Wrapping the Braveheart kilt

[Calgacus]

Re: the "Belted Plaid":
From: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...dsketches5.htm

"... they love chiefly purple and blue; their predecessors used short mantles, or plaids of divers colours, sundrie ways divided, and among some the same custom is observed to this day; but, for the most part now, they are brown, most near to the colour of the hadder, to the effect when they lye among the hadders, the bright colour of their plaids shall not bewray them, with the which rather coloured than clad, they suffer the most cruel tempests that blow in the open fields, in such sort, that in a night of snow they sleep sound."

" The belted plaid, which was generally double, or in two folds, formed, when let down so as to envelop the whole person, a shelter from the storm, and a covering in which the wearer wrapt himself up in full security, when he lay down fearlessly among the heather. This, if benighted in his hunting excursions, or on a distant visit, he by no means considered it a hardship; nay, so little was he disturbed by the petty miseries which many feel from inclement weather, that, in storms of snow, frost, or wind, he would dip the plaid in water, and, wrapping himself up in it when moistened, lie down on the heath. The plaid thus swelled with moisture was supposed to resist the wind, so that the exhalation from the body."

.. Seems to me that he is saying that the cloth was folded in half (i.e.: fold the Length in half, then wrap in it. ). There is also a painting of a clan piper ( which I can't find right now) that seems to show two edges, at the edge of the over apron, which would support this idea.

(Found an image of the painting; grant piper - notice, on his right side, how a fold clearly shows the fabric doubled?)
image.jpg
.. Just saying ....

Aha! My goodness, I can't believe I've not spotted this before, thank you so much!

The reason I say that is I believe that at least some belted plaids were worn with the cloth first doubled. I even brought up the possibility in a thread last year, though the idea was rather dismissed. I came to the conclusion after reading this article:-

http://www.scottishtartans.co.uk/A_H..._MacGregor.pdf

It seems to me that the only way this particular garment makes sense is if it were folded in half first. I realise this is a revival plaid, but I hope my argument stands.

I also happened to stumble over the same article last night that you have just posted and also wondered if this description was saying the same thing.

There is also a practical reason for folding the cloth in half first. This provides you with two layers of cloth over your upper body when it is worn as a cloak in bad weather, whereas the other method does not. In practice, I have found that on a typical Scottish wet day, the rain can saturate and penetrate one layer of woolen cloth, but not two. The lower layer gets a bit wet, sure, but most of the water is channeled off by the top layer, a bit like a double-skinned tent.

So, if the plaid were first folded in half, this means that the garment was now only 2-3 yards by 2 yards in size. Fold half a dozen pleats, slip a belt under, and strap it on. Not so hard really?

I shall post my original thread on this subject if I can find it.

*Edit* Here it is:-

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...g-plaid-80544/