The perfect kilt - if price is no object

[CMcG]

But I was hoping to see if there was one person (or two or three) that emerged as the "best of the best" in kilt-making.

Considering that all of my kilts have come from eBay or third party re-sellers, I can't help you there

[Peter Crowe]

It's always great hearing what people want in a 'dream kilt', but I think what I was more interested in (i.e. why I asked) was to see if there's any clear consensus on the top kilt-makers of our time. I do understand that different kilt-makers will specialize in different methods of construction or pleating types, so there's no single kilt-maker that will necessarily be the best at all of them.

But I was hoping to see if there was one person (or two or three) that emerged as the "best of the best" in kilt-making.

I understand what your driving at, but for myself I would have to know their work first hand, by seeing it and holding it, not just looking at photographs on a website. What I have seen (in photographs) from all the kilt makers already mentioned looks good, but I would need more information. The main kilt I have from Geoffrey (Tailor) is good enough but not the quality of my father's tank made at Peter Henderson's at Renfrew St. Glasgow some 40 years ago.

[piperdown]

There is a scottish lady up in this neck of the woods, her name is Thelma Bell. She made my first one (MacIntosh hunting ancient ) and it is a beauty.
John from Keltoi made my second (MacIntosh hunting weathered ) and the quality is fantastic.

My next will be the MacIntosh modern and I have no idea when or who I will get it from.

[Ryan Ross]

I'd see if Marge Warren (or our own Peter MacDonald) would weave up my tartan in a weathered color scheme and heavy weight, then I'd have Matt make a four yard box pleat out of it... with two belt loops, the usual buckles, and no fringe.

Either that, or I'd have the above tartan woven in Harris tweed and do the same thing.

Nothing overly fancy, but something very fine.

[Chas]

I agree somewhat with David. In as much as, it is very difficult to choose between apples and oranges. Is this orange a better orange than that apple could ever be an apple?

Added into the mix are the very differing styles. I have never worn a box pleat, leave alone a double box pleat. And what about kingussie and reverse kingussie?

So if money truly was no object I would purchase at least one bolt of a generic tartan (leaning towards Royal Stewart because the individual stripes are easy to see) and then travel to all the well known and lesser known kiltmakers. Let them measure me and cut the required length from the bolt.

Once all the kilts are complete and only then would I, or could I, decide.

Regards

Chas

[AKScott]

I would go witrh my clan dress red, but I would get a ton of it made. Two eight yard kilts, one for regular wear, the other I would keep in the closet to wear with the waistcoats on the bias, one each deep and shallow gorge, and have a plaid made from the same bolt, and enough to make a couple garments for the wife.

I would be inclined to deal with an actual kilt maker directly. I lean towards Barb Tewksbury, though Bonnie Heather Green and Kathy Lare are also doing great work. I suspect they are working to the nearest half or quarter inch, the tank I ordered thrid party was made to the nearest inch in waist and seat, to the nearest half inch on length.

[brewerpaul]

Well given that A: I won the lottery and B: I could do this as I wish here it goes.

1) register my Texas-German-Hunting tartan with the registry

2) take a trip to Scotland (remember I wont the lottery and can) and go to D C Dalgliesh where I can watch as they make 40 yards of the above tartan in 16zo wool

3) return to the colonies and have Bonnie Heather Greene take me on as a two week apprentice to learn kilt making.

4) have Bonnie Greene make me a 8 yard knife pleated tank while I worked and learned on mine. (at least I know I will have one perfect kilt out of the two)

5) expand my knowledge by then making a box pleat kilt of the above tartan.


Ok this is the dream scenario but hey I wont the lottery and can dream big.

Oh almost forgot, spend a week or two in Pitlochry making friends with the distillers at Edradour distillery. Perhaps I could get them to let me mash in a batch.

[Spartan Tartan]

I did just get a custom weave, hand sewn from Bonnie Heather Greene. It does fit like a dream. I can not exclude others, but if asked I would HIGHLY recommend her to anyone wanting a hand sewn kilt.

[NeightRG]

Is it cheating to say that if money were no object, I'd have the free time to master kilt making, and make my own?
That aside, I'm a huge fan of Matt's work - I'd design a tartan based on MacDonald of the Isles for my family with him, and get a nice, heavyweight 4 yard box pleat from him.

[xman]

I would sew it myself and spend for best cloth. Maybe Dalgliesh 18 oz.