Got my first kilt today. Great-Kilt! (PICS)

[Pleater]

Wow wow - that is good looking but the kilt should be shorter!! Where are the knees!!

Oh drat turn off the voice recognition software you stupid computer.

This message is sent to you from the office of Anne the Pleater.

Don't call me stupid.

[Sir Robert]

Excelent great kilt!

The Louisiana Renfair starts today you have inspired me to put togather a great kilt but I have not been able to find any wool sold in bolts of cloth.

[fluter]

Hmm, I hadn't even thought of that. Everything I saw on here was so impeccably pleated, but if I got it to primarily wear to Renaissance Festivals, I guess its true that it would not be steam pleated to perfection, but rather pleated for quickness, and efficiency.

Your earlier question elicited some excellent examples; so here is a bad example This is about how my pleats usually look on a good day.



You're looking fine!

[Coinneach]

It looks awesome! How long did it take to throw it on? I've heard it can take a bit. You did a great job.

[thescot]

The pleating really looks good. Overall, you've done quite well, and, yes. there is a lot of tartan!

I would suggest the following as adjustments for an even better look when you dress up (as opposed to going for the ren-fest look). It would require a doublet or something to which you can pin the extra material on your shoulder. Don't pin it to a shirt as it will pull and/or tear your shirt. Here I am talking about bringing the whole thing up in the back instead of part in the front and part in the back, brooched together.

1. Shorten the bottom/lower the belt. The selvage should just touch the top of your knee cap.
2. Adjust it all in a mirror to make sure your "hem is straight." I've found that the hardest part of wearing a great kilt is getting the bottom edge straight so it doesn't look crooked and really tacky. You seem to have done quite well in your picture.
3. Go here to try out several ways to make it look good (start at #12): http://www.theweebsite.com/greatkilt/index.html I personally like to see a long drape in the back with just a bit of the corner left haning down for good effect. (Sharpen the pin on the brooch so it doesn't leave a huge hole in the material or your jacket.)
4. I use a military web belt to hold the kilt on me and then wear a wide leather belt for show. The web belt cinches tight for holding everything in place, and it doesn't show under all the tartan material and the kilt belt.
5.

[Woodsheal]

I echo the others: good initial job donning the paid. The pleating is better than most 'veterans' achieve! As for the 'left-over-right' issue, they didn't worry about such things back in the day (but DO take note of how much leg is on display!):

[Ian.MacAllan]

. . . (Sharpen the pin on the brooch so it doesn't leave a huge hole in the material or your jacket.) . . .

Sorry, but I must disagree with this part of Jim's advice. Sharp points tend to catch on threads, penetrating and damaging them. Rounded points, especially with a little wiggling, tend to pass between the threads instead of snagging them. That's why the makers of brooches usually provide rounded points on their pins. This is also why I don't like to use pins (except those with well-made rounded points) on tightly-woven material such as high-quality woolen worsted twill; loose weaves are much more forgiving.

A rounded point may appear to make a larger hole, but that hole can easily be closed by gently rubbing the material a bit and there will be no residual damage. A thread damaged by a sharp point will eventually break and unravel, leaving a hole more difficult to conceal or repair.

Of course, if one plans to discard the garment after a year or two or never removes the pin all this may be irrelevant.


.