A beautiful new Kilt.

[English Bloke]

I thought I'd show off my latest acquisition to any who might be interested. I've been a bit quiet of late so this could be a long one... I've been saving up a positive torrent of verbosity... so stand by!!

For the last year or so, I have been regularly putting aside a bung each month. Out of that and combined with a bit more overtime, have come three rather sumptuous kilts. A 16oz hand-sewn Northumbrian Check (Lochcarron Strome), a 16oz hand-sewn Black Isle (Marton Jura) and another one.

I'm in a bit of trouble over this latest one. The dog house looms again as they've all tipped up in reasonably quick succession so this will probably be the last for a while at least. You'll note I'm not saying never.

I have concluded I've become a Kilt collector as well as a Kilt wearer. Current count is 35, not counting two I've given away to mates who had a burning desire to join the thronging kilted masses but more important things to commit their availables to.

I've also mentioned it before but a fair part of my enjoyment from Kilts is not just in the wearing, but in the having. I'm also fortunate in that I have a reasonably secure job which with careful financial management allows me to afford such excesses. I appreciate that there is no rhyme or reason why a man in his early 50's would require 35 kilts, all of which fit him and are wearable but at least my mid-life crisis is only Kilts; and not sports cars, gambling casinos, fine wines and younger women...

So what is this 'other one' of which you speak English Bloke?

Read on dear chums. It's a bit of a long story.

There's a kilt I've been admiring from afar for some considerable time. Canuck (of RKilts) has one, Riverkilt has one and there are other members here who also have one, although it must be said, it's one of the more unusual and less common kilts. I'm intending to take a trip to the Netherlands in late August and that got me thinking that it's time I got to getting in this exclusive club, as owner of a Dutch Friendship Tartan.

Well, sounds easy enough but the process is considerably more convoluted than one might imagine.

I started by getting onto the Dutch Friendship Tartan website. There's a handy google translator on it which helps us non Dutch speakers to navigate around. I had a look at the kilts available and found that they come in a variety of cloth weights ie. 13-16 and 18oz and although you can buy a made up kilt from them, they are only available pleated to either pink or blue stripe.

I think it's a shame to break up such a nice tartan design with a stripe pleating and I don't think either the pink or blue are strong enough (in my opinion) to hold back the overwhelming horizontal. Sett pleating would break that up and I think the kilt looks better pleated that way but it seemed that 'to Sett' wasn't an option.

Bit more digging about quickly identified that the fabric is also available by the meter. I considered 18oz. That would be some kilt but I am told that an 18oz kilt tips the scales over and doubles the postage within Britain. This was going to be expensive enough as it is.

I contacted the DFT site owner and after three attempts to various contact addresses listed on the site (and sister sites) I eventually elicited a response from a chap called Steve. He quoted me prices by the meter and I elected to commit to 4meters of double width 16oz and paid for that and the postage (and a bit on top to cover Steve's transaction fees) with paypal. All done, just sit back and wait for the postman. Couldn't be simpler...

So I waited, and waited, and waited. Apparently the fabric is located in Scotland with David Ogilvie Ltd. of Lanarkshire, makers and purveyors of fine bespoke Highlandware, so it's not like we are crossing oceans here.

I sent an email to Steve asking if my order had been dispatched. Nothing. I sent another and got a reply that David had been instructed to send the fabric. So I waited, and I waited... I sent an email to David (got his email address from their website) and asked if my order had been dispatched. Nothing. After some considerable time and several emails I opened a paypal dispute. In all honesty, in the time it took, I could have walked from Lancashire to Lanarkshire, picked it up in person and walked home again.

A week after the dispute was instigated, the postman knocked with a package that contained 4 yards not meters, of Dutch Friendship Tartan in 13oz not 16oz. It was half a yard short of the length ordered and the wrong weight but by this time I'd had enough. I reasoned I have other 13oz kilts and they are lovely so I confirmed with Steve I'd received it and that was that.

After much consideration I decided I'd ask Carol Ellis (nee Fitzherbert) to sew up the Kilt. She has made some other Kilts for me (the Bruce Modern, the Nothumberland and the Black Isle) and I'm blown away by the quality of those so I sent the tartan to her. She confirmed it was medium-weight rather than heavy-weight but assured me it would sew up a treat. The finished kilt arrived at my home while I was away on my most recent work shift.

And a treat it is too.


The tartan is absolutely ace!! It's a beautiful design.

The Kilt is eventually marvellous. Not quite what I wanted in the first place but I'm not dissatisfied with Carol's handywork.


The internal lining is black cotton as with all Carol's Kilts.


Her labels are sewn into the lining of this entirely handsewn Kilt.


As previously mentioned, the Kilt is pleated to sett. 26 pleats + the reverse pleat, basting stitches still in place. It's literally just out the box in this picture.


Sturdy Buckles


Buckle for the inner apron.


Quality leather straps and triple fringe on the apron.


Close up of the fell. Look carefully, the hand stitching is virtually invisible even with a bit of zoom.


Picked up this tulip brooch (2.5" x 2.5") to go with it from Ebay for a couple of quid.

The process of getting the Kilt I would not recommend. The sellers of the fabric make it far too complicated to contemplate repeating the process and I regret to say, I would not deal with either of the two parties again. You do come away with the feeling that you are an inconvenience to them and although they're happy to take your money, they don't really want your business. Added to the fact that I was not supplied with the goods I ordered make it a doubly unsatisfactory experience. The whole affair has only been saved by the superb handywork of Carol Ellis. I am more than happy with the finished Kilt.

It's my intention to wear this in Rotterdam while I'm there next month and while sharing a dram with Dutch friends and other Internationals who'll be there, I'll raise a glass to Robert Pel ("Canuck" of RKilts), the chap who inspired me to get it in the first place.

