Camellid started a thread on 1/7/2009 entitled “A Little History, Please,” asking for the historic reasoning/use of our kilt accruements.
On one of the posts MacMillan of Rathdown wrote,

"I've always believed that the kilt pin, as we know it, evolved from the blanket pin, which any proper Scottish gentleman knows is the only real kilt pin. As Chad pointed out above, the kilt pin really doesn't do much to hold the apron of the kilt in place. However, the corner of the apron does provide a handy place to store a blanket pin until needed.

Why a blanket Pin?

Simple. It allows you fasten your plaid around you (they have no button, zip, or velcro closure) when the need arises. If you "pop a button" on your tweeds the handy blanket pin will close your jacket against the mightiest gale. And once you've stuffed your deer into a bag, you can pin it closed shoving the needle through fabric and hide alike. Just try doing that with your wee claymore or bejeweled grouse claw.

In short, like so many other Scottish inventions, the "blanket" kilt pin is useful.”
What was a blanket pin, I wondered? A large safety pin, in the manner of the kilt pins? A quick search on the web took me to Tractor Supply that showed pins for horse blankets. Yep, that’s it, alright. A trip to my local Tractor Supply I was able to acquire two of them,



As you can see they are quite larger than the “kilt pins” from the local fabric store.



Well, I don't put myself in the league of proper Scottish gentlemen, but they look really sharp on my new Robertson Red and X Marks kilts. Thanks, Scott!