Any personal recs for a supplier of medium/heavy 100% wool tartan cloth suitable for creating my own great kilt?
Great Kilt/Féileadh-mór
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Your budget is the crucial bit on this.
Seriously it is......and mind that you don't need eight yards unless your fabric is very narrow. They sewed two lengths together to get the width necessary once warp weighted looms were no longer in use, so it's doubled up.
There are generally three weights in use for 'wearing' tartan. Used to be more, but there are fewer mills now.
The modern heavy weight is what's used for kilts.
The middling one is often used for dress stuff, for kilts for weddings and dancers, suits and the like.
The lightweight is generally for stuff like finer clothing pieces, scarves, dresses, etc.,
https://www.lochcarron.co.uk/fabric-cloth-shop/tartan-fabric
have the best range, but they are expensive.
have nowhere near as much variety but are a lot cheaper, often by as much as a third.
Seriously it is......and mind that you don't need eight yards unless your fabric is very narrow. They sewed two lengths together to get the width necessary once warp weighted looms were no longer in use, so it's doubled up.
There are generally three weights in use for 'wearing' tartan. Used to be more, but there are fewer mills now.
The modern heavy weight is what's used for kilts.
The middling one is often used for dress stuff, for kilts for weddings and dancers, suits and the like.
The lightweight is generally for stuff like finer clothing pieces, scarves, dresses, etc.,
https://www.lochcarron.co.uk/fabric-cloth-shop/tartan-fabric
have the best range, but they are expensive.
LOL, heed what Toddy says 
- but you probably already know about the cost.
When I looked at this many years ago I just couldn't believe the amount of tartan needed (it's all those pleats) and the heavyweight material just took it way outside my budget. So, applying the 'sour grapes' principle, I decided I didn't have the legs for a kilt anyway
- but you probably already know about the cost.When I looked at this many years ago I just couldn't believe the amount of tartan needed (it's all those pleats) and the heavyweight material just took it way outside my budget. So, applying the 'sour grapes' principle, I decided I didn't have the legs for a kilt anyway
If my dressmaking skills ever magically improve (one can dream, right?) I'd love to make myself some proper long walking skirts in a nice wool fabric.
As Toddy said, piecing is the way forward. Perfectly valid at all levels of society back in the day.
Unfortunately, I've met the prices some seem a great deal higher than others though. Good call on joining widths, it stands to reason if you think about it.
Also, I believe linen trews were not unknown with the great kilt, offering others safety from a frankly hideous potential fate.
Also, I believe linen trews were not unknown with the great kilt, offering others safety from a frankly hideous potential fate.
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