[Grizzly]

I will simply say "bravo". A void has been refilled.

Beautiful kilt John.

[Mael Coluim]

Woohoo, John! What a story! All's well that end's well, eh? Love the kilt pin!

[Jock Scot]

I will simply say "bravo". A void has been refilled.

Beautiful kilt John.

I dunno Simon one minute old EB is lurking away saying nothing to any one, then what happens? We get a post from him that has more words than a volume of an encyclopedia! It must get a tad lonely in that "dog house", do you think?

So EB, how many more kilts do you reckon you will need before enough is enough? Just wondering .

[English Bloke]

Now there's a question... If Mrs EB were to give you an answer she'd tell you we've overstepped that mark a long while ago. As for me? I think we're probably there now 'cause I can't afford a bigger house. I've no intentions of surpassing the inimitable Hamish anyway.

[OC Richard]

Bravo indeed, that is a gorgeous kilt!

I really, really like that tartan. It's like Isle of Skye in that it somehow simultaneously 1) has a distinct look and 2) has an "old" or "traditional" feel to it. A tartan they might have woven in the 18th century, but didn't.

In general I prefer pleating to the stripe, but I think you're quite right about this tartan. When I imagine what it would look like pleated to the pink line, or the blue line, it looks weak. It might look good pleated to that fat blue stripe, but it violates 'proper' pleating principles, as I understand them. (The way I had my Isle of Skye violated these principles but I did it anyway.)

About your struggles to acquire that fabric, it's fairly typical, unfortunately, and reminds me when an old friend decided to open a Highland Outfitter shop. He had owned a car repair business here (in California) for many years and had got used to the way that business operates. When he needed something he called his supplier. The supplier would ship it out in time to make that day's overnight. The next morning the supplier would phone HIM and ask him if he had received the part. If not, the supplier would overnight another, no questions, no charge. In other words, he would receive whatever he had ordered in less than 24 hours.

Well now, then he decides to open a Highland Outfitter and starts ordering things from various Scottish companies, several of the leading names in tartan, sporrans, bagpipes, etc. It was quite a shock. Keep in mind this is back in the 1980s and things are done over the phone and through the post. This guy would send an order to a major Scottish firm, with full payment in British Pounds, and wait and wait. He would call from time to time and get all sorts of excuses. Certain excuses seemed to crop up repeatedly from various firms, his favourite being the "Canadian postal strike" one (odd because none of the things he received from Scotland were routed through Canada but came direct). At times he was lied to, the firms telling him they were out of stock of something while they were supplying the same thing to other retailers promptly. No he was not a grouch or difficult to deal with, he was a very friendly guy who dealt with everyone honestly. Anyhow he got used to waiting at least six months for anything.

[Grizzly]

I dunno Simon one minute old EB is lurking away saying nothing to any one, then what happens? We get a post from him that has more words than a volume of an encyclopedia! It must get a tad lonely in that "dog house", do you think?

I think he was lulling us into a false sense of security, softening us up with a one two quick combination of a post here and there, and then boom, he explodes with a tale of not one but three new kilts. Top countering out flanking manoeuvre . Monty would have been proud!

[English Bloke]

Thought you might like to see the other two...

The first is a made to measure, handsewn, 8 yard, 16oz (Strome) kilt in Northumberland Tartan (also known as Falkirk Check, Shepherd Check, Border check or Border Riever tartan). It's arguably the oldest of tartans and has been speculatively dated to 260AD. It has also long been associated with shepherds of the Border region who were encouraged to move north after the Highland clearances.

I chose it because my Mother was a Northumbrian, as was her Dad... (my Grandmother was Scottish). She was a crackin' Lady and as well as being mee mum, she was one of my best mates!! I wear this Kilt with great pride.

No need to ponder over pleating options this time... It's just pleated to the tiny weeny squares.

Some pictures for your delectation.


Basting stitches still in. 35 pleats and a reverse pleat in the back of this kilt. I specifically requested Carol to put as many pleats in as possible, which she did although I suspect it was a difficult task to keep everything lined up.


Front aprons. The Kilt is triple fringed.


Top of the pleats.


The hand stitching is invisible.


The straps and belt loops disappear into the background.

It fits perfectly and draws many compliments from people when I wear it. It's unusual and some of my English friends find it difficult to understand it's a proper tartan and Kilt and not some tweedy skirt. I've also had the comment that it would look lovely in a twin-set with pearls and American tan tights. but you don't want to know what I said back to HIM!

This is what it looks like on...


It is a work of art. I'm very pleased with it.

[English Bloke]

So... Being quite struck by the apparent greyness of the Northumberland (from a distance at least), I decided I liked it most muchly! So much so, I wanted more!

I also have a black kilt. It's the first one I ever bought and is a HoS Acrylic / PV. I washed it in the washing machine shortly after getting it and made the big mistake of using fabric conditioner in the rinse. It made the fabric lovely and soft but not at all kilt like. It now feels a bit like pyjamas.

I've been keen to replace it with a better one. Rather than plain black, I chose "Black Isle" because it's one of those natty shadow tartans but not sooo shadowy that you need to shine torches onto it to pick out the sett. This too is a handsewn 16oz (Jura).

The resulting garment is a beauty!!


This is a close up of the tartan. The Kilt appears plain black at first glance but in certain light the Tartan stands out.


Laid out. Basting stitches still in. That's what the little white thready bits are on the left hand side of the picture.


Lining and straps


Triple fringe


Buckles


All hand sewn.


And this is what it looks like on... I'm rather chuffed with this one too.

[English Bloke]

... Anyhow he got used to waiting at least six months for anything...

I'm with you there. It seems we British are not as focused on service as North Americans.