Hi, I am new to the board and wanted to introduce myself. My name is April and I live in Southern California. I'm a married mother of 3 wonderful sons and my youngest, Mark, wants a tartan kilt. Checking prices I found I could not afford a high quality kilt, so I promised to make one for him. The fabric arrived in time to wrap it up for Christmas with a promise to make the kilt as soon as I could figure out how to make one. I also got a copy of the Art of Kilt Making and have been studying it.

I bought 5 yards of double-wide 11 oz. worsted wool in a black Stewart tartan pattern. The set is rather small, but for a first kilt I thought it would be okay. I bought it online for $11.99 a yard, reduced from $28.00 per yard. I am a pretty good seamstress, making sportshirts and dress shirts for my husband and sons. I make a lot of my own clothes, and clothing gifts for friends. I have sewn piecework for a children's clothing company.

My son, Mark, is high-functioning Autistic. He is a really great young man. He is a senior in high school this year and has invited four girls to next May's Junior/Senior prom. He is interested in becoming a fashion/costume designer, and is designing and making each girl's prom dress. And for himself, he has decided to dress in highland attire. He asked me to make the kilt because he would be too busy sewing the prom dresses. It looks like making a prom dress is easy compared to making a kilt.

We have a lot of Scottish heritage. My grandmother was a Mac Donald and my husband's family is Hay. This makes the kilt idea fun. For Christmas I was able to get Mark a horsehair sporran, which he wore to tour Hollywood this morning wearing a gray suit and argyl sweater. He fit right in.

I have heard about a kiltmaking camp in Petaluma, California, but I have not found any information on whether it will take place this year. Does anyone know who I can contact to find out about the camp? I think it would really help to have live instruction on making the kilt. I would love to attend the camp. Any comments about the camp would be helpful, too.

Thanks,
Mark's Mom