A resounding endorsement: Bonnie Heather Green

[Alan H]

I recently ordered a kilt for Piper George from Ms. Greene. It's a good story, so bear with me.

Piper George is a MacKay, but has family connections with Holland. So a few years ago, his wife Gwen slipped me a few $$ and I made George a Dutch MacKay 8-yarder for Christmas. He wore it to the Nor Cal Rabble Burns Night that year. Fast forward a couple of summers to June, 2008. The Trabing Fire took Gwen and Georges Home, as it was surrounded by eucalyptus forest. They got out with the animals, the computer, Georges Bagpipes, a couple of pieces of very valuable artwork, and that's about it.

The kilt went up in smoke.

Not long after this nightmare a local friend wove 10 yards of 30-inch wide Dutch MacKay tartan from wool taken from local sheep as a gift. I got this material to replace Georges kilt. What a project!

However, life has changed for me and I'm not cranking out kilts like I was a few years ago. The tartan sat in my study for almost a year. I finally sent it to Kathy Lare, who politely declined to stitch it up into a kilt, as it was not Scottish wool, was not up to her standards, and the selvedge was not a kilting selvedge. While I was disappointed, Ms. Lare was friendly and courteous, even enthusiastic about the special features of the project, she just didn't want to do it herself. She returned my deposit and the material promptly. I knew that Matt Newsome and Barb Tewksbury's waiting lines were many months long but George had waited long enough for his kilt.

I read about a very fine kilt made by Bonnie Heather Greene, for X Marks member, Forrester Modern. After looking over the pictures of the kilt she made, I contacted Ms. Greene. She agreed to take on the project at an entirely reasonable price.

There was a delay of a few weeks, as she and her husband were on vacation, but as soon as she got back, she got right on the job and sent the kilt to me. I presented it to George on Saturday.

I want to say that Bonnie Heather Greene did a FIRST CLASS JOB on Georges kilt. I have made a lot of kilts, including a dozen "traditional" kilts and I was blown away by the craftswomanship that Bonnie put into it. The straps are solid. There's not a stitch to be seen in the pleats. The underapron strap cutout is done impeccably. The hemming is done with miniscule stitches. The lining is done well. Even the basting is precise (I *hate* basting!!) The overall presentation of the kilt, even though it's not "Scottish Worsted Wool" is absolutely first class.

I am EXTREMELY impressed. Bonnie Heather Greene is one heck of a kiltmaker. I'll say it right now, she's a better kiltmaker than I am! I would recommend her work without reservation to anyone.

With luck we'll have pictures soon, but I wanted to get this ringing endorsement of of Bonnie Heather Greene's work up here.