Want help with material weight

[Rufus]

I can tell that there a few of us that are REALLY going to enjoy your contributions to the site. I'm so glad that you've joined-in!!!!!

I have to give a hearty AMEN to that Jimmy.

Barb, that was the best description of the different weights for traditional kilts I've read so far. Thanks!

[Hamish]

Barb,

Thank you for that. I found it interesting and also learned something from it, and I've been wearing the kilt for over 50 years!

I should like to add my welcome to those already expressed.

[Riverkilt]

Damn, ain't she neat!! I'm expecting my 11oz from Kathy Lare at Kathy's Kilts next week...now I feel very good about choosing that weight for the Arizona heat.

Barb, if you're single, you ain't gonna be much longer on this board...you're too cool. If you're hooked up be sure to tell your lucky partner how very lucky they are

Ron

[The Wizard of BC]

I'm gonna throw my official welcome in here too Barb. I've used your book since day one and my copy is pretty dog-eared and worn by now.
I want to add to this thread a warning, some mills use an older method of weighing that comes from the weight of so many yards of yarn on a roll before weaving and has nothing to do with what the finished fabric is.
As to fabric weight on Non-Traditional Kilts I use a 9oz, 10 oz, and 11oz in Polyester/Cotton and 100% Cotton.
With these fabrics I'm not as concerned with the weight as it is listed on the bolt, but more with the 'hand'.
Hand is defined as the feel of a fabric and comes from it's weave more than it's thread weight.
Worsted Wool used for Traditional Kilts has a 'hard but loose' hand. The Poly/Cotton I use has a 'hard and tight hand. Denim for Blue Jeans is 'medium soft and loose' I need to have the tightness to the weave due to the nature of the cotton fibers. Without it the kilt soon looks un-kempt. Anyone with a denim kilt will tell you after two washings it is too loose to hold it's shape and starts to bunch up around all the stitching.
My rule of thumb when buying fabric is;
I want a hard, tight weave that feels slightly stiff in my hand. The thickness I like is between .011" and .021" And if I grab and handfull of it and let it hang three feet, the weight of the fabric should almost pull the wrinkles out.

[Barb T]

Steve

Interesting tip about fabric weight being calculated from spool weight! Now that I think about it, most hand weavers think about weaving thread in terms of yards of thread per ounce or pound (otherwise, it would be hard to figure out how many ounces of thread to buy for a project that you knew required, say, 1000 yards for the warp). So, maybe the key here is knowing that someone is talking about ounces per yard (for tartan), rather than yards per ounce (for weaving thread).

Steve's advice for selecting fabric based on "hand" sounds _great_. I can see that it's much harder to choose successfully for a non-traditional kilt!

One of these days, I'm going to try a non-traditional kilt, and I'll need all the help I can get selecting fabric. Actually, I'm dying to make a leather kilt, and I'll be back for _lots_ of advice on that one!!

Cheers,

Barb

[Kilted Kit]

I have an ex-Seaforth Highlands kilt (1953) large sett MacKenzie tartan and which is as thick as a blanket. It must be what Barb describes as 18 - 21 oz material. Is this the same as what is described as regimental saxony?
Anyway,it's a very comfortable garment to wear in cold or mild weather.

[Barb T]

Hi Kit

Could be! Saxony is a fuzzier cloth than worsted (which has a hard "hand", as Steve described). If it feels blanket-like (a bit soft fuzzy), then it probably is Saxony.

Sounds great! Have you posted a pic??

Cheers,

Barb

[Rigged]

Barb, I went back and read all your posts. I really learned a lot. I've just ordered your book. My wife says she'll make me a kilt when she has the time, then she said, "Or YOU can do it."

[Barb T]

Hi Rigged!

Cool! And thanks!

Post a pic when your kilt is done!

Barb

[Kilted Kit]

Thanks Barb,feels just like a blanket-must be saxony. I'll need help from a youngster to post photo. Geoffrey(Tailor) weaving mill list Regimental:heavy saxony,18/19oz.which looks and feels great and would,I imagine ,be ideal for a North American winter.