DD Day

[Benning Boy]

Today, to use a military way of designating is, is D minus something. Wish I knew by how much.

What I'm counting towards is DD Day, Dalrymple Delivery Day. My bespoke order of Dalrymple Tartan by Marton Mills is woven, paid for, and on its way by UPS. I'm excited.

Around 50 years ago, when I first started exploring my Scottish heritage, I began thinking how neat it would be to have a kilt in Dalrymple, my mother being a Dalrymple. However, I was told by many there was no such thing as a Dalrymple tartan in those days. Somewhere along the line that changed, and there now is a registered sett, and a kilt of it in my future.

Pictures when it arrives.

[Benning Boy]

Here's what the Dalrymple cost me.

Total cost, including shipping, GBP 595.44. At today's rate that's USD 908.16.

The tartan cost GBP 39 per meter, and 13.9 meters were actually woven. The minimum order from Marton Mills is 11 meters. However, when ordering the minimum one has to pay for any overage, and in this case the overage was 2.9 meters. The final cost of the tartan came to GBP 542.10. An absolute minimum of 11 meters was priced at GBP 429. I had to make a 50% deposit on the order, based on an 11 meter minimum. I was charged GBP 214.50. I paid that amount on 25 February 15, at an exchange rate of USD 1.54 to the Pound, or USD 330.33. I paid for the balance of the cost of the tartan on 05 May 15. The balance due was GBP 328.10. The exchange rate that day was USD 1.51 to the Pound, meaning I paid USD 495.42, and the total of the two payments was USD 825.75. Adding to the the shipping cost of USD 80.54, and the final cost is USD 906.29. The small difference in the exchange rate between the times of the two payments accounts for the difference between the total cost in GBP, and the USD paid, I think. Accountants, crunch my numbers to be sure.

Now let's compare that to a bespoke weave of Dalrymple of Castelton #2 by Dalgliesh. The tartan from MM is 16 ounce, double width. Dalgliesh will weave Dalrymple in modern colors, pretty much the same thing, but in single width. Rounding up, 13.9 meters of double width is equal to 28 meters of single width. So, If I ordered 28 meters from Dalgliesh I'd be charged GBP 1,764, or USD 2,663.64 at today's rate. Meaning, it would have cost me USD 1,757.35 more to buy my tartan from Dalgliesh than I paid Marton Mills. The cost of Dalgliesh tartan is with the 10% Xmarks discount figured in.


A great many here are absolutely loyal to Dalgliesh. Criticism of Dalgliesh and their high costs has been called hating on Dalgliesh by adamant fanboys. The lesson here, for me anyway, is that dealing with Dalgliesh is going to cost you an exorbitant amount more than dealing with Marton Mills -- for the identical product, for all practical purpose. The price of being a fanboy is high.

[Domehead]

Trolling...
Ryan M. Liddell

[Downunder Kilt]

Depending upon ones defintion of"all practical purpose" I would not expect 15ounce and 16ounce or true selvedge and tuck selvedge or hand woven and machine woven to mean identical product Yes you tgot a good deal Benning Boy but lets not compare two different productsand say how cheap one was against the other. If I do a few sums and use another rmill, I may well be able toshow you got ripped off. Cheers

[Benning Boy]

I'd be happy to see the numbers on other mills. Any information that might help others make buying decisions is good for The Rabble. Perhaps we should start a thread in the General Kilt Talk forum, where it will get the widest readership, discussing the cost of doing business with the various mills. I've been reading the fora for a very long time, and don't recall such a thread, so one might be overdue. Through it others desiring to place a bespoke order might benefit.

And, to address Domehead's remark, presenting information that might be useful to those considering a purchase of bespoke tartan is not trolling. Your remark is an expression of emotion and not reason. Reason with me and you'll have my respect. Until then . . .

[Domehead]

Ryan

[Benning Boy]

DAGNAB IT!!

Today is DD Day, and I missed the UPS man. He left a note on my door saying he'd be back Monday. I have to sign for the package. That's three days in transit from Yorkshire to Kansas. That's fast.

[Benning Boy]

At last! I've been waiting 50 years for this. Come to daddy, all you 13.9 meters of beautiful Dalrymple tartan.



The tartan is a dead match for the CADs sent me by Marton Mills' designer. I got what I chose, not something close, but the exact thing. Also the sett is woven perfectly square. It measures the same warp-wise and weft-wise. Altogether I'd say tartan fabric can't get any better than this. Marton Mills' quality control is outstanding.

[sydnie7]

Looking good there my friend!

[plaid preacher]

Well done, David. I know you've been planning and researching this one for quite a while. Can't wait to see the finished product. I'm just glad I don't have to lay out the pleats.

Do you have any thoughts about how you will pleat it? To the sett or one of the many stripes?