Help Me Choose a Tartan!

**guitarmatt** · 10th February 10, 04:11 AM

Thanks for all the responses so far, I'm starting to think more favouraby of the Price tartan. Knowing that Bately might still be weaving it is good info too. I think I'll call around and see if it's available.

**ForresterModern** · 10th February 10, 06:42 AM

Yes the Batley Bros mills are still supposedly weaving tartan, as it was non-tartan mills that were at least temporarily shut.

Your Price of Wales tartan, lucky for you, is one of the few actually included in Scotweb's Economy 8yard tartan kilt selection, which means you can have the same Balmoral quality kilt in the Batley material 16oz 8yd tank (just not hand sewn) for only 202.52gbp according to today's listing, using your 10% xmarks discount available if you enter the Scotweb page via clicking on the advert top right of every xmarks forum page, and you can have it within about 5-8 weeks. That Price of Wales tartan is an attractive tartan IMHO with nicely muted colors----Batley Mills tend to make relatively muted colors in all its fabrics in my opinion.

Most of us on the forum would consider a 16 oz 8yd Balmoral made kilt in a family tartan by Scotweb a steal at the price of 202.52gbp (including VAT and shipping), which would be equivalent to about $270US. Batley mills makes a nice tartan with a decent quality kilting selvedge---only negatives are its colors are more muted (could be a negative or positive depending on your eyes for the fabric), the wool finish is slightly more coarse (not enough IMHO to be appreciable to most folks), and the selvedge is a tuck-in rapier cut selvedge rather than the old fashioned kilting selvedge (a bit rougher than the classic, but few places do the classic anymore anyway, especially not in this price range).

I would not hesitate to buy the Scotweb economy 8yd Balmoral kilt in Wales of Price 16oz 8yd at that price and wear it with pride---it will be a great kilt and serve you well, and make your family proud. I doubt you would ever find someone outside the Price family who would recognize the tartan as such, but that is the norm in Scotland and even moreso outside the UK. If you instead had a hankering for a handsewn you could always just order the tartan fabric from Scotweb in 16oz Batley double width at 33gbp per meter (you would only need 4 meters unless you are a really large-girth individual), then find your own artisan kiltmaker to make you a traditional handsewn (there are multiple kiltmakers here on the forum that various of us have used and could recommend to you). Although I doubt that most folks, kiltwearers or no, could tell the difference between the two at that level or workmanship. I have a Scotweb kilt and it is beautiful and well made---as a matter of fact it is also of Batley material, but 13oz instead of 16oz.

Go for the family you know you have, and wear it proudly. You can always branch out into other tartans if you find particular connections to other families or fondnesses of other tartans later, but having a 16oz 8yd tank in one's own family tartan (no matter how historic it is) is a worthwhile investment, especially at the available price point. By the way, just because it says it is in stock at Scotweb, all that means is that they can usually get it from the mill in short order, but not always. So a wait might be in the starts if the tartan is not literally sitting on the shelf either at Scotweb or Batley.

Good luck with your decisions.

Jeff

**ForresterModern** · 10th February 10, 07:03 AM

You can also see and potentially order a swatch or more at the following site which also lists the Price of Wales as the same as the Rice of Wales tartan:

http://welshtartans.bpweb.net/welsh-...age=3&sort=20a

They do not charge for up to three swatches except for the shipping to get it to you which should be cheaper than the 4.5gbp they quoted to the US----actually free to the UK I believe. That way you could get a look at the tartan you might be purchasing to verify that you like the colors.

jeff

**dfmacliam** · 10th February 10, 08:02 AM

Get the kilt you feel the most connection. Wear it with pride and enjoy... Just follow your heart... if you feel you just have to have it made by a particular kiltmaker.. go that way.. but educate yourself about the very many kiltmakers that are available.
This site has quite a few sponsers that are very fine kiltmakers.. My kilts are made by two of them... Freedom Kilts made my US Marine Corps Leatherneck, and Keltoi made my Saffron and O'Saffron.. I am very happy with the quality of workmanship I have received, and both of these kiltmakers are located in Canada.
I will not tell you to use anyone in particular.. just ask you to shop around, educate yourself, and buy from the kiltmakers who make you feel the most comfortable.

