n00b question...

**HansRotterdam** · 8th February 06, 12:17 AM

Ok...
I'm a n00b when it comes to kilts, although I already own 2 beautiful kilts.
A heavyweight Black Isle and since last Saturday a heavyweight Great Scott.

My best GF accompanied me everytime we went for measuring or just a cup of coffee or when the kilts were delivered.

I'll tell you all my adventures later

but what is most important is the fact that she wants her own regimental kilt....

Yes, I can hear you all screaming, but that's what she REALLY wants....
So we asked the owner of the shop and his wife where I bought my kilts ( he is having them made in Scotland of course ! ) if they could fulfill her wishes.
She wants to have a Black Isle in medium weight but at least 4 or 5 inches longer then our kilts.

After a few weeks we got a simple message that is was not possible.
No reason or excuses were given, just that it was not possible.
The owner's wife ( she is from Scotland ) tried to explain that it was technically not possible, the wanted lenght for such a kilt could not be fabricated out of the choosen tartan, or whatever...

Now...
Suppose that you are 2 meters and 10 centimeters ( 6 feet 9" ) long and you badly want a kilt.
No doubt one can be made, no matter what the lenght of the kilt is going to be.
So her wish for a somewhat longer regimental kilt is not at all unreasonable, I think.
The total lenght of the kilt should be between 75 (29.5") and 80 centimeters ( 31.5").

Any suggestions if this is at all feasible, any suggestions about kiltmakers, (maybe their are a few in this forum) any advise is more then welcome.

TIA

**The Wizard of BC** · 8th February 06, 01:23 AM

Of course it's possible, as long as your friends kilt does not exceed 60" in total length, which is the normal width of double width Tartan fabric.
The only problem is that it will take twice as much fabric than if it were a normal length kilt.
If you are willing to incur the cost of course. Approximatly twice what your kilt cost. Any competent kiltmaker should be able to handle this kilt.

billmcc · 8th February 06, 02:32 AM

Originally Posted by HansRotterdam

She wants to have a Black Isle in medium weight but at least 4 or 5 inches longer then our kilts.

One problem may be she asked for Black Isle in medium weight. Black Isle (from Marton Mills) is only made in heavy weight. There is another black on black tartan called Dark Island (from House of Edgar) that is available in medium weight.

**HansRotterdam** · 8th February 06, 03:47 AM

Originally Posted by billmcc

One problem may be she asked for Black Isle in medium weight. Black Isle (from Marton Mills) is only made in heavy weight. There is another black on black tartan called Dark Island (from House of Edgar) that is available in medium weight.

House of Scotland, the shop here in Holland, works with both the tartan makers you mentioned.
My kilts ( the Black Isle and the Great Scot ) were both made by ALD kiltmakers, Clydebank. http://www.aldkiltmakers.com/

I stand corrected when it comes to tartans.
The kilt she wants is indeed a Black Island medium weight.

But so far no luck with ALD...

**Pleater** · 8th February 06, 05:56 AM

Originally Posted by The Wizard of BC

Of course it's possible, as long as your friends kilt does not exceed 60" in total length, which is the normal width of double width Tartan fabric.
The only problem is that it will take twice as much fabric than if it were a normal length kilt.
If you are willing to incur the cost of course. Approximatly twice what your kilt cost. Any competent kiltmaker should be able to handle this kilt.

If the cloth is 60 inches wide then a 30 inch length would not be a problem - it might even be possible to gain a couple more inches by using a separate waistband, but I think that most tartans are 54 inches.

However - if the cloth was to be cut across the width, rather than along the length and the selvages joined, there would be no problem, though there would be extra work, the cloth would probably need to be used 'wrong' side out so the twill ran in the right direction, and a kilt purist would probably go weak at the knees at the thought.

Another option is often seen on women's pleated skirts, a yoke. It makes it easier to sew, as the yoke is single layer and shaped by darts rather than the supression of the pleats.

The thing is - a pleated skirt is worn long - a kilt is about knee length.

I wear kilts 24inches long, and being 5ft 5inches tall that is a perfectly modest length for me - over a long tunic which is also perfectly modest, or a petticoat. I tend to sew a petticoat into lightweight kilts - it is simply a kilt liner of heavy cream coloured cotton - except for the lacy edging.

I might have to rethink the lacy edging after the incident yesterday when a driver was obviously more interested in the lace than in driving, or rather stopping. A lightweight poly cotton is going to fly up in a strong breeze, but what I wear underneath is far more conceiling than the things the girls wear these days. Maybe the driver has a vivid imagination - he'd need one.

**HansRotterdam** · 8th February 06, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by billmcc

One problem may be she asked for Black Isle in medium weight. Black Isle (from Marton Mills) is only made in heavy weight. There is another black on black tartan called Dark Island (from House of Edgar) that is available in medium weight.

House of Scotland, the shop here in Holland, works with both the tartan makers you mentioned.
My kilts ( the Black Isle and the Great Scot ) were both made by ALD kiltmakers, Clydebank. http://www.aldkiltmakers.com/

I stand corrected when it comes to tartans.
The kilt she wants is indeed a Black Island medium weight.

But so far no luck with ALD...

**Colin** · 8th February 06, 11:14 AM

Kiltstore.net offers a woman's kilted skirt in the Dark Isle tartan (black on black, and blue on blue) in Medium weight for around $200 cdn (that's €171.52 inc. VAT). They may be worth a shot.

obviously not the dark isle tartan in the picture!

http://kiltstore.net/sr_swhdr_kilted...e=highlandwear

**Shay** · 8th February 06, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by HansRotterdam

I'll tell you all my adventures later

but what is most important is the fact that she wants her own regimental kilt....

Yes, I can hear you all screaming, but that's what she REALLY wants....

There's no such thing as a woman's regimental kilt. Going regimental means going without undergarments, and a kilt is a man's garment. (That being said, I wear men's kilt's myself, but I refer to them as such, like when I wear men's jeans or shirts)

I think this might be a case of, "I don't want to make what you're asking for incorrectly," not in a bad way, but because if someone's not asking for the right thing the right way, chances are the item will be returned later on when the customer finds out their error.

Worse, the tailor's work could be held up for public display and conversation and other more knowledgable people will wonder if the tailor is that unmindful of the tradition and history of the kilt as a male garment. Thus cutting down on their future sales.

If you represented your desire as a tartan skirt with a front apron (preferably flipped from the normal way with the outside straps on the left) you'll probably have better luck.

One hint from this gal to your gal- don't bother with a sporran- they look silly on us- especially the furry ones!