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  1. #1
    Join Date
    14th January 08
    Location
    San Antonio, TX
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    Now I guess I have to Jones

    Having not purchased a new kilt in over two years, my jonesing has been limited to that suffered waiting patiently for my Artificer zebra neck black leather cantle and tassel sporran I recieved last spring. A while back maybe 3 years ago, I obtained 5 or 6 meters of DW 18oz military spec Black Watch tartan that if I remember was leftover from stock woven by Robert Noble (correct me here if I am wrong---my memory is beginning to fail me along with several other parts of this decrepid vessel I call a body). It was cleared on ebay for an unthinkably low price that I would be ashamed to mention here for seeming to be a braggart and a cheap bastard. I had planned for it to be made into a military box pleated kilt just to have the feeling of wearing a historically accurate super heavyweight "tank". But while the tartan lavished in a drawer more interesting projects came to the fore, and I finally decided that I really did not need a superheavyweight military style kilt, and frankly that I did not really desire a kilt in Black Watch (as absolutely beautiful with strong and vivid and distinct colors as this particular fabric possesses), it just did not kickstart my thrill as I thought it would. Around this time I acquired yardage of Lochcarron 16 oz Douglas Weathered, again at a bargain price (cheap bastard that i am), for which my enthusiasm skyrocketed. I have loved this tartan ever since I saw Rob's beautiful tank so regally announced a few years ago. Being the cheap bastard that I am, especially after changing jobs two years ago with accompanying budgetary adjustments, having a large piece of very desirable and rare superheavywieght amazingly high quality tartan (best overall hand, drape, feel and quality I have personally ever held), and having a rather strong desire to add the Douglas Weathered to my stable of kilts, in particular to my Douglas family variant tank repertoire/collection, I struck a deal with my favorite kiltmaker Bonnie Heather Greene. I offered her a barter of my superheavywieght Noble woven Black Watch tartan bonanza in exchange for her labor in turning my Weathered Douglas raw tartan into another of her wonderful works of art in an 8 yard knife pleat tank. And she happily and eagerly agreed --I got the feeling she already knew who was going to end up with the regimental wieght Black Watch tartan and kilt. In no particular hurry, I sent the two pieces of tartan off to her workshop with no expectations of a schedule of return. Afterall, Bonnie has built her previous hobby into a thriving cottage industry with paying customers and numerous time limited orders on her hands. I recieved word by PM here that my kilt is finished (or perhaps nearly so) and ready to ship, but that in the time since we set this deal into motion Bonnie had somehow got my contact and shipping information lost or corrupted. Connections re-established, addresses exchanged, and hopefully a kilt is wending its way to my plump torso. I get to jones again, sweet sweet jones, how I have missed you.
    Please Bonnie, take your time, ship it by slow boat from China, allow me that daily warmth and excitement and anticipation of good things I know to be coming to be maximized. I desperately needed that change in my life, and it has brought new energy and excitement.
    The ears will perk and heart race when I see the UPS man pull up in front of the house, the penultimate peak of excitement of the jones coming with opening that package to finally lay eyes on the object of joy and pride, and the final "fix" that satisfies that heavy hunger, enveloping my girth in that much anticipated wonderful kilt.
    Thank you Bonnie, even before the kilt arrives, for what you do and have done, and never doubt that you touch people in a way that few have the opportunity to do in such a profound and personal way.
    Pictures will of course follow upon arrival and appropriate adornement.

    For any interested, this will further flesh out my as yet still incomplete "Douglas" collection---this Weathered 16 oz BHG custom, an Ancient Red Douglas custom weave and build 16 ounce, a 12 ounce "Black" Douglas, a 16 ounce custom weave custom build "Brown" Douglas, and a 16 oz Ancient Douglas. And I have fabric in hand for my next build for a 16 oz Douglas Modern (Blue Douglas) that will hopefully enter the queue for another custom build to finish the collection. A Douglas Muted might be on the horizon some day, the Douglas Grey and Douglas Dress do not particularly interest me. So I will soon be one large step closer to completing the collection.
    Soon, but not too soon yet as I need to enjoy the jones a bit more.

  2. The Following User Says 'Aye' to ForresterModern For This Useful Post:


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