Is this how all Scotweb kilts look?

[mookien]

Matt: Thanks for the very interesting and informative posting, and the pointer to Peter MacDonald's article. Your comments would form the core of another good article in the the TARTAN section of your Albanach.org web pages.

[Tobus]

The wavy selvedge may not be perfect, but it's authentic. I'd take an authentic and traditional edge any day over one that looks like it was made by a computerized robot.

I think Matt is spot-on about expectations. While customer satisfaction should be paramount, it's important to keep in mind that a quality kilt is not going to look like it was made by an automaton. Each one will have some imperfections and character. Whether a function of the weaver or the kiltmaker, nothing will be perfect. This is the nature of traditional, centuries-old artisanship in kiltmaking.

That said, though, it would be interesting to know what the criteria are for weavers and kiltmakers to reject a piece of tartan as being out of spec. I know that Dalgliesh has people whose job is to inspect every yard of material after weaving to make sure it's up to snuff, and repair certain deficiencies. Either this selvedge is within spec, or it was overlooked. But personally, I think it looks OK.

Can you put a straight-edge on it and tell us what the dimension of the wave is? In other words, how far in does the material edge dip away from being perfectly straight?

[cessna152towser]

Colm spent $800 on a custom kilt that looks like crap. The kiltmaker is uninterested in his complaint. Even if you guys ate correct in some of the reasons for this kilt to look like crap, why didn't Scotweb wxplain this to him?

I cannot agree that the kilt looks like crap. In my opinion, from the photos which I have seen in this thread, Colm's kilt looks perfectly acceptable and we have heard from an expert in Matt Newsome that this is how a traditional kilt should look.
I think the problem here is with the completed kilt not matching the Original Poster's expectations rather than being an issue of quality.
A kilt may look like crap in your opinion, but sometimes it is best to keep strong views to oneself. I would certainly be most annoyed if you were tell me that any of the kilts which I own look like crap.

[Riverkilt]

Crack me up! Reminds me of some years ago when I ordered a REPLICA U.S. Cavalry wool greatcoat from the U.S. Civil War era. It was beautiful when it arrived - and still is - but I was irate that "someone" had forgotten to hem the bottom of the coat.

Me, being new to such stuff, had no clue that back in those days they were in such a hurry to get the greatcoats to the cavalry, and the wool was such a fine quality, there was no need to hem the greatcoat - and they didn't. So I got what I ordered - my uneducated expectations were the root of the "problem."

That coat has served me well for many many winters now and there's never been any problem with the hem fraying - still looks sharp.

I'm with the folks who believe the OP merely needs some helpful education - unless, there's something really amiss that we've not seen.

Perhaps a post of the kilt being worn??

[Spartan Tartan]

I have two custom weave tartans from DC Dalgliesh. They both have a similar selvege. As Matt (far more knowlegeable than I) has stated, that is what the bottom is supposed to look like.

I agree with others, first having only seen specific photos of small sections, it is a little premature to say the entire kilt (of which there is not actually a picture) looks like crap. Second, I think it is a matter of expectation. If the OP expected a hem, then I can understand confusion. However, if the OP expected a hem on an professionally made hand sewn kilt, then perhaps the OP has a misunderstanding of what a proper "tank" is.

All that said, I would suggest a bit more effort to contact Nick or Scotweb to resolve the problem. But if all you want is a hem (again not authentic), then I am sure a resolution can be found.

[McClef]

The only kilts that I own that are completely hemmed are my Welsh Cilts.

All others have the same kind of selvedge, the only part where you might find a slight hem is in the kick pleat area as is shown in the photo.

I don't believe the OP has been given something that the rest of us do not happily accept as authentic. However it is Scotweb's forum so hopefully Nick Fiddes will see it and respond very shortly.

[mookien]

Crack me up! Reminds me of some years ago when I ordered a REPLICA U.S. Cavalry wool greatcoat from the U.S. Civil War era. It was beautiful when it arrived - and still is - but I was irate that "someone" had forgotten to hem the bottom of the coat.

Me, being new to such stuff, had no clue that back in those days they were in such a hurry to get the greatcoats to the cavalry, and the wool was such a fine quality, there was no need to hem the greatcoat - and they didn't. So I got what I ordered - my uneducated expectations were the root of the "problem."

That coat has served me well for many many winters now and there's never been any problem with the hem fraying - still looks sharp.

Great story!

Perhaps a post of the kilt being worn??

Excellent idea. We all like looking at kilts anyway, and Colm might get some good feedback regarding his kilt.

[AKScott]

I am wondering if photos three and four don't maybe represent the areas at the end of the aprons away from the pleats where the cloth is folded over on itself into three layers and then stiched down, a vertical hem as it were? One of these at the edge of the front apron would have the fringing stitched down by the same threads...

If so the workmanship on the OPs kilt is nicer than on either of my two tanks.

[Colm]

Much thanks for all the help. I suppose the customer support team assumed I knew all of this, which I did not. If this is how a high quality kilt is supposed to be then so be it. I certainly prefer a hemmed bottom edge, and I'm dissapointed the summary of the kilt on the website did not specify anything much further than 'high quality'. As I've said, I'm happy with the rest of the craftsmanship and the fabric. I was certainly frustrated with the lack of explanation (from scotweb) in respect to my photographs. Thanks again for the helpful advice, it was the reason I posted here. Maybe I will order the matching fly after all. Have a great weekend.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Much thanks for all the help. I suppose the customer support team assumed I knew all of this, which I did not. If this is how a high quality kilt is supposed to be then so be it. I certainly prefer a hemmed bottom edge, and I'm dissapointed the summary of the kilt on the website did not specify anything much further than 'high quality'. As I've said, I'm happy with the rest of the craftsmanship and the fabric. I was certainly frustrated with the lack of explanation (from scotweb) in respect to my photographs. Thanks again for the helpful advice, it was the reason I posted here. Maybe I will order the matching fly after all. Have a great weekend.

Colm,

Generally speaking, the only kilts you will buy which are routinely hemmed would be those made from cloth not specifically woven for kilt making. This may include certain light weight worsted wool tartans, Poly Viscose tartans, tweed cloth, and some specialty cloths such as the tartans woven by the Welsh Tartan Centre that Trevor mentioned. Generally speaking, cloth is woven without a selvage, and so a hem would be necessary to finish off a garment and avoid having a ragged, unfinished edge.

Kilts are traditionally made without a hem, because kilts have traditionally been made from cloth woven with a selvage. There is absolutely no need for a hem. So hems on a kilt are the exception rather than the rule.

So if you want a hem in your kilt, this would certainly be something that you would have to specify in advance to your kilt maker, who may or may not even be willing to do it. (I'm speaking in general terms here, not of Scotweb in particular).