Kilts

Just a few snapshots of some things that have been keeping us busy lately. First some hand knit small argyle pattern cuffs for these House of Cheviot kilt hose, by my lovely wife. And a six yard box pleated Morrison tartan kilt I just shipped off to its new owner in Canada.    

I just sent out this very special kilt. It is the ancient Campbell tartan, and over the years I have made many kilts in this tartan. However, this customer had a special request. He wanted the cloth to be woven in the colors favored by the current Duke of Argyll. This required a special weave, which I was happy to do -- I happen to know the mill where the Duke gets his tartan woven and they were happy to oblige my request for this order. Here is the Duke of Argyll displaying his tartan in these lovely light shades. And here is the kilt I just sent off in the post. It's a 6 yard knife pleated kilt, heavy weight fabric, all hand sewn as are all of my kilts.

The anniversary of the Act of Abolition (1st July, 1782) is just a little over a month away.  What better time for the Scottish Tartans Museum to introduce this new t-shirt featuring art by Shaun Maxwell?

"Military box pleat" is a term some people use to describe any box pleated kilt made from a high amount of yardage (nominally 8 yards); for example, the kilts worn by the Seaforth Highlanders, or the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.  In fact, these regiments are the most likely reason why people use that term, but more on that later. I don't like using the term and I sometimes find myself having to explain why.  I am afraid that occasionally during these discussions I can come across as a nit-picker.  So I thought it would be helpful to explain in a single blog post my reasoning.  This way I can simply refer to this post the next time the issue comes up and be done with it! But before we get into the term "military box pleat" and the issues I have with it, I want to explain why I care about kilt terminology at all.  For fourteen years I worked at the Scottish Tartans Museum and my work there involved me in educating the public about the kilt both historical...

In my kilt making, I offer clients a choice between the usual color options for tartans -- modern, ancient, weathered/reproduction -- and the more historic Wilsons of Bannockburn colors.  Wilsons of Bannockburn was an old tartan mill that started in the 1760s and continued on into the early twentieth century.  They were the first large scale commercial producers of tartan cloth, and by the 1780s had standardized their colors to a large extent.  Modern day tartan researcher Peter MacDonald has painstakingly researched these colors and I am glad to be able to offer them as a special weave option for my clients. The problem is, however, that most people are not familiar with what these colors look like.  In terms of how they compare to the modern-day color schemes people are used to, I say they are not as dark as the modern, but not nearly as light as the ancient.  But that is not really helpful.  And because no mill today stocks them as a matter of course, th...

What can you do with that remnant tartan cloth laying about?  Make a custom tartan cover for the new tablet that Santa brought, of course!  I obtained this one from Belvi Designs , whom I found on Etsy selling tweed tablet covers.  I almost pulled the trigger on one of those, then thought -- if she can make one from tweed, surely she can make one from the New House Highland tartan.  A few emails exchanged, the tartan mailed off to her, and a few days later I was rewarded with this.  I love using it, and knowing there is not another one out there like it!    

I just finished up this kilt and plaid in the MacLean of Duart weathered colors (16 oz heavy weight cloth woven by Lochcarron).  I took these photos showing some kilt hose color recommendations with this tartan. Blue Mix Lewis hose Mid Grey Lewis hose Mustard yellow Rannoch hose Bracken Rannoch hose  Ancient Blue Lewis hose. Click here for a listing of where to purchase House of Cheviot kilt hose in the US.