Quote Originally Posted by Bugbear View Post
Handwashing a kilt, it's probably a good idea to baste before washing, unless, as I have read, the kilt is very dirty.
I've washed an awful lot of traditional worsted kilts, and I would strongly advise against going through this time consuming, possibly detrimental, and likely unnecessary step, even on a non-wool kilt. When you add water to fabric, it will weigh down, stretch, etc... and dry in whatever shape you leave it.

Basting stitches, believe it or not, can do some very strange things to fabric, as well as preserve it.

I feel like re-basting a kilt to press it is unnecessary, under all but the most jacked-up of pleat circumstances. That's only my oppinion, and I'm not a kilt maker, just one who wears them a lot and hand washes them a lot.