Cost of Tartan Fabric Only

[Barb T]

Not sure whether your question is one about trying to figure out how a custom-made kilt breaks down in terms of price or whether you are figuring on making a kilt for yourself and want to buy tartan. If the latter, then good kilting tartan for an 8 yard kilt can be had for anywhere from maybe $100 if you luck into some remnants on eBay to $400 or more, if you want to have a custom weave done.

If you're trying to figure out what % of the cost of a custom-made kilt is tartan and what is labor, you're not going to get a consistent answer among kiltmakers. Some mark tartan up, some don't, and some mark it up more than others. Some use less expensive tartan than others. Some charge flat labor rates (Steve and I are in that camp), and others charge a flat fee to make a kilt. No matter how you slice it, your kiltmaker isn't making a lot of money.....

[bricelythgoe]

...whether you are figuring on making a kilt for yourself and want to buy tartan. If the latter, then good kilting tartan for an 8 yard kilt can be had for anywhere from maybe $100 if you luck into some remnants on eBay to $400 or more, if you want to have a custom weave done.

Not sure if I want to make a kilt for myself (maybe in the future). If I found a good remnant or something, I was wondering what I should expect to pay for it. The more likely scenario is I find something I really like, buy it, and then have someone make the kilt for me. This also led me to maybe buying some XMTS tartan with some money I have now, and saving the money I will need to pay someone to make it for me.

I am really not sure what I will do yet. I do appreciate you answering my question.

Brice

[Pleater]

One thing to be aware of - though it might not be of any great importance to you - tartans are usually the same thread count in both directions - so that the pattern is a square, or very close to one.

Cheap tartan can have a rectangular shape instead, either intentionally - if the maker can stretch the amount of fabric produced from the same amount of yarn then they get more money for it - or by accident, and the price reflects that.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[bricelythgoe]

One thing to be aware of - though it might not be of any great importance to you - tartans are usually the same thread count in both directions - so that the pattern is a square, or very close to one.

Cheap tartan can have a rectangular shape instead, either intentionally - if the maker can stretch the amount of fabric produced from the same amount of yarn then they get more money for it - or by accident, and the price reflects that.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

Thank you for the advice. I will probably have to buy some fabric from a reputable vendor (like the ones on here). I am very tempted to by some XTMS from Steve, since I know I can trust him. Other than that, I would be very cautious about buying something on eBay, unless it can be verified that it is good quality.

Thanks again.

Brice