Handmade Wool Kilt by USA Kilts in Auld Lang Syne Modern

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I can confirm other's suspicions that the loops on the kilt are indeed for hanging. If you fold the kilt as though it were being worn (aprons overlapping, etc), and then fold it again in half, along a vertical line, with the pleats to the outside, the two loops should come together. Those can then be used to hang the kilt from a peg or something similar. As has been pointed out, though, this is not for long-term storage.

As for the join on the inside, this is actually quite common on most kilts these days, the reason being that most all tartan is 54" wide (or more), meaning you can make an 8 yard kilt from a 4 yard length of cloth (or a 4 yard kilt from a 2 yard length, etc.).

If I am a kiltmaker who has an order for a kilt in the MacGregor tartan (just to pull a random example), I'm going to order the 4 yard length I need to make the 8 yard kilt. It doesn't make sense for me to order an 8 yard length when I only need half the cloth, and to then sit on the other half of it waiting for another order in the same tartan. If I were only offering a few tartans that would be a small matter, but when you consider the thousands of tartans available, it doesn't make sense to order any more cloth than you need for the one kilt.

The key thing about the join is that it should a) be hidden; b) be securely stitched; and c) preserve the sett of the tartan.

So long as those three conditions are met, I wouldn't personally lose too much sleep if the lines of the tartan go a bit wonky, so long as it doesn't visibly affect the hang of the pleats.

[fluter]

The key thing about the join is that it should a) be hidden; b) be securely stitched; and c) preserve the sett of the tartan.

I just attempted to stitch a join by machine, here is the first try. It's all too easy to get this effect: the stripes to the left are lined up, but the last set are offset by more than a few threads! This probably won't show, but I'm going to do it over. Rocky would have done better than I!



Whereas by hand, it's pretty simple to line it up. It only seems to take forever. This is the wrong side, the join is just below the white basting thread. Above it is the crease of the pleat.

[Rex_Tremende]

Here are a few more details to share about the custom USA Kilt.

The buckles are well attached to the kilt - snug and strong - matched to the sett, but not the direction of the twill.

The pleats are about 3.5 inches deep, with a 1 inch reveal.

The fell is seven inches. This will be important later.

The bottom of the fell is reinforced with a an extra little stitch on each pleat. You can see it if you look very closely. You can also sort of make out the other stitches in what looks like pretty sturdy thread along the edges, but this is almost microscopic photography here. You really can't detect them at all under ordinary circumstances.

Somebody who worked on this kilt had fine, wavy, auburn or red hair - I don't think it was natural - about chin length or so. I thought this was pretty funny having it turn up - the only evidence of the identity of the real kiltmaker, perhaps.

Inside the outside apron with the USA Kilts label and "Dry Clean Only" tag.

A bit of hem on the under-apron to keep it from showing. It's about a foot long.

A bunch of pleats from the left side, including a hidden one. I've never really noticed how these were all stacked up like this - quite a bit of engineering here.

That ends the details portion of this review. More to come.

Regards,
Rex.

[English Bloke]

Crikey!!! Kilted forensic science.

Macro photography and embedded hairs? Did you get any finger prints off the buckles and straps?

Cummon Rex, are all these defects noticable to the passer by when you're swishing down the street.

Nice kilt by the way... I like it!

[English Bloke]

I do like the way the readers initial reaction is to jump to the defence of a Kilt made by an X Marks member. (See M. A. C. Newsome & fluter posts above)

That's cool.

No disrespect Rex but does it fit?

[Rex_Tremende]

So here's a lotta Rex, and my final assessment of this kilt:

Using the shirt I wore to work today (stupid sleeves are too long, but preferred that over all the white ones left in my closet that were too short), I added the Argyll five-button vest I got through Matt for a semi-dressy look with a day sporran. I found a groovy tie on sale at Macy's - it's got a little jacquard pattern in magenta and cyan on a navy background, and it reads purple from a distance. I'm also wearing the surplus navy piper's hose (snug) and tartan flashes that some people don't care much for. (They are stitched up tubes using no interfacing, cut straight across, fringed, evenly doubled over a sturdy elastic garter with the hook hardware.)

The detailed photos above were taken under halogen lights in my kitchen, and this Auld Lang Syne Modern tartan can look pretty garish close up. When seen from a distance, though, I think it comes off pretty good. This kilt will likely replace my Douglas Modern in any circumstance that I would have worn it (except for shoveling snow).

Here's the requisite foot-on-box pleat shot.

I don't dress up like that very often after hours, so here's more like what I'll usually look like for parties and casual dinners out. (I like how my mustache and goatee look here - but this review is not about me.) The length and height are perfect for me.

Here's the fireplace shot.

This kilt does something interesting when I put it on: it almost pops onto my butt. I can feel when it's centered before I've closed up the aprons. That feels to me like it's contoured very well.

One thing that I think I need to work on next time is my waist and hip measures. I think I could take a bit out of the waist for a snugger fit, and add a smidge in the buttocks. In the rear photos, I see a bit of a ridge where the fell ends. I think this is due in part from the way the wool wants to spring into shape, but it could also be because I did not allow enough room there. It could also be that because I had a little extra added to the rise, the standard fell falls short of the broadest part of my beam. A little lower on that, and maybe it wouldn't pop out like that.

Or maybe I should lose a few el-bees.

Anyway, this kilt is now among my top two favorites. I think it is really well made, by and large - it ranks up there just shy of Barb's handiwork (the only other traditional kiltmaker I've worked with so far). It was made to my specs, and I'm pleased with the quality of the materials (though I could do without the shiny leather) and for the most part the workmanship. I do think more care could have been taken in some of the finer details, but this is really nit-picking over things that are of little consequence.

If it were sold to me at full price (with no discounts on the tartan or shaving a bit off for my review here) I think it would be a fair deal still, but it was, after all, the discount on the tartan that motivated me to place the order in the first place.

I do like the idea of knowing my kiltmaker. My experience has been that each kilt becomes more perfect. Rocky represented my specifications well, and I believe that if I wanted to tweak something here or there, he'd be able to transmit those requests and I'd get what I wanted, even though I'm not working directly with the individual who is actually doing the work (as far as I know). There is no reason why I wouldn't order another one of these through him again.

Regards,
Rex.

[English Bloke]

It fits then... Phew!!

Great review by the way and I'm only kidding.

[Bugbear]

Yes... This has been an interesting and informative Rex-ogrophy.

[McMurdo]

Rex
Wonderful photos and a great looking kilt, a well written and exacting review.

[RockyR]

Great (and VERY detailed) review Rex. As we discussed when you ordered it, this whole 'hand sewn kilt from Scotland' deal is something we're going to start offering, so we thank you for taking the chance with us to help us launch the new line. The twill running the opposite direction on the buckles is a small oversight from the kiltmaker, but still one that should NOT have been missed. I will bring that up with the maker.

My only thought for you... especially when requesting a kilt with only 2 buckles, make SURE you leave enough room for your hip measurement... if you're not sure, add 1/2 or 1". It will allow the kilt to rest more 'naturally' on your hips. It's always better to be a TINY BIT big than a tiny bit SMALL in the hips.

Also, if you feel that the fell on this kilt is a little short, on your next kilt specify how far down (from the TOP of the waistband, not staring BELOW the waistband) the fell should be sewn. I know that you are a customer who knows exactly what he wants... Specify that on your next kilt (no matter WHERE you order it from) and you should have an even BETTER fitting kilt!

I'm glad this kilt falls in your 'top two'. I hope it gives you many years of enjoyment.