What Price Glory: Where Do They Get Their Tartan From?

[Woodsheal]

Alex,
Check out these fabrics:

http://kiltstore.net/tartan/Black-Wa...=Black%20Watch

The "batli" mill's version is the cheapest, and looks to have a more muted "period" shade on my my monitor. You get a discount as an X-Marks member, too!

[ccga3359]

Frasier & Kirkbright remnants.

[majdan]

Alex,
Check out these fabrics:

http://kiltstore.net/tartan/Black-Wa...=Black%20Watch

The "batli" mill's version is the cheapest, and looks to have a more muted "period" shade on my my monitor. You get a discount as an X-Marks member, too!

That's a great link. I was finally able to find where to get both Oregon(as in State of) and Oregon State(as in University) Tartan.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Alex,

Sounds like what you want (heavy weight quality wool, woven in a specific sett, with period accurate colors) is not going to be readily available at a cheap price anywhere.

I am able to have woven in Scotland custom tartans -- in accurate eighteenth century colors made to Wilsons of Bannockburn specifications -- for the rate of $65 per yard. This is single width (29" wide) for small orders, but it sounds like you need quite a bit. If your order is for 30 yards or more, I have have double width (54" wide) cloth woven at the same cost.

$65/yd for 54" wide heavy kilt weight wool, made in Scotland, is a pretty good deal. As you said before, it's hard to find heavy weight kilt cloth from Scotland for less than $75 - $100 per yard these days. And this will be custom made to spec in historically accurate colors.

Consider it, and if you are interested contact me at the Scottish Tartans Museum (tartans@scottishtartans.org or 828-524-7472).

Aye,
Matt

[cacunn]

I'm trying to find another source, cheaper, for repro Government sett
wool for my Rev War Highland unit. $70-$100 a yard is absolutely
unacceptable for anything but a once-in-a-lifetime wool kilt purchase.

Alex

Alex have you looked at Fraser & Kirkbright Weaving Co. they have some Black Watch on sale for 25 Dollars Canadian.

http://www.wooltartan.com/tartans5.htm

[Mr. MacDougall]

I know nothing about these people, other than that they sent me an email when they thought I had a kilt-selling business, but Sider International is a Pakistani company who manufactures kilts and associated items. It might be worth dropping them an email and asking for a sample of cloth from them.

[ccga3359]

For government sett kilts try Stillwater Kilts. Pakistani made but decent quality and availiable in acrylic and wool. Or try ebay.

[Alexander Good]

Mr. MacD,

Thanks for the link. I'll check 'em out.

Chris C.,

Nope, acryllic is verboten. It must be 100% wool, and
it must be at least 18 ounces or more in weight. We use
it for 18th century reenacting purposes, so it must be
authentic, or reasonably so. We do a redcoated Highland
unit from Skye, the 76th Foot. Sometimes we wear kilts
or plaids, other times we wear campaigne trousers. Anyway,
I have an 1819 pattern I'd like to have followed, which is
pretty close to modern Black Watch, but there are differences.
Also, the shades are different. Period green was more like an
olive, and the enlisted mens blue was more purplish, reflecting
the cheaper dyes. I have a sample piece of fabric which I can
send for the shades, though the pattern might be problematic.

Thanks much!

Alex

[Alexander Good]

Brian,

Thanks for the link, but still too expensive, and the shades/weight's
not correct. So that means to get what I want, I need to pony up
a kidney, rob a bank, or win the lottery so that I can afford to order
yardage from Bonnie Old Scotland. Option B is find someone
in Pakistan that's reputable, such as the people Jerry at WPG uses,
and then tweak colours and pattern to get what I need. As much as
I hate ordering tartan from anywhere but Scotland, the fact that I
need lots and lots of it makes it unreasonable to get it from there.
Each person in my reenacting unit needs at least a 3.5 yard doublewidth
great kilt, a 3.5 yard singlewidth philabeg, and possibly a like amount for
tartan trousers/trews. The last time I ordered tartan from Scotland, in 2003,
tartan was still more or less affordable. Thanks to the exchange rate, that's no
longer an option for this group of middle class schmo's. So, it's off to more
affordable climes to get what I need.

Anyway, if anyone knows Jerry's source, please pass it on. Many thanks
for all who have answered, one way or the other.

Thanks much!

Alex

[MacWage]

First, "Well, Hello, There!" -Obi-Wan Kenobi
Welcome to X Marks the Scot!

Second, my favorite fabric store is 96 District Storehouse, which is based in Abbeville, SC (near me). It is a reenactment supplies store and mostly carries fabrics.
As one of their MAIN periods is American Revolution (the owner prefers French-Indian War, but little reenactments in THAT period), they usually stock a heavier weight (probably 16-18 oz) saxony Black Watch wool. It is usually $12-15/yard, though the actual price may vary somewhat depending upon the cost form their supplier(s). I used that stuff for my first self-made kilt. It is intended for reenacting AWI Highlander soldiers.
The owners, Denis and Peggy Earp are often at reenactments, so her mother runs the shop while that are away. They also don't update their site, so it is ALWAYS best to call (or go in person, if close enough).
http://www.96districtstorehouse.com/
96 District Storehouse
111 Trinity St.
Abbeville, SC 29620
864-366-9600
sales@96districtstorehouse.com