Kentucky Tartan / Kilt

[Brave Liver]

Good Morning New Friends!

I posted a similar theread in the "newbie" area but wanted to cast a wider net if I could here.

I am on a quest, and part of it has been achieved, that being finding a kilt / tartan I could really get excited about, well it exists, there is an "official" Kentucky Tartan now!

http://www.kentuckyunited.org/tartan1.html

Here is the hard part, the Pipe Band out of Lexington KY that does have them has told me they only order them in groups of "8" since it is not that common of a tartan yet.

SOOO..has A. anyone else found this tartan anywhere where I can finally get my "dream kilt" made or B. If I can find out where they had them made would anyone be interested in being on "the list" to get a batch made? I would be happy to help head up the effort.

All the best,
Cheers!

Shawn
Florence, KY

[Cawdorian]

Many Pipe Bands have their kilts made by Burnett and Struth in Canada. You might do a google search for their website.

Matt Newsome will probably check in sometime today, he will know the answer. You can contact him at www.scottishtartans.org.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

The issue here is that the KY tartan is not one that is stock supported by any woolen mill. This means that you can't just order a single kilt in this tartan, like you could Campbell or MacDonald. This would explain why the pipe band orders their kilts 8 at a time.

However, many kilt makers (myself included) don't mind dealing with special order tartans in small runs for a single kilt. This, of course, is more expensive per yard than if you ordered in larger quantities. But it is doable.

And there are ways of keeping the cost down. One of them is to order a kilt with less yardage. For instance, the four yard box pleated kilts I make only take half the yardage of a typical modern kilt. I charge $480 for a kilt in a special run tartan. This is still less expensive than a typical eight yard kilt in a standard tartan. It's a way of getting an unusual tartan at a price point that is typical of most standard kilt.

[Brave Liver]

Thank you sir! That is helpful, I will certainly keep you posted on my progress and if I get any "bites" to get them made will let you know!!

Shawn

[Brave Liver]

Thank you sir!

Shawn

[arrogcow]

First, I tried to get interest in a run here about a year ago (I think you make #4 actually interested) if we could get 8-10 it would make it feasible to do a custom run of the tartan. I also inquired to the same band, supposedly they are going to call me the next time they do a run (and since it has been over a year, I see it happening soon). Finally OFCJAX has just started taking pipe lessons with that band, and has recently made an inquiry on my behalf to see where they got their tartan (I really want a Newsom box pleat not an 8 yard band kilt).

Since my initial tries there have been several new KY members so it is quite possible that we have enough interest for a run.

Adam

[BoldHighlander]

Very interesting tartan.
At least nine of my ancestors rode with Genr'l John Hunt Morgan out of East Kentucky.
Might have to add this one to my "list"

[macwilkin]

First, I tried to get interest in a run here about a year ago (I think you make #4 actually interested) if we could get 8-10 it would make it feasible to do a custom run of the tartan. I also inquired to the same band, supposedly they are going to call me the next time they do a run (and since it has been over a year, I see it happening soon). Finally OFCJAX has just started taking pipe lessons with that band, and has recently made an inquiry on my behalf to see where they got their tartan (I really want a Newsom box pleat not an 8 yard band kilt).

Since my initial tries there have been several new KY members so it is quite possible that we have enough interest for a run.

Adam

Adam,

Matt can have the tartan woven on a special order; that's how I got my Iowa tartan kilt, so you shouldn't have to wait for the band's order.

Todd

[arrogcow]

Adam,

Matt can have the tartan woven on a special order; that's how I got my Iowa tartan kilt, so you shouldn't have to wait for the band's order.

Todd

Still be a whole lot cheaper if I can wait, or find enough people to do a larger run.

Adam

[macwilkin]

Still be a whole lot cheaper if I can wait, or find enough people to do a larger run.

Adam

Good luck on that. The Scottish Heritage Society of Iowa has been trying to get enough people committed to doing a run of Iowa tartan for several years now.

You may pay a bit more with Matt, but it's worth every penny, especially depending on what mill the large run is coming from.

T.