mill question

[haxtonhouse]

I am going to buy some tartan to make some kilts for my sons and I, and the Nevis tartan range by Hedga has the best price. has anyone has any experiences with them? It says it has a tuck-in selvedge, I don't know what that is- help please!!

[ForresterModern]

I am going to buy some tartan to make some kilts for my sons and I, and the Nevis tartan range by Hedga has the best price. has anyone has any experiences with them? It says it has a tuck-in selvedge, I don't know what that is- help please!!

hedga is short hand for House of Edgar, an old and very reputable weaver with excellent quality and reputation. I have a couple HoE (another shorthand for them) tartan kilts in 13 and 16oz wts and they are great.

Tuckin selvedge merely refers to the type of edge the fabric has (the selvedge) and a tuck in is a good one, appropriate for kilt making.

hope this helps.



Jeff :ootd:

[haxtonhouse]

yes it does, thanks. I read somewere that I may have to pay a customs fee? does anyone know how to figure that out?

[Mark Keeney]

yes it does, thanks. I read somewere that I may have to pay a customs fee? does anyone know how to figure that out?

Order it from a stateside retailer and they will take care of the duties.

[haxtonhouse]

would they charge you a fee for doing that?

[Morris at Heathfield]

I believe a tuck-in selvedge is one that is created by a rapier loom, as opposed to a shuttle loom. Rapier looms can operate at a significantly higher speed than shuttle looms, but whereas the shuttle on a shuttle loom carries the weft thread back and forth across the warp, the rapier on a rapier loom carries the weft thread in only one direction across the warp. After it reaches the far end of the warp, it pulls the loose end of the weft thread back as it retracts. Because of this, the finished textile will be thicker at the selvedge than elsewhere. The advantage of a tuck-in selvedge is that it saves time and, therefore, money. The disadvantage is that it is less esthetically pleasing than a tradtional selvedge.

[ForresterModern]

Morris correct in his description of the tuck in selvedge and rapier loom. Older style shuttle loooms provide a selvedge that is usually imperceptible, whereas the faster rapier looms cut the end of each weft thread(those running perpendicular to the long axis of the bolt of fabric, or selvedge to selvedge) and literally tucks it back into the warp threads along with the next weft thread for a bout 1/4-3/8 inch, making the selvedge slightly thicker than the rest of the fabric and sometimes with a somewhat frayed looking line visible where all the tucked in cut ends line up. In my experience, HoE is not thee only one who uses these looms and they seem to do a good job keeping them "in tune" enough that their tuck in selvedges are pretty unnoticeable. Others are less consistent.

The Nevis range of HoE tartans is just their 16 oz tartan group that is made on those looms. Their web site:

http://www.houseofedgar.com/acatalog/Tartans.html

HoE is known for its rich colors, its Rare and Select line of some unusual and uncommon older group of tartans, and for actually extending its business beyond just the weaving process to actually include some finished products and a line of Highland attire and accessories at retail.

I have one HoE Nevis kilt, the fabric is fine and the selvedge only noticeable if you really go looking for it. I also have one in a rare and select tartan made on a more classic looom with a standard kilting selvedge that is in 13oz tartan whose selvedge is only slightly better despite the different technologies used. The colors in each are beautiful and strong, the fabric finish is very good. Their fabrics are well known and they are a well respected well established company in the tartan business.

[HeathBar]

would they charge you a fee for doing that?

Not so much a fee, but what ever they regularly sell the material for. And that can vary between $75 and $100 a yard. When I purchased material 10 years ago it was in the $250 dollar range. I think the duties were $60. But this will depend upon the carrier, DHL, FedEx, UPS. Each may have there their own handling fees tacked on. I've heard that if you have it sent by Royal Mail which then comes to you by USPS, the duties can be avoided. But the delivery time could be weeks. Best of luck.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Another thing about the Nevis range of heavy weight cloth that Edgar offers is that it is supposed to be chemically treated to be stain resistant.

I've done one kilt so far with their Nevis cloth and couldn't really tell any difference between it and their standard heavy weight cloth (except for the selvage).

We don't have their "Nevis" range listed on our site, but if you are looking for a state-side supplier I'd be happy to order it for you. Either call or email me at the museum and I'll look up a price. Should be a bit less expensive than their standard 16 oz range.

[Dan R Porter]

I had a suspicion Matt could close this thread