Strathmore Woolen Company

[TheOfficialBren]

What is the rabble's opinion of Strathmore's products and are they suitable for kiltmaking?

[hector]

Bren,

I can be very brief: excellent product!!

[Paul Henry]

I like their tartans, they have a great range, but they tend to specialise/ keep in stock the lighter/medium weight ones so I tend to choose another weaver in order to get a 16 oz.I tend to think of their cloth as a little softer with a more gentle hand than say Lochcarron, but I would have no hesitation using them, I've found them lovely to deal with, once when they couldn't help me themselves they directed me to another weaver.

[Downunder Kilt]

I ordered a kilt thru them once but they did not weave the tartan in the colour scheme I required, in 13oz and if I went for the 11oz, the kilt would come with a hem.
I did not want the lighter fabric or a hem. They suggested that if I wanted, they could order the 13oz from Lochcarron, have the kilt made by them, for the same price that I had originally been quoted (it was a mates rate). So in my opinion they are a very good company. I have seen examples of their tartan on various kilts and have recently seen the results of one of their custom weaves. This was the Clan Chattan tartan in a modern colourway for the Castlemaine Highland Pipe Band. I believe they also made the kilts. Great kilts and a superb tartan.

[bonnie heather]

Strathmore gives very prompt and excellent service and their fabric is really good. Their dark colors such as Black Watch, are deeper and darker than other mills. For kilted skirts and light weight kilts, I like the weight of their 11 oz. cloth more than the 10.5 oz offered elsewhere.

[cessna152towser]

My Royal Air Force kilt was woven and constructed by Strathmore a few years ago.
The business was for long synonymous with the late Arthur Mackie, a former RAF pilot who after retiral went on to command the Air Training Corps in his local area and also became a respected tartan designer.
I visited Strathmore Woollens in Forfar about two years ago, not long after Arthur's death when the business was being continued by his business partner and I have no doubt that Strathmore continue to offer a good quality product.

[JohntheBiker]

I have a kilt in Campbell of Cawdor made from Strathmore tartan. Terrific colours and the fabric has a great hand. My first kilt and still in fantastic shape. No complaints from me.

[Tartan Tess]

Like Bonnie said, these guys are on the ball to help you and get your order to you FAST!
I like their tartan very much.

[mookien]

Kathy Lare recently sewed an 8 yd. kilt for me from Strathmore's W60 (medium weight) cloth in the Strathtummel tartan. It is a beautiful kilt in an elegant tartan. One of these days I will even post a picture of it.

As paulhenry writes, it is difficult to get heavyweight cloth from Strathmore unless they happen to have some lying around (it never hurts to ask) or you are willing to purchase at least 50 meters. I would have preferred heavy weight cloth, but in that tartan medium weight is fine with me. I will use it as a warmer-weather kilt.

[TheOfficialBren]

Excellent! I much prefer deep, rich colours over bright colours so I find that appealing. Also, I live in Southern California and the summers here are quite hot. I would like a nice wool kilt in my clan's tartan (Shaw) but 16oz seems a bit too heavy for wear here, although some say otherwise. I get a bit warm in P/V on hot days so heavy wool is right out, I think.

I'm thinking a medium weight four yard box pleat would be good.

As to the hand, is softer or harder tartan generally preferred? I know that this is mostly personal preference but I'd like to sound out the rabble.

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts. Keep 'em coming!
:-)