Which Fabric ?

[Barb T]

I agree with Matt - if I had a choice, I would choose Dalgliesh, although both mills weave excellent tartan.

[usonian]

For as pricey an investment as an 8 yard, 15-16oz kilt I would recommend ordering swatches from both mills, so you can see the colors and feel the tartan in your own hand - web graphics are good for getting a general sense of color, but after ordering a few swatches I was really surprised how different the actual fabric can look from the web image (some of which are computer-generated.)

[mookien]

... I would recommend ordering swatches from both mills, so you can see the colors and feel the tartan in your own hand ...

Simon: An excellent suggestion, if you haven't done so already. I tacitly, and perhaps incorrectly, assumed you had swatches in hand and were casting about for others' opinions of the finished product. Having two swatches in hand will help you immensely. Hopefully, then, you won't need our advice.

John

[Grizzly]

Barb thank you for your opinion as you are much revered amongst many I thoroughly appreciate your view.

John and Usonian thank you for your inputs too. I do have swatches from both mills, however Dalgleish only supplied a sample in 11oz wool as they are currently undergoing a stocking process for 15oz and they haven't yet woven any in my preferred tartan.

Whilst I have a 16oz LochCarron sample it is hard to judge the feel of the cloth against an 11oz Dalgleish sample. Hence my question as to which, more learned friends on here may be able to impart their views on the respective cloths from their own experience .

It is a very close decision as each mill has its own advocates. In a way I suppose I was trying to get a view on what was the best of the best as it will be a considerable outlay financially and it appears that the answer is both.

At the moment I do prefer, ever so slightly one mill over the other but that is purely based on a subtle difference in the colour palette. In the end it may boil down to who can supply the cloth soonest. It really is that close.

Thanks again all your views are most welcome and appreciated.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I would say that the 11 oz swatch from Dalgliesh will give you a fairly reasonable idea of what the colors of their heavy weight woven cloth will look like, however the feel of the cloth won't match it at all. The heavy weight cloth from Dalgliesh will actually feel much more like Lochcarron's heavy weight than Dalgleish's light weight. Maybe you could request a sample of Dalgliesh heavy weight cloth -- in any tartan scrap they happen to have lying around (your kilt maker may have some) -- just so you can get a feel for the tactile differences.

[Grizzly]

You are very right Matt I think that would help me. I just hope that it lives up to expectations. Which I am sure it will.

[mookien]

Simon: You know, of course, there is only one real solution to your "problem". Buy two kilts, each made from the cloth of a different house. Of course, they don't have to be from the same tartan. That will double the fun, along with the cost. Then, you can tell us authoritatively which is "best".

Good luck. Can't wait. And, most importantly, Merry Christmas!

John

[BBNC]

Dalgliesh has a nice little video about how they make their fabric. The Tartan Museum has placed an order with them for my 10 yd Muirhead Ancient.

http://www.dcdalgliesh.co.uk/