X Marks the Scot - An on-line community of kilt wearers. https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/ X Marks the Scot - An on-line community of kilt wearers. en Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:06:06 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/images/misc/rss.png X Marks the Scot - An on-line community of kilt wearers. https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/ Wool Great Kilt in a spin cycle? https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f139/wool-great-kilt-spin-cycle-99422/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 20:07:37 GMT Hello all, I’ve just moved into a new place, and I’m having to adjust my method for cleaning my great kilts. At my old place, I would soak my great kilts in a tub along with some gentle wool wash,... Hello all,

I’ve just moved into a new place, and I’m having to adjust my method for cleaning my great kilts. At my old place, I would soak my great kilts in a tub along with some gentle wool wash, hand squeeze it out, and then hang it from a makeshift clothing rack, where the excess water would air dry and drip off onto the ground. However, at my new place, I’m having to dry it inside, so letting the water drip onto the floor isn’t an option as it’s inside the house and in a relatively high traffic area, so re-integrating my drip tray idea isn’t an option either. I had an idea that I would like input on. I was thinking of soaking it in wool wash as normal, hand squeezing it out, and then putting it in the washer only on a delicate spin cycle to hopefully push extra water out without wearing the fabric, and then hang drying it the last of the way and steaming it to knock wrinkles out.

Thoughts/concerns/advice?

This would only be for my wool great kilts, my method for cleaning tailored kilts should still suffice at my new home. ]]> MHorne39 https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f139/wool-great-kilt-spin-cycle-99422/ A source to cover the big question. https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f101/source-cover-big-question-99421/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 23:13:47 GMT Greetings all. I am posting this for the edification of those who have been confounded or flustered by “the question.” A proper reply is going to be the property of the one who utters it. Disclaimer... Greetings all.
I am posting this for the edification of those who have been confounded or flustered by “the question.” A proper reply is going to be the property of the one who utters it. Disclaimer might be, “For entertainment purposes only.” But isn’t most of life for our shared entertainment?

https://youtu.be/ILUbteW0Qpo

The curious fear not information. In this presentation you may find much to help you to put on a bit of a smile each time you don your kilt, however you accessorize it.

I’ll hoist a wee dram of Aberfeldy to you all, this very night.

We walked Aberfeldy, including the shady “Birks Of Aberfeldy” while ruminating on the works of Rabbie Burns. May you one day visit and walk them your sel’.

The photo of me was taken at the William Wallace Monument in Stirling Scotland. Our residence was across the bridge, closer to Stirling Castle. ]]> Traditional Kilt Wear RGRatSea https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f101/source-cover-big-question-99421/ UT Kilts vs Utilikilts - Quality? https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/ut-kilts-vs-utilikilts-quality-99420/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:12:29 GMT Does anyone have any experience with UT Kilts vs Utilikilts when it comes to quality? The UT Kilts Ultimate Business Edition reminds me of what the Mocker used to be. UT Kilts is way cheaper... Does anyone have any experience with UT Kilts vs Utilikilts when it comes to quality?

The UT Kilts Ultimate Business Edition reminds me of what the Mocker used to be.

UT Kilts is way cheaper because I believe they are made in Pakistan

Previously I was led to believe that Pakistan kilts could not compare to the quality of kilts made here in America.

Inquiring minds want to know..... ]]> General Kilt Talk pbpersson https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/ut-kilts-vs-utilikilts-quality-99420/ Pleat practice https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f100/pleat-practice-99419/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:34:53 GMT Hello, dose anyone have any advice or tips and tricks for practising plates? Thank you :) Hello, dose anyone have any advice or tips and tricks for practising plates?

Thank you :) ]]> Kilt Advice Breagh https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f100/pleat-practice-99419/ <![CDATA[Hello! I'm a newbie!]]> https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f108/hello-im-newbie-99418/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:10:06 GMT Hello! My name is Breagh and I am from the Scottish Highlands, I am a keen sewer and have decided to make a kilt from scratch, I am currently teaching myself pletes on an old pillow case! I... Hello!

