How to fix an unraveling kilt?

[Bigkahuna]

I bought a very nice Stillwater Nightstalker kilt 2nd hand that had been hemmed to a shorter length. I took out the hem very carefully but the bottom edge of the kilt seems to be losing threads. How can I cure this problem???

[Pleater]

It reads as though you don't have a selvage at the bottom of the kilt.

Is the fabric wool? Lightly felting the edge -heat, soap and agitation are required, so dipping the edge into hot water a bit at a time, then applying soap and rubbing the edge against itself - fold so the inside of the kilt is rubbed, not the outside, should stop the fraying.

If it is not wool then it will require some sewing or it will continue to undo.
Do you have a sewing machine that will do a zig zag stitch in three stitches per zig? I find that really useful for mending. Match the sewing thread to the fabric and you can just go along the edge to atabilise it.

If you have only a straight stitch machine or hand sewing, then bias binding or hemming ribbon can be a help. You turn up a very narrow hem covering the raw edge with the binding or ribbon.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Scotus]

How to fix an unraveling kilt? Buy a traditional, 8 yd. wool one. There's no unraveling involved.

[McMurdo]

Perhaps one reason why the kilt was hemmed was because it was unraveling. I can not help but think that Scotus is correct, save your money and buy a traditional kilt and this will not happen again. As for the kilt you have could you put a smaller hem back in?

[jkane]

Stillwater Kilts are unhemmed and have fringes when they are new. It is normal. Mine is about 1/2" worth of fringe. Not a big deal unless it is uneven. I would say trim it to make it even!

[1oldsarge]

A bottle of liquid "Fray Check" should do it, can be purchased at department or fabric stores. I fringed a fly plaid and put a line of it on first, it didn't fray past the line.

[Jack Daw]

Maybe a kiltmaker can fix it.

[Bigkahuna]

Thanks Guy. Much appreciated.

[thescot]

A bottle of liquid "Fray Check" should do it, can be purchased at department or fabric stores. I fringed a fly plaid and put a line of it on first, it didn't fray past the line.

Listen to ole sarge. (I find that old sergeants know a whole lot of s . . . .stuff, some of which you don't need to know.) You can buy that at any fabric store.

And after your purchase, start to save up for a tank.

[csbdr]

Stillwater Kilts are unhemmed and have fringes when they are new. It is normal. Mine is about 1/2" worth of fringe. Not a big deal unless it is uneven. I would say trim it to make it even!

hmmmm...I've never seen a fringe on a Stillwater. USAkilts frequently do, but not Stillwater.