As Texas Renaissance Festival draws closer, I tend to lurk more often around the related forum boards that catch my eye, and this one certainly fit the bill! I attended my first Festival kilted last year, and I was hooked! I wore a Stillwater 'Nightstalker' kilt, basically as a starter kilt, and secondly as I had not done any research on my family's roots.

My mother is an amateur genealogist, and has traced my father's roots back to Berne, Switzerland, and I'm very proud of my Rothlisberger heritage. However, when she did a little searching on her own family's history, she was able to trace her ancestral line back to John Welch (1520-1602), Laird of Collieston, an Estate in Nithsdale, parish of Dunscove, Dunfrieshire in Scotland. As I understand it, the family lived the lowlands, and do not have an actual tartan.

I've always wanted to wear a kilt to faire, ever since I saw pictures of my best friend in his own family's tartan (I'm actually the one who pushed him into embracing his heritage!). So this year, I've decided on the Galloway district tartan, which represents the area of my ancestors. Rocky from USA Kilts sent some swatches this week that I'll look at before I make my final decision. But I'm also eyeing that Texas Bluebonnet weave as well!

Anyway, I'm happy to be on board, and look forward to learning more about the kilted lifestyle!