Quote Originally Posted by furrycelt
It is a good looking kilt. I will definitely look into this vendor. Your review is excellent and thorough, thanks for that.

I do want to know more about the cloth. What is the wool/poly blend like? How does it hang, swing, feel, etc.? Also, how should it be treated (washed/cleaned/dried)? Like wool? Or can you treat it like a PV kilt?

thanks,
-ian
I'm not terribly dsicriminating when it somes to subtleties in materials, but I'll write what I notice.

The general texture is rather like the polyester-viscose kilts I have from USA Kilts and Bear Kilts. It is much more "neat" and not as "fuzzy" as the acrylic of the Stillwaters. Locharron and Marton Mills both make polyester-wool blends, but this is not listed on either of their web sites so I don't know who the manufacturer of the cloth is. The colors are pretty true to the pictures I've seen of other Holyrood tartan samples. In general I'd say that this material is much like the stuff from Fraseer and Kirkbright, except that it's a bit lighter.

I am making a heavyweight wool kilt and this stuff is a tighter weave, though lighter cloth than that. In terms of care, I don't know.

I'll say this about the fit... The Stillwaters, though I like both of mine very much, tend to "pooch" out right below the waistband. If the 2006 models have the fells sewn down, then that may no longer be the case, but it's definitely the case with my 2005 solid black and Black Watch kilts. It's not a BAD thing, but there you go....makes me look a bit "hippy". This kilt is actually slimming in appearrance. Incredible. PLAID is "slimming"? Since when?

Davey wrote me that he'd joined Xmarks, perhaps he will write and give us all clues as to care of his kilts.

I made a few modifications to the apron yesterday (worked on the kilt for about 3 hours) and widened the apron about an inch or maybe a bit more. I re-shaped the right hand edge of the apron to conform more to Barbs instructions and re-sewed on the straps. This kilt is now, by far the nicest kilt I own and it fits perfectly.

TO DAVEY AT CALEDONIA KILTS: consider adding a bit more room at the hips to your kilts. Both BJ Custard and I notice that they're a little bit tight around the bum. Could you make your over-aprons about an inch, maybe an inch and a half wider? I ripped out the stitching on the right hand edge of the over-apron, ironed out the crease, refolded and re-stitched giving myself an extra inch, maybe an inch and a quarter there. This has made all the difference in the world.