My name is Breagh and I am from the Scottish Highlands, I am a keen sewer and have decided to make a kilt from scratch, I am currently teaching myself pletes on an old pillow case!

I found this group and I'm over the moon as it has hopefully made my journey a wee bit easier :)

Breagh :) ]]> Kilt Board Newbie Breagh https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f108/hello-im-newbie-99418/ New Utilikilt Sidewinder colors https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/new-utilikilt-sidewinder-colors-99417/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:07:31 GMT I was just checking out the new Utilikilt Sidewinder kilts and looking at the color selections. I can see ordering tan, olive, black, gray, and burgundy but this purple is just so purple! Is... I was just checking out the new Utilikilt Sidewinder kilts and looking at the color selections.

I can see ordering tan, olive, black, gray, and burgundy but this purple is just so purple!

Is this something that any of you might order when it is available?

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]]> General Kilt Talk pbpersson https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/new-utilikilt-sidewinder-colors-99417/ Uilikilts quality https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/uilikilts-quality-99416/ Tue, 26 May 2026 23:21:00 GMT I was doing some poking around on the web and saw a recent review relating to the Utilikilts product. They were saying the quality is not what it was many years ago. I have not ordered anything... I was doing some poking around on the web and saw a recent review relating to the Utilikilts product.

They were saying the quality is not what it was many years ago.

I have not ordered anything from them in probably 18 years and back then I thought they had a great product.

Does anyone have any stories regarding this from personal experience? ]]> General Kilt Talk pbpersson https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/uilikilts-quality-99416/ Question about the Utilikilts company https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/question-about-utilikilts-company-99415/ Tue, 26 May 2026 06:04:31 GMT Does anyone know what is going on with the Utilikilts company? When I go to their website and look at Mockers, every color is out of stock and you need to get on a waiting list. Is this because the... Does anyone know what is going on with the Utilikilts company? When I go to their website and look at Mockers, every color is out of stock and you need to get on a waiting list. Is this because the demand is too great and they can't keep up? Or are they shutting down their operations and don't have the manufacturing ability they used to?

Does anyone know? It seems sort of strange.... ]]> General Kilt Talk pbpersson https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/question-about-utilikilts-company-99415/ Is it too weird to wear an arisaid in 2026 AD? https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f100/too-weird-wear-arisaid-2026-ad-99414/ Mon, 25 May 2026 14:28:42 GMT • Arisaid, is it worth it? (as in, is it the done thing?)
• Any advice regarding design, etc., please?

Yes, trying hard not to overthink, but the stakes are high… as in, my wife’s feelings, don't want them hurt.

Wife, who’s the US-born genetic Scot having just been able to successfully deepen in exploring her maiden-name origins as of 3 years ago (inspired by our first New Hampshire Highland Games, now our not-to-miss yearly event), is getting us both to go to the homeland this August (first time!) as part of the NHScot contingent, plus a couple weeks for Clan Donnachaidh events and ancestors’ locations especially around Elgin. For my part, I’m just the multi-cultural loud enthusiast that I am, with a well established track record in three-and-a-half continents of doing things my own way. She’s the stable and saner one.

For me, weaving a Duncan tartan from scratch, starting with building the corresponding weaving loom “is the natural thing.” Because, see, “I do my own things my way.” Then, I do like to drag my wife along. Manly thing innit? Sometimes she’ll even let me. Not always with happy results: We got all dressed up (costumed?) for a Texas Czech event in what my father had lovingly recreated for her as ethnic attire from his own parents’ town area, to be confronted there by a nasty Moravian Kilt Kop equivalent (family leans mountains Hussite. Bad blood 500 years old... sigh). Obviously we never again attended any Czech event. I wouldn’t want a repeat of that experience in Scotland.