**bricelythgoe** · 10th February 10, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by guitarmatt

I'll almost certainly have my kilt made by Celtic Craft Centre here in Edinburgh. I've gone in for a few things and they've been really nice and helpful, and their kilts are gorgeous. They can get pretty much anything, at least that's the impression I got looking through their swatch books.

If that is the case, I would try and find a connection to a tartan through some family history research and using the Scottish Tartans Authority. I have seen those swatch books and there are a lot of tartans in there. I have found that trying to find one that looks good can be difficult. That is, it can be difficult to narrow it down because there are TONS of good looking tartans. Good Luck.

**davidlpope** · 10th February 10, 08:25 AM

Matt,

As someone who has a strong interest in highland culture but an English surname, here's my $.02:

If you are planning to frequently attend highland games or Scottish events, I'd strongly encourage you do further genealogical research and see if you have any connections to the Scottish Highlands which might guide you in the choice of a tartan. Many folks have a very enjoyable time as part of a particular "clan society". This gives you a base of operations, so to speak, at the games as well as a community of people that you will get to know and enjoy hanging out with. If this becomes the case then you would almost certainly want that clan's tartan.

For my part, I believe that the kilt is the attire of the Highlands of Scotland and attempts to make it a "pan-celtic garment" actually do damage to it's rich cultural heritage, hence I'm not too keen on "Welsh" tartans.

That being said, if you are solely looking for a kilt to wear as a garment of clothing, devoid of it's cultural pedigree, then I would purchase what looks best to you, in the same way that one would purchase a shirt, tie, or suit.

Cordially,

David

**guitarmatt** · 10th February 10, 08:34 AM

A few thoughts I've had over here:

1. More family research on my end is definitely in order. There are Moirs, a variation on Muir, on my fathers side a few generations back. There's also the California tartan (I grew up in and still love CA, even if I love Scotland more) which is based on the Muir tartan, as John Muir did a lot of conservation work in CA.

2. I've looked through the Welsh tartan swatch book, so I know I like the look of the Price tartan in person. However, I've seen Welsh kilts (that is, made from tartan from the Welsh mill) next to Scottish kilts (tartan from Scottish mills) and just don't look near as good. The fabric doesn't have the weight and body it needs to really look good as a kilt. If I went with the Price tartan, I'd want to take a look at a swatch from Bately, which leads to the next point...

3. The picture of Bately's Price tartan on Scotweb isn't right. The colors are more or less right, but you can see a purple square cut into four quadrants by a heavy gold line, with 4 smaller gold crosses in each quadrant. That pattern doesn't occur in the Price tartan. Take a look here. My guess is that someone just chose the wrong thumbnail image. It doesn't really matter as I'd like to hold a swatch in my hands first.

4. Maybe I can cut a deal with Scotweb regarding shipping. They're actually located about 100 metres from my flat.

**guitarmatt** · 10th February 10, 08:39 AM

David,

You bring up a good point in that I'm looking for more than just an article of clothing, but something to carry some meaning. Now, will the tartan I use come along with some of that meaning built in already, or will I have to start from scratch making new meaning for myself and my family? If I go with the Welsh tartan I recognize that on its own it's not worth much. But, through my own intentional investment, I'm sure it would come to mean something.

**davidlpope** · 10th February 10, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by guitarmatt

David,

You bring up a good point in that I'm looking for more than just an article of clothing, but something to carry some meaning. Now, will the tartan I use come along with some of that meaning built in already, or will I have to start from scratch making new meaning for myself and my family? If I go with the Welsh tartan I recognize that on its own it's not worth much. But, through my own intentional investment, I'm sure it would come to mean something.

Matt, perhaps there is some already-existing Welsh custom/ tradition that you could consider engaging in, such as choral singing or learning the Welsh language? That way your own intentional investment would be firmly rooted in a genuine connection to the culture of Wales. Just an idea.

Cordially,

David