Fraser & Kirkbright (custom tartan weavers)

[slohairt]

I'll second Barb and Matt's observations concerning selvedge and hand. F&K fabric does feel lighter than it's listed weight and the selvedges are sometimes very noticeable. Another point concerning their selvedge, I have also noticed that it has a tendency to go 'wavy' after awhile.

Still, Gordon is great to work with and his customer service is excellent. Also, Fraser and Kirkbright is a Canadian source, so there is something to be said about that as well.

[Fit2BKilted]

A highland dancer does not wear a kilted skirt. The dress code that guides the dancers of the SOBHD (which is all of North America) specifically states kilts. There is some leeway granted of course for pre-premiers and the young and tiny. But, Barb is quite correct, a kilt made from tartan over 13oz can be very heavy to dance in.

Btw, your design is quite eyecatching and could prove to be quite attractive to dancers.

Thanks for the info about Highland Dancing... I would be grateful for links to relevant sites. I'm rather ignorant in regard to Highland & Irish Dancing: my eldest daughter is 6yo and has tired of the ballet she started at 3, but was taken with the few tap-classes she got alongside, and has since become Irish Dance crazy (it's even overtaken horses!). We have her signed up for Irish classes in the Fall. My youngest is quite taken with violin and fiddle; so, they may end up becoming quite a duo! :-)

Also, If you know any dancers that may be interested in pre-ordering yardage of my new tartan, I would be happy for the funding to offset the cost of F&K's minimum yardage purchase... :-D

[Fit2BKilted]

I'll second Barb and Matt's observations concerning selvedge and hand. F&K fabric does feel lighter than it's listed weight and the selvedges are sometimes very noticeable. Another point concerning their selvedge, I have also noticed that it has a tendency to go 'wavy' after awhile.

Still, Gordon is great to work with and his customer service is excellent. Also, Fraser and Kirkbright is a Canadian source, so there is something to be said about that as well.

I presume that the difference is principally in their choice to use only Merino wool (and perhaps an idiosyncracy of their loom(s?))... It would still have to be just as heavy (massive) though, since fabric, like paper, is categorized by it's weight for area, no?

BTW, I'm happy to see the Canadians coming out of the woodwork! Are there any other Canadian mills currently producing kilting woolens?

[csbdr]

Well, I own 2 kilts made with F&K fabric, and I'll give you my impressions. First, they are both their 16oz fabric. The "hand" is marvelous,and I agree with Barb and Matt that the "weight" is lighter than other mills. I know, I saw what you wrote about weight , but I have a Maple Leaf double-box made by lady Chrystel of F&K 16oz, and another double box made of 16oz Abercrombie (mill unknown) and the Abercrombie is heavier to pick up (now I have to go home and weigh each on the scale....) I also have a 16oz Ulster (the one Barb refers to) and agree the fabric is "lighter" and seems to hold a much softer pleat. This is not, to me, bothersome in ANY way, and I have to say that I LOVE the feel of these 2 kilts. Overall I would not hesitate to use their tartan again, but I think it fares better with the double-box design than a standard box-pleat. I have no experience with knife-pleated kilts from F&K tartan, but looks like others are very happy with the outcomes they had.

[slohairt]

I presume that the difference is principally in their choice to use only Merino wool (and perhaps an idiosyncracy of their loom(s?))... It would still have to be just as heavy (massive) though, since fabric, like paper, is categorized by it's weight for area, no?

BTW, I'm happy to see the Canadians coming out of the woodwork! Are there any other Canadian mills currently producing kilting woolens?

Yes, the hand would be because of the soft merino wool and the occasionally wavy selvedge from possible wonky looms?

What do you mean coming out the woodwork? I've been here forever! Unless you mean as an advertiser, then, well, yeah...

[Fit2BKilted]

... now I have to go home and weigh each on the scale...

I would be interested in learning whether the real weight was comparable or not.

[Fit2BKilted]

What do you mean coming out the woodwork? I've been here forever! Unless you mean as an advertiser, then, well, yeah...

As a relative newcomer to the community, I've found it difficult to locate Canadian suppliers of kilts & accoutrements---even here amidst Lanark and Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry counties. I guess it goes with our 'understated' image, as a people, manifesting as an aversion to advertising?