BUT. At our local Highland Games I see ladies wearing men’s kilts, and it feels a bit odd to consider a kilt for my beloved. Shouldn’t it be an arisaid? Then, as I try to learn more about "classic" Highlander women’s dress (I was writing “ladies’,” but reflected that the arisaid was commoner’s clothing, no “lady” would be caught wearing it back then, “formal” would have been a full length dress, which some women do wear at the Games, but then that makes me feel we’re risking a slide into RenFair look-and-feel…). Yes, overthinking, guilty as charged.

I’ve done as much basic research as I could.
VERY slim pickings. Tomes and whole libraries and even a museum about kilts. Almost zero on arisaids. If anyone has any influence with the National Museums Scotland, could you ask them to at least post some pictures? They do have many, many arisaid items in their storage warehouses, but... https://www.nms.ac.uk/collections/se...eyword=arisaid Their one-pager is very nice, https://www.nms.ac.uk/discover-catal...e-18th-century , the Wikipedia article decent, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arisaid yet of course it’s the Peter E MacDonald article still the best source IMHO, http://www.scottishtartans.co.uk/Mus...male_dress.pdf “this overview will spur the reader to further study of this oft neglected subject.” Indeed…

Bottom line. I “want” to make my girl an arisaid.

The “recipe” appears to be simple. Dominant off-white background (Tartan Register uses “Wilson White,” RGB=F8F8F8, which is actually greyish, I would go for “natural” wool, a bit cream or ivory)). Then a sett pattern, hmmm, Duncan, 2x Green, 1x Dark Blue, a dash of Red on the blue, White, Black on green. No biggie. In the grand scheme of things, the Tartan Register’s business model is precisely to have people create patterns (and pay to register them…), thus the whole inventing of a pattern is an encouraged and welcome thing… (I wonder what will happen to the Dalgliesh-registered patterns, but that’s not my problem)

However. Oh well, if anything goes, I guess that I’m on my own regarding the sanity of the experiment.

Alas, my dearest is so stable in her mind and attitude (and a life saver for me, not just diagnosed ADD but actually often couldn’t care less about being outlandishly creative and not noticing the consequences), that she has trouble envisioning possibilities. Thus, asking *her* opinion, which should be an “obvious” way to deal with my question on whether to even consider this additional project (after our loom, then weaving tartan for my kilt, then making the kilt… yay!), but I do like to plan ahead, even if it doesn’t look like I do, and I do like to hear people’s advice, and sometimes even will follow it… I’ve read all 10 pages of one of the several threads on X-marks regarding American tourists wearing kilts in Scotland, hmm, concerns of meeting that Moravian gentleman again.

One good thing about arisaids, it appears there is a lot of precedent on being used for other purposes than wearing it. A nice light wool blanket would end up useful, if wearing it is a fail.

So, please, let’s you opinionate and have a say… Arisaid, worth it? Design ideas (or precedent!!!!!) for a Duncan/ Donnachaidh (even Robertson) arisaid? ]]> Kilt Advice NHhighlander https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f100/too-weird-wear-arisaid-2026-ad-99414/ Canada Day in London https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f107/canada-day-london-99413/ Sun, 24 May 2026 18:04:35 GMT So who's all going to Canada Day in London (England)?
In the past a few of us would meet up kilted at the Canada Day party in Trafalgar Square, London, on 1st July.
Canada House is a large complex with one of its frontages facing Trafalgar Square, and as befitting a Nation with a shared monarchy, UK hands over Trafalgar Square to Canada for that one day in the year. Admission is free, but is capacity controlled so at busy times you may need to queue for entry.
The event comprises a hockey tournament, trade exhibitions, food stalls include poutine and Tim Hortons, and is attended by Canadian ex-pats and holidaymakers as well as those of us who have some connection with Canada.
It has been over ten years since I last attended. My wife has never been to Canada Day and we should be in London for a week around that time of year so hoping to take her to the event this year.
Let me know in good time if you are planning to attend and I would bring a kilt with me and arrange to meet up. ]]> Kilt Nights cessna152towser https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f107/canada-day-london-99413/ Slainte! https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f108/slainte-99412/ Sat, 23 May 2026 20:21:46 GMT Hello to all :-) Via my mother's family I am a member of Clan Hay + in the dim & distant past, while an officer of the Royal Canadian Legion in San Francisco, CA, our color party portrayed the WWII Black Watch of Canada. Glad to be on board! :-)
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]]> Kilt Board Newbie richbradley56 https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f108/slainte-99412/ New old loom for weaving tartan https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/new-old-loom-weaving-tartan-99411/ Sat, 23 May 2026 19:29:12 GMT I'll tell the stories later, but for now, here.

