This really is a total cheat although there is some sewing involved. And a bit of measuring and thinking. Though due to it being tartan the measuring is easy as is the cutting - just measure and follow the lines!
When I made my tartan skirt a few weeks ago I really really wanted to make a proper kilt. But, I did not have enough tartan to make a kilt so I made the skirt using a Burda pattern instead. I still fancied a kilt though, so went looking for more tartan but instead of paying out about £60 for the right amount of tartan I ended up buying two second hand kilts from Ebay.
Both were long - as in long midi length so I cut off the bottom to 17inches and hemmed them leaving me with matching scarves as well. Bonus. The red one came with a basic kilt pin the blue without but I still have a few of these left in my button box so no worries there about not having a kilt pin. Both had some damage at the bottom where the kilt pin was through the material but I suppose with vintage you have to expect that. I was cutting that bit off anyway and even having used those bottom bits for scarves you cannot see the marks unless you really inspect the fabric. Otherwise both were in perfect condition despite being second hand.
The blue kilt cost me £7.95 + postage of £4 and the red was £18 including postage. Bargain!
Though it has to be stated in both cases the fabric is much thinner than the kilts I wore when I was a kid. Its seems to be the case with everyting recently that it is poorer quality than it used to be or is it just me remembering things different? I know my ancient leather biker jacket which I bought to wear in the 1980s is still far thicker than the modern ones around now.
Anyway despite the fabric is much thinner than I expected its, probably still warm enough for England. They also seem to have far less fabric in each pleat than I remember. There is much less movement when you walk etc. Its hard to show here but here goes with some photos:
The blue is fuller than the red. It moves more like I remember it should do.
I did not at all want a long kilt, but a mini kilt like I wore when I was growing up. And like my Mum used to wear. I mostly wore kilts in fact when I was a kid. We went on holiday to Scotland when I was about 8 or 9 years old and my Mum bought me a kilt then. After that I loved them so much I ended up with two more that lasted years and then when I left school she gave me her old one too, since mine were by then too small, and I wore that for about 10 years. I regret throwing it out. Still you live and learn.
Not sure my red cardigan goes well at all with the blue kilt or my skull Tshirt. I will have to think more about what goes with these. My black top works though. The red skirt seems easier to wear somehow or at least when I tried it on it for the photos it just went with what I had been wearig already.
We are intending to go on holiday later this year to Scotland. Possibly thats why I have gone mad on all things Scottish! I might see if I can afford a real kilt then. Its something to aim for as well because Ebay seems not to have much choice of tartans either. For now though these will do the job nicely and keep me happy. I would really like to be able to feel the thickness of the fabric before I buy more anyway because I am convinced these two are really very light weight and not proper scottish kilts.
I always found kilts work wonderfully with biker jackets and wooley hand knitted jumpers so its a very easy style to wear and can be worn for work or play. AND environmentally friendly!
Whats not to love?
A quick note here: both kilts said to dry clean only. Well being me I really do not fancy wearing dirty clothes worn by someone else, and to be honest I cannot right now afford dry cleaning. My Mum always used to hand wash my kilts when I was a kid, and they also said to dry clean, so I washed them both by hand - in the washing machine that is on hand wash cycle - and both came out perfect. Its a risk of course, but both were much cheaper than most new tartan fabric so worth the risk. Both were also very dirty going by the colour of the water.
If you like kilts, I would seriously recommend this way to get one in the length you want it, at an affordable price.
Bracken
No comments:
Post a Comment