Anyone for a game of GO? ;-)

[McMurdo]

McMurdo, Rex T., and Matt all have kilts that I've made from Dalgliesh custom weaves, and maybe they can comment on how they like Dalgliesh tartan as kilt wearers.

I have to say that my Royal Naval Association kilt in the DC Daglish wool feels like no other kilt I own, it really is a joy to wear. The hand is softer than any of my other kilts, with wool from weavers such as Lochcarron. It does however feel like true 16 oz wool. Of my kilts I'd say the RNA is one of my favourites simply because the wool is just that comfortable.

All of this is not to say I do not love my Royal Stewart in the F&K wool, I really do and was even married in it, it is just another option for you to look at.

[ForresterModern]

I guess I get to be the contrarian in the thread again---must be something in my personality I guess.

I just recieved my first Tewksbury handsewn tank made from F&K "16" oz Maple Leaf from the run put on sale back in January this year. As I bought my fabric sight unseen from another xmarker who split an 8 meter double width section with me, and the whole piece was sent directly to Barb to enter her que by the other guy who bought it, my first view of the tartan came when it arrived the other day in full kilt form. I just took pics last night and have not had time to post them, so be patient---hopefully tonite (cannot do pics from my work computer).

After putting it on and getting a good look at it I was somewhat disappointed with it overall---NOT Barb's workmanship, but the fabric itself. First, as stated above the weight actually feels more like 13 oz than 16 oz, and the fabric is very drapy in the hand without much body. I was not expecting this difference when I bought it and only learned about this from the earlier posts in this thread, but I agree with those assessments. And the selvedge is a bit rough being a tuck in with some wavy aspect to the tuck in tips where they are supposed to line up with one of the dark stripes, which is noticeable not only visually but also to the feel. I do not mind the softer hand of the fabric, and the slightly softer pleat hold is also okay by me. One thing I was not expecting was, however, an unfortunate appearence that the tartan pattern is not square across the bottom 12-16 inches or so of the piece of fabric, such that when I put it on this section of fabric in the front apron skews an inch or two from right to left, giving all the vertical stripes in the apron a bowed or bent appearence, as if the bottom half of the kilt were tilted. Barb said she tried to straighten it with a thorough ironing before the buildup, but after taking out the basting and putting the kilt on the skew remains. I have never seen this before in any piece of quality tartan fabric, and honestly hope that I do not see it ever again. But I guess for the price (under $25 US per DW meter on the sale) I guess one cannot expect perfection. It is unfortunate, however, that it detracts from my otherwise gloriously beautiful, exquisitely made and well fitted first Tewksbury tank. If anybody out there has any ideas of a possible home made fix for the problem please PM me. For now I am hoping that hanging it straight in the closet will help straighten it out some. I might even try attaching an additional kilt hanger to the bottom of the apron as a weight to see if that helps over time.

I have other kilts in fabrics from Islay mills, Lochcarron, HoE Nevis, Marton Mills, and Strathmore in each of their 16 oz fabrics, as well as a section of fabric from Dalgleish in 16 oz awaiting its turn under a kiltmakers needle, along with Strathmore and HoE Rare and Select collections in 13 oz. Personally I think all the others I listed make a nicer quality fabric, particularly the Dalgleish and Strathmore, than the comparable F&K in all categories as far as kiltmaking fabric is concerned. Not sure if I would buy more F&K based on this most recent experience (my first and only with them), unless it were for a very special tartan at a "cannot pass this by" price. For those who might wonder, I have not discussed this with Gordon of F&K as at this point the horse is out of the barn, with the time and money involved in the kiltmaking already completed.

Just one man's opinion.


jeff :ootd: and newest member of the Tewksbury owner's group and fan club

[ForresterModern]

Okay, I finally got home with some time to upload the pictures of my F&K Maple Leaf 16oz kilt made by Barb Tewksbury. Full review posted on the main page shortly after this one, but wanted to show the skewed tartan and the selvedge issue pictures here to followup my earlier post about them.

front view with basting stitches still in:



front view with basting stitches out and hanging upright for a couple days:




front view showing that it is still noticeable even after putting on a belt and sporran:




close up of the tuck in selvedge:




Hope this helps folks understand what I was talking about above. See my other post in the general kilt section in a few minutes when I get it all done for more pictures of the whole kilt.

Jeff :ootd: