making a trad kilt?

[Hachiman]

Hi gang!

I've heard/read several posts in which a book by Barb Tewksbury and Elsie Stuehmeyer is highly recommended for beginner kiltmakers. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a supplier (especially if anyone knows of a supplier in Australia!)?

Having made my own medieval clothing (albeit with help) and knowing how to use a sewing machine and/or needle, I thought this might be a viable option...

Any other suggestions for the construction of a trad kilt would be most welcome! I do like the idea of making my own knock-around kilt as well, but I prefer the traditional method of fastening over the UK/AK method, so perhaps I can adapt a pattern from "the art of kiltmaking"?

cheers

Hachiman

[turpin]

unless you don't want to pay shipping, you can order it from Barb's website.

[JimB]

I highly recommend Barb's book.
For me, I like to read a lot, ask a lot of questions and take the best of everything I see or hear. That being the case, I'm making a bit of a hybrid I guess. I'm making a solid color kilt (so that makes it a non-trad), cut and sewn with a knife pleat and standard aprons (not tapered too much because I don't have much of a butt) and with semi-traditional closures, i.e. velcro on the back of the front apron and with just one belt buckle on the right side.
So it's kind of traditional, kinda not.
I think you need to pick the look and the style that you want and pick the techniques that will work to make what you want.
Barb's book will definitely help.

[chasem]

Barb's book will tell you everything you need to know, and Turpin covered the only supplier that I'm aware of.

As for a knockaround kilt, you can follow Barb's directions there too. There's an appendix for solid-color kilts in the traditional style, or you can drop the yardage down to 5-6 yards. You can pretty much adapt the instructions to make a few different styles of kilts without much of a problem.

[Alan H]

Nothing new to add, I just echo what everyone else has already said here. I have the book and it's *Great*.

A note: It took me 47 hours of stitching, ironing, seam-ripping and re-stitching time to make my first completely traditional kilt. That includes time to hem it. It's about 7.5 yards and has 29 pleats.

[Kilted Taper]

You all are forgetting the best part of usign Barb's book....She's a memeber here and will answer questions. She helped me get started on my first...

[JimB]

Oh I haven't forgotten!
I just havent' gotten myself into so much trouble that a seam ripper hasn't been able to get me out of it.....YET!