Hemmed tweed kilts?

[daibhidh]

I purchased some tweed fabric from Marton Mills recently, curious what the fabric was like. I have five yards of the black watch weathered, and I think it would make a nice kilt. The texture of the fibers makes it difficult to assess the quality of the selvedge. It looks very nice and straight, but I was under the impression that tweeds aren’t usually produced with a good enough selvedge to make a kilt without hemming. Those of you with tweed kilts (especially if you have a tartan tweed from Marton Mills) - is the bottom edge of your kilt hemmed?

[Nemuragh]

…if you have a tartan tweed from Marton Mills) - is the bottom edge of your kilt hemmed?

Yes:



I haven’t measured but I think it is about 1.25in. The fabric is Marton Mills Pheasant Loganberry, IIRC.

[figheadair]

It looks very nice and straight, but I was under the impression that tweeds aren’t usually produced with a good enough selvedge to make a kilt without hemming.

It depends on the weaver and the type of loom used. The older type of Cross-Dob loom, used by Andrew Elliot Ltd for example, produces a perfect selvedge.

Marton Mills' and a number of other weavers use a more modern type of loom, it's faster but is finished with a 'tuck edge' rather than a 'selvedge'.