Day one.

The basic concept is a single-width loom, prioritizing in order:
  1. productivity and quality (this one mostly evenness). Mandatory, then, flying shuttle and automated positive take-up (this is a thingamabob that pulls in the fabric exactly the distance of one pick as each new thread is added, assuring exact squares)
  2. reasonable imitation of a 1780s AD loom as might have existed in Nova Scotia in the log cabin of a former crofter. No metal or plastic. Flying shuttle fits just barely within that era, the auto take-up is clearly an anachronism, but I need it (or feel that I need it...). I'm having so much fun with this half-valid excuse to do tenon-and-mortise! Just feels right.
  3. sustainability, as in rescued materials. Originally I wanted to build it with ancient barn wood, but I got antsy and just grabbed some lumber I had around for a household project. Cheating here, I guess, but next one will be with pallet wood, yay!


Design started from James D. Scarlett's "How To Weave Fine Cloth," the one book that got me through much confusion that had me stuck a long time, besides being a most entertaining read. I purchased a copy on the advice of our most learned and generous historian, @figheadair. While I am old fashioned and needed the paper copy, Scarlett's is in the Internet Archive for loan, https://archive.org/details/isbn_0835929868

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]]> General Kilt Talk NHhighlander https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/new-old-loom-weaving-tartan-99411/ A new game coming to Oklahoma https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f97/new-game-coming-oklahoma-99410/ Thu, 21 May 2026 23:42:44 GMT The battle on 66 is in the works. It will be on aug 8th at the creek county fairgrounds. Admission price is $8 prepay or $10 at the gate. We will be having the adaptive class and all the other... The battle on 66 is in the works. It will be on aug 8th at the creek county fairgrounds. Admission price is $8 prepay or $10 at the gate. We will be having the adaptive class and all the other classes. I'm helping organize and host it plus will be competing in the adaptive class. The website is being set up and there is a Facebook page for it. ]]> Highland Games and Celtic Event Discussion Kilted contractor https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f97/new-game-coming-oklahoma-99410/ New great kilt https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/new-great-kilt-99409/ Thu, 21 May 2026 01:17:49 GMT Just received my great kilt today from The Celtic Croft. Took a minute to figure out the buckles and how to put it on, but that’s on me. Love the tartan, and it’s got a nice weight to it, although it... Just received my great kilt today from The Celtic Croft. Took a minute to figure out the buckles and how to put it on, but that’s on me. Love the tartan, and it’s got a nice weight to it, although it is a bit bulky around the mid section as opposed to my old traditional kilt.IMG_0876 Medium.jpegIMG_0878 Medium.jpegIMG_0872 Medium.jpeg
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]]> General Kilt Talk The Tartan Sparky https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/new-great-kilt-99409/ Anyone heard from Susan Rose? or mykiltmaker.com? https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f116/anyone-heard-susan-rose-mykiltmaker-com-99408/ Tue, 19 May 2026 04:21:24 GMT Hello, our band is looking to have Susan make some additional kilts from us. She’s made some in the past for us. We haven’t been able to get in touch with her. Thanks Hello, our band is looking to have Susan make some additional kilts from us. She’s made some in the past for us. We haven’t been able to get in touch with her.

Thanks ]]> Professional Kiltmakers Hints and Tips kful https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f116/anyone-heard-susan-rose-mykiltmaker-com-99408/