Is Tweed Acceptably Traditional?

[creagdhubh]

There are some very helpful comments here so far.

One more question to those in the know: Considering the general avoidance of anything "matching" when dealing with TCHD, would it be considered any more traditional to have a tweed kilt not matching the jacket?

I imagine at least that a kind of "kilt-suit-outfit" made up entirely in (matching) tweed would be rather a more modern look. I could be completely wrong...


Cheers,

Michael

Good point Michael. My vote would be for the tweed kilt not to match the jacket or waistcoat.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I love the "brushed" look and texture of it. I bet the hunting Macpherson would look quite nice in a tweed kilt!

Indeed it does!

[Cygnus]

There are some very helpful comments here so far.

One more question to those in the know: Considering the general avoidance of anything "matching" when dealing with TCHD, would it be considered any more traditional to have a tweed kilt not matching the jacket?

I imagine at least that a kind of "kilt-suit-outfit" made up entirely in (matching) tweed would be rather a more modern look. I could be completely wrong...


Cheers,

Michael

I don't see why you wouldn't match, though; it is certainly alright to wear a jacket made up in your tartan when wearing a kilt of the same. You can, of course, always wear a differently coloured waistcoat.

I think the trick is not to feel too constrained in matching them, but I don't think there is anything inherently wrong or non-traditional in wearing a jacket or waistcoat made from the same material as one's kilt.

[creagdhubh]

Indeed it does!

Wow!!! Matt, that kilt looks great! I can easily discern it is indeed a box pleat, which I do plan on ordering from you, naturally in a Macpherson tartan (thinking Wilson's reproduction colours; Macpherson of Cluny tartan, woven by Dalgliesh), at some point in the near future. The Macpherson hunting tartan in tweed looks amazing!

Thanks Matt,

[saxandpipes]

Thanks gentlemen, yes, pretty much what I was thinking.

Agreed Matt and Kyle! I saw some lovely tweed in a Gunn set, from scotweb, I think a kind of " rugged country" kilt would be the next order of the day... Hopefully doesn't look like I'm wearing a "Swandri" ( kiwis will know what I mean).

Someone mentioned a thread with these gorgeous MacPherson tartans... ;)


Cheers,

Michael

[figheadair]

Good point Michael. My vote would be for the tweed kilt not to match the jacket or waistcoat.

I've posted this before but to illustrate the point.



Hodden Grey kilt cWW1 and jacket from Marion Campbell's cloth.

I see tweed as being a type of cloth, specifically a rough woolen fabric made using mixed yarns, as you describe. Tartan, on the other hand, can be used to refer to both the pattern as well as cloth woven in the pattern. So it is entirely possible to have tweed cloth woven in a tartan pattern, and it ceases to be neither tweed nor tartan. The two terms are not exclusive.

You can indeed look at it that way Matt. For my part, I'm too stuck in the C18th tradition and thus plain or patterned tartan but no tweed.

Is tweed for kilts come in different weights similar to tartan ie 13 oz and 16 oz or is there a common weight for tweed?

There is no 'common' weight for tweed. Harris tweed used to be exclusively heavy and coarser than Border tweeds of the Estate Check type but in the 1970s the Harris Tweed Association tried various lighter weights and non-traditional (there's that word again) patterns principally for the American and Japanese markets. At one time they wove a feather weight but it was a fashion and didn't last.

[MacLowlife]

Is tweed for kilts come in different weights similar to tartan ie 13 oz and 16 oz or is there a common weight for tweed?

Thanks

PS Chris your IOS looks fantastic!

I do not know about what is being used to make kilts, but tweeds come in a wide range of weights, from pretty darned heavy (400g/ 14oz) to heavier than Iron Maiden. The friendly people at Bookster www.tweed-jacket.com display a wide range of tweeds. They also show some "tweed patterned" fabric in weights too light to qualify as tweed in their estimation. Some of Bookster's cloths run to 700g / metre, which sounds a lot like 24oz...


I think I read about the trend in recent years for Harris tweed to be lighter weight.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Kyle,

That Hunting MacPherson Harris Tweed was woven with an extremely large sett. If I remember correctly it was something like 12" or more. That's why the pleats look so huge. It's been a long time since I made that kilt, but I'm pretty sure it only had 6 pleats.

One of the (many) beneficial aspects of having cloth woven to order is that you get some say in the sett size. So if you want a Hunting MacPherson with a 12" repeat, you can get it. On the other hand, something between 7" and 9" is usually more manageable for kilt making.

As for the weight of the tweed, all the Harris Tweed kilts I have made (with one exception) have been what the HT folks call "light weight," however I can attest it is plenty heavy enough to make a good kilt. Even though all my Harris Tweed kilts are either 4 or 5 yards, I tend to rarely wear them in the summer months. They get lots of wear in the fall and winter!

The exception is a kilt I own made from old Marion Campbell woven cloth, which is nearly bullet proof. It is easily twice as thick, and twice as dense, as the modern Harris Tweed I get. That one is a four yard box pleated kilt and I really only get to wear it in the dead of winter. It's just too warm otherwise!

[ThistleDown]

I don't wish to side-track this very fine discussion, but may I just remind everyone that the two most prominent "discussers" are our two most prominent authorities on just this subject: XMarks Honour Roll Member Matthew Newsome of the Tartans Museum in North Carolina, and XMarks Honour Roll Member Peter Eslea Macdonald of the Scottish Tartans Authority in Scotland.

Thank you both, gentlemen, for contributing so much of your knowledge to this forum.

[seanachie]

Thank you both, gentlemen, for contributing so much of your knowledge to this forum.

I have gained a lot more than I anticipated from my original post.
Very informative discussion.