Making a kilt & full plaid

[Snowbear]

There is a lot of information about this on the forum, but sometimes there is too much information. I am thinking of making a kilt with a full plaid for piping. I came over the "art of kiltmaking", and think it could be a good idea to get that one.

What are your point of view: I have never made anything in a large scale in cloth before. Will this be a mistake to start on the project, or is it something that can be done by a normal person like me?

Also if anyone could point out some good links that has some patterns and/or good text that can be understood by someone not used to sewing.
What I found so far is http://www.eyrewaves.co.uk/pipingpages/

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I've seen people with no previous sewing experience at all, but who are patient and have a keen eye for detail, follow the instructions in The Art of Kiltmaking and end up with a decent looking kilt. So yes, it certainly can be done.

If nothing else, pre-reading the book before you get started will give you a new appreciation for all the work that goes into making a quality kilt.

[Barb T]

And here's a post I did a couple years ago on how to make a fancy fringe on a fly plaid (the kind you pay hundreds of dollars to have someone else do for you):

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...y-plaid-16689/

[xman]

And here's a post I did a couple years ago on how to make a fancy fringe on a fly plaid (the kind you pay hundreds of dollars to have someone else do for you):

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...y-plaid-16689/

That's JAMMIN'! This is exactly the sort of thing that would fit well in a Wiki.

Is that how serapes are fringed too? I want to make one for my wife.

[blackbeard]

As Matt said—Yes, It can be done.

I used Barb's book to make my first kilt and here are a few bits that I learned.

Read the book cover to cover first. Some of it won't make sense until you start to lay out the kilt on the tartan, but it helps to have an overview of where you are going before you get started.

The trickiest part is figuring out the pleats and splits. Once that is done, it's all down hill.

Once you start stitching the pleats, pay attention to detail! 1/16” (2mm) off on 25 to 27 pleats makes a BIG difference.

Relax, and keep breathing.

Don't be afraid to use pins.

If the first few pleats don't turn out quite right. Don't be afraid to take them out and start over.

Read through all the kilt posts on this forum. A lot of your questions will have been asked...and answered.

Ask questions. The men and women on this forum are the best.

Good Luck

[Kiltboy]

I've seen people with no previous sewing experience at all...

Matt could be talking about me.

The book is the best. I found it easy to follow, with a few additional Google searches on the occasional term. Plus ehow.com was a good resource for sample stitch videos.

Read it cover to cover. If you already own a kilt, use it as a model/sample while reading. It may not be constructed the same, but concepts will be much clearer. Don't be afraid to lift the side of a lining to peek inside. You can always sew it back down.

[Snowbear]

Thank you very much for some good answers! I believe I will make a go on it once I have some tartan and the book. I will make it easyer for myself with pleating it to the stripe, but will still need to rely on the experts here.

After all, this could turn out to be a great experience!