Scottish Bonnets?

**Ryan Ross** · 23rd January 12, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by opositive

i am glad to make your ears burn once again. found it. thank you.

That's what I'm here for, good Sir.

Originally Posted by RAF

Yes, that part I figured out, but do you (Ryan) make the hats, or Abigail? That's where I got turned around.

The answer to your question is "Yes".

...though Abigail is currently making the majority of them, at the current time. Hers are not discernible from mine, though, so fear not. I taught her every step of my process meticulously, including teaching her to knit from the ground up.

Note: I do not run a sweatshop.

**Dale Seago** · 23rd January 12, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Ryan Ross

I taught her every step of my process meticulously, including teaching her to knit from the ground up.

<sigh>

In the auld days in th' Japans, a master wad alwis haud a wee bit back frae th' students, fer guid reason lest he be bewrayed.

**Ryan Ross** · 23rd January 12, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Dale Seago

<sigh>

In the auld days in th' Japans, a master wad alwis haud a wee bit back frae th' students, fer guid reason lest he be bewrayed.

LOL

**Nick the DSM** · 23rd January 12, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Ryan Ross

Note: I do not run a sweatshop.

Oh, good, you've joined the 21st century and installed A/C.

**Sorcha** · 23rd January 12, 09:01 PM

My two cents is this:

Buy one hand-made, preferably in America. I don't think I need to expound on the reasons to put your money where your heart/home is. There are patterns out there to incentivize you to make one (or more) yourself. That's what got Ryan into knitting, I hear.

The standard bonnet takes about 8 hours of knitting, plus another 2 hours of felting and finishing. Nobody is getting rich off of these.

The prices I've seen are competitive. Ryan and I make them because we love to make a good product that discerning kilties love to wear. We have been known to enjoy a good barter, and are open to out-of-the-ordinary yarn colors and special requests inasmuch as we can accommodate. We even have sources for locally-produced yarn. We sell them through the Museum because we specifically want to support the Museum, and we keep the prices as low as we can because we want you to buy them!

Keep up your sartorial shenanigans and keep your money where your heart is.

Pax vobiscum, kilties, knitties and you elusive knilties.

**Ryan Ross** · 24th January 12, 08:54 AM

Speak of the devil!

...seriously though, I think we need a social group called Knilties. Heck, kilted knitting should be an Olympic sport.

**unaspenser** · 24th January 12, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by Sorcha

My two cents is this:

Buy one hand-made, preferably in America. I don't think I need to expound on the reasons to put your money where your heart/home is. There are patterns out there to incentivize you to make one (or more) yourself. That's what got Ryan into knitting, I hear.

The standard bonnet takes about 8 hours of knitting, plus another 2 hours of felting and finishing. Nobody is getting rich off of these.

The prices I've seen are competitive. Ryan and I make them because we love to make a good product that discerning kilties love to wear. We have been known to enjoy a good barter, and are open to out-of-the-ordinary yarn colors and special requests inasmuch as we can accommodate. We even have sources for locally-produced yarn. We sell them through the Museum because we specifically want to support the Museum, and we keep the prices as low as we can because we want you to buy them!

Keep up your sartorial shenanigans and keep your money where your heart is.

Pax vobiscum, kilties, knitties and you elusive knilties.

I couldn't have said it better myself, Sorcha. I've been doing bonnets for five years now, the one for Woodsheal was the very first one, and it is much more for love of knitting and Scottish culture than for getting rich. ;)

**Ryan Ross** · 24th January 12, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by unaspenser

I couldn't have said it better myself, Sorcha. I've been doing bonnets for five years now, the one for Woodsheal was the very first one, and it is much more for love of knitting and Scottish culture than for getting rich. ;)

That's a fact!

I learned to knit about 10 years ago, and knitting a bonnet was what I had in mind from the very beginning. That said, I only knit my first bonnet a few years ago, and never had any intention of selling them. But Prof. Newsome got a look at them and immediately told me that the Museum needed to offer them; how could I say no? So y.eah, hoepully we rare breed of bonneteers are making some folks happy with our hats. I know that when I first started kilting, also about ten years ago, I would have given a LOT to get a proper knit and felted bonnet, as the modern bonnets never looked right on me. So hopefully the new generation of kilties will be better equiped now, as a result of our labor of love.

**Jack Daw** · 24th January 12, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Geoff Withnell

The caubeen is my preference as well. J. Byous as a wide variety colors, weights, fabrics, with and without tails, toories etc.

http://www.jbyous.com/Headwear1.html

A nice choice, Geoff, but I got mine at Glengarry Hats. When I bought mine, the price was $45, I think.

http://www.glengarryhats.com/irish_caubeen.php

**tyger** · 24th January 12, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by Ryan Ross

I know that when I first started kilting, also about ten years ago, I would have given a LOT to get a proper knit and felted bonnet, as the modern bonnets never looked right on me. So hopefully the new generation of kilties will be better equiped now, as a result of our labor of love.

Amen, brother. Our militia moto is: "Handmade all the way." That is our history, our past, let it be our future. May the artisan always find the niche, and the niche the artisan.