with the brown hose. I have maching tartan flashes that might work, but I might also pick a color out of the kilt and go with that contrast. I might also look over my color charts and see what might go best against the brown... I'm going to have to get some sighted help for that part I think.

I have been playing with the idea of having flashes made from the corduroy that is being removed from the jacket, but I don't know if that would work so well. I might have that material made into a driving cap. It would probably be best to look into getting traditional garter ties from The Scottish Tartans Museum.

Ted,
in case you haven't seen it yet over on your other (gardening) thread, I mentioned you might also consider the "Bison" colored Lewis hose along with the brown ones. The Bison is a tan-oatmeal color (some might call it a grayish-brown).

I think black garters would compliment both these & the brown hose, and go well with your weathered Lamont.

[Bugbear]

Ted,
in case you haven't seen it yet over on your other (gardening) thread, I mentioned you might also consider the "Bison" colored Lewis hose along with the brown ones. The Bison is a tan-oatmeal color (some might call it a grayish-brown).

I think black garters would compliment both these & the brown hose, and go well with your weathered Lamont.

Thanks BoldHighlander. MacMillan of Rathdown had suggested the snuff colored hose, so until he says otherwise, I will assume that he was talking about the Bison colored hose. I was planning on looking for snuff colored hose on the web sites, so didn't ask him what color that is when he was posting in this thread; my goof up. Also thank you for the suggestions on the garter ties. It is easier to get away with a little dab of black on the brown than a dab of brown on black, and the Lamont does have the black lines in it. I'm mostly thinking of the fashon rule of not mixing black and brown like wearing a brown shirt with black pants, or using black shoes with brown belt and so on.

Ted,

was poking about the 'web and found some different single-panel "Driving" type of caps out there. I think the most common name (from what I've seen) for this style is either the "Ivy" or "Flat" cap.

Here's the links:

Ivy Cap
http://www.getahaton.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=99

(Cavanagh) Flat Cap
http://www.noggintops.com/page.cfm?p=233

Irish Flat Cap (nice brown or gray tweeds)
http://www.noggintops.com/page.cfm?p=66

Ted, if your searching for a nice tweed style, I think the last link is what you might want. These Irish Flat Caps come in either a brown or a gray tweed, and are not badly priced at about $42.

Very stylish looking caps Ted!

[Bugbear]

This is a link to where the idea for my corduroy jacket conversion began. It's a thread called "Black Cororoy jacket conversion" by James MacMillan.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/b...ket+conversion

[Bugbear]

I found a couple more threads about sports jacket conversions.

Farlander's thread, "Converting a tweed sport coat to a Crail jacket"
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/c....html?p=496170

David Dalglish's thread on the curved front at this link.
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/j...x.html?t=22201

Both of which are helpful. It turns out that I will have to find a different person to help me with my jacket conversion. I have the jacket and have been trying it on with the kilt and sporran. I think I have a good idea of where the bottomm of the jacket should be and where the cut away for the sporran should be. The vest seems like it might be a little bit too tight, so I might hold off on that part untill I find more information on what a vest is supposed to be like for a kilt. It's too tight to fit over the top of the kilt. It would need to be shorter in the front to not stick out from under the converted jacket anyway. I'll try to find a better way to ask the vest question, then post it.

Here are some good threads by Alan H

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...x.html?t=21573

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/m...x.html?t=14252

Have Iron, will travel to Stillwater
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/h...x.html?t=14556

For wool tape:

100%-Worsted Wool Twill Tape from Wooded Hamlet Designs