Looking for poly-viscose in Harkness Tartan, any advice? Mills, Makers. I'm stumped.

**rwharkness** · 18th June 08, 08:35 AM

I am looking to get a kilt in the Harkness tartan (red). The Harkness Hunting is green. I have only found one mill that will make it in 16 oz wool for $1000. What I have read about poly-viscose sounds good, but I can't find a mill that will make it. I also can't find a link for the Martin Mills that I keep hearing about.

Thanks,
Rich

**McMurdo** · 18th June 08, 08:45 AM

Here is the Marton Mills Website:

http://www.martonmills.com/

I would suggest getting in touch with Peter at Canadian Casual Kilts as he deals with Marton Mills and may be able to get the tartan you are looking for.

**auld argonian** · 18th June 08, 08:58 AM

Get set for some sticker shock. If you look at the threads that Rocky from USA Kilts has run in order to get enough takers interested to make a custom run of a tartan from Marton Mills possible, you'll see that it's no inexpensive proposition. That $1000 wool may seem like the way to go rather than the PV.

The only suggestions that I can make are:

Try Matt at the Scottish Tartans Museum or Barb Tewksbury...they've both had a lot of experience obtaining custom tartans...not to take anything away from any of our other kiltmakers but those are the two names that just spring to mind.

Possibly try Gordon Kirkbright ar Fraser Kirkbright but, again, you're looking at a custom run.

You have tried looking at Scotweb? Click the little box at the top of the forum pages...I see Harkness available for something like 47 GBP per meter...which may be about as good as it gets. You may get that Xmarks discount...so ya got that goin' for ya.

Best

AA

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 18th June 08, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by rwharkness

I am looking to get a kilt in the Harkness tartan (red). The Harkness Hunting is green. I have only found one mill that will make it in 16 oz wool for $1000. What I have read about poly-viscose sounds good, but I can't find a mill that will make it. I also can't find a link for the Martin Mills that I keep hearing about.

Thanks,
Rich

I doubt very much you'll find it in PV, but if you want a wool kilt, they can be had for far less than $1000. If you want a kilt in any custom woven tartan, 16 oz wool, we can provide it through the Scottish Tartans Museum. The below prices assume hips of under 46".

standard 8 yard kilt: $770
box pleated 4 yard kilt: $495
casual 4 yard kilt: $435

More details here:
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/kiltpage.html

**Alan H** · 19th June 08, 03:33 PM

Not gonna happen. You'll need 20 people to order the stuff to make enough for an order.

Your best bet to get a kilt in a tartan like this, IF Scotweb can't get it, is to get a custom weave done by a hand-weaver. MAC Newsome has connections to a handweaver, you might contact Mac

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 19th June 08, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by Alan H

Not gonna happen. You'll need 20 people to order the stuff to make enough for an order.

Your best bet to get a kilt in a tartan like this, IF Scotweb can't get it, is to get a custom weave done by a hand-weaver. MAC Newsome has connections to a handweaver, you might contact Mac

Just a correction, the cloth I have custom woven is 100% wool, and it is woven in Scotland by a small mill, but it is not hand woven. It is woven on a mechanized loom, as usual.

Now, if someone really wants hand woven cloth for their kilt, I do have a source for it. And you will pay.... :-)

**Nick the DSM** · 21st June 08, 08:03 PM

we won't have to pay out souls, right?

i hate to hear that you have that problem, i hope that you can find it in PV or something.

**Riverkilt** · 21st June 08, 10:29 PM

Not sure where on the planet you are Rich, but if you happen to be near a Scottish shop or have a Highland Games coming to town you might want to take a look at a 16 ounce handsewn wool kilt. While Poly Viscose is a wonderful fabric and I have over 20 kilts in that material, when it comes to my clan tartan I went all out with a 16 ounce wool hand sewn kilt.

Just a thought.

Ron

**sirdaniel1975** · 22nd June 08, 07:16 AM

rwharkness,

Go with the Scottish Tartans Museum on this one. Trust me!

Here's a link to their pricing on custom woven tartans:

Custom woven tartans

I think 4yards will cost about $260, or you could just have him make you a box pleat kilt with that included for $495. (I think it includes the cost for custom woven material). Or whatever route you decide, Matt gave you several options.

Like I tell my club members (because I've been trying to get them to order from the STM); the service is one of the best, the money is helping keep the museum open, and further all kinds of other things in relation to Scottish culture and