Alabama Tartans?

[TomFromBama]

Mr. Rocky, Sir!

I have a couple newbie questions for you.

I'm new to this forum, and relatively new to kilts having been interested for a while now, but not yet made the plunge.

Although its been family lore all my life that we have Scottish ancestry and I've identified some candidates among my ancestors, I'm somewhat inclined to start with "baby steps" and perhaps get a more universal tartan pattern in a lower priced kilt at first, at least pending some more verification re. my ancestors. There are several universal tartans on your website that I find interesting, but I've also recently discovered some Tartans associated with my University and my home State.

I've found an "Official" Tartan for UA: http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tar...aspx?ref=10402

Some unofficial Tartans intended for the State of Alabama, but apparently never "officially" adopted, like this one:
http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart...labama-fashion

AND, a "State Seal" tartan with your name attached to it!
http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart...labama-fashion

Not surprisingly, NONE of these appear on the list of tartans available on your lower priced kilts!

My "assumption" is that it would cost a small fortune (at least relative to other fabrics) to get a kilt made in the Officially recognized U of A tartan. Is that accurate?

My second "assumption" - hoping - is that it might be within reach of a mere mortal to get a kilt made in your State Seal tartan????? Like maybe you have a batch of it just sitting around gathering dust???????

What would either of those entail? I don't need a precise answer - "a Lot of money" or "not a Lot" would be a completely sufficient answer for the time being!!!

Thanks!
Tom.

[RockyR]

SHHHhhh... The State Seal collection is a project we started a few years ago which we had to put on hold, but we plan on re-visiting within a couple years after we have a few other projects under our belt. New York and PA are the only 2 that have currently been woven (and we still have cloth in each). Could we do that kilt for you and have it woven in the Alabama State Seal tartan? Absolutely, but it would put it in the "custom woven wool" kilt category... roughly $800.

Same goes for any tartan not listed in our galleries. Just because a tartan exists in a register, doesn't mean it's readily available or being woven and held as stock by any mill. In these instances, the only real option is to have a group order for multiple kilts (to help keep costs down) OR just place a single order, where the only option is to have the cloth woven at DC Dalgliesh, which will be expensive and take a few months at best.

The UA tartan is different. That one was registered and is controlled by the University, so you'd have to have their approval to have it woven (which isn't impossible to get, but may entail going through some red tape).

In language you asked for, any of these options would be "a lot of money".

[Riverkilt]

Having been born at Craig Army Air Corps Base (Across the Alabama River from Selma), I would be interested in joining a group effort for the Alabama tartan.

I had the same experience with the university tartan. Oregon State University had a tartan design contest. A lady won and the tartan was adopted as the official tartan of the university. Then the attorneys swept in with their licensing regulations. Pendleton Mills was awarded the rights to weave the tartan, but only for scarfs.

I spent a lot of time working with the honchos at my alma mater asking only for permission to allow Dalgliesh to weave just enough tartan to sew up one kilt. Permission was denied due to the licensing regulations. Even though no mill wove the tartan for kiltmaking. Even though the university tartan would make a great looking kilt for some band members, or a custom item to sell through the university bookstore. Rules are rules. So I have a scarf in the university tartan...but no kilt.

Gotta love Shakespeare's admonition about lawyers.....

The temptation to have the tartan woven with just one thread change to the tartan pattern remains a challenge to my normally ethical behaviors.

[TomFromBama]

Rocky - Dude! Sorry! What can I say? I'm hell on those internet search engines! LOL!!!

Your answers match my expectations, but I always like to ask just in case. I mean, you never know. Heck, Just the other day I saw a fellow newbie post that he wanted a kilt, and one was GIVEN to him on the spot. Go figure, right?

My present thought is that I'm going to start small and build up. I may end up getting one of those "specials" from you yet, but it likely won't be in 2014.

Hypothetically, if I wanted a "universal" tartan kilt that looked the most Red (or closest to the tartans I referred to above) - among those you offer, would that be Prince of Wales/Duke of Rothesay?

Having been born at Craig Army Air Corps Base (Across the Alabama River from Selma), I would be interested in joining a group effort for the Alabama tartan.

I had the same experience with the university tartan. Oregon State University had a tartan design contest. A lady won and the tartan was adopted as the official tartan of the university. Then the attorneys swept in with their licensing regulations. Pendleton Mills was awarded the rights to weave the tartan, but only for scarfs.

I spent a lot of time working with the honchos at my alma mater asking only for permission to allow Dalgliesh to weave just enough tartan to sew up one kilt. Permission was denied due to the licensing regulations. Even though no mill wove the tartan for kiltmaking. Even though the university tartan would make a great looking kilt for some band members, or a custom item to sell through the university bookstore. Rules are rules. So I have a scarf in the university tartan...but no kilt.

Gotta love Shakespeare's admonition about lawyers.....

The temptation to have the tartan woven with just one thread change to the tartan pattern remains a challenge to my normally ethical behaviors.

Mr. Riverkilt,

Amen and I'm right with you. Who know? Maybe this is something we could work together on down the road?

As for the University of Alabama, I have not yet started talking to them directly, but I'm not very optimistic.

Alabama seems to be borderline "nazi" on the whole licensing thing. Heck, our current Athletics Director is Bill Battle. Back in the 1980's he FOUNDED The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) - the group that started the whole college sports licensing business..

But regardless, I'm a long way off from being able to afford an $800 Kilt, even if I could get the fabric, so.....

I'm probably going to be looking for something more affordable, at least at first.

[IGA]

When you said "the most Red" I immediately thought of the Celtic Nations tartan. Prince of Wales can look a bit too 'Christmas-y' for my taste, but if you like it, go for it!

[rlloyd]

I can second Celtic Nations as a first kilt - it's a truly beautiful tartan. The red in it, though, is nothing like that of the Crimson Tide.

[cck]

Thank you for bringing my attention to the UA tartan. I did not know one existed. One of my degrees is from there and I am sorry to hear that its availability is limited. You will find that wearing a kilt attracts compliments and questions, so it is nice to have a connection to the tartan you are displaying.

To answer your other question, there are popular tartans that are woven in synthetic fabrics, made in various parts of the world, and available off the rack at much lower cost.
When you get into wool fabrics the price increases and will vary by the mill, the weight of the cloth, and the availability of the tartan. Special weaves are the most expensive and may require a minimum as well as permission.

[RockyR]

We can gladly do a custom run of the State Seal of Alabama tartan in wool if enough people are interested. Price would be roughly the same as our normal kilts ($320 for a 5 Yarder or $495 for a Premier).

Just to clarify, here's the tartan on the STA's site:


And here's the state seal itself:


So far, these are the people who have shown an interest:

TomFromBama
Riverkilt (?)
KevinKeith

If you ARE interested, please email me ( rocky@usakilts.com ) with your details and I'll gladly start a list. If you're interested in any OTHER state, email me about that as well. I'll need to know what TYPE of kilt (5 Yarder at $320 or Premier 8 Yard at $495), so I can get a cloth yardage count.

[Riverkilt]

Keep me posted. No interest in the University of Alabama tartan (War Eagle!!) will consider whichever variation of the Alabama State tartan is targeted...

Seems like there should be a lot more involved in this project....

[Harold Cannon]

I may be interested depending on the price per yard. I would just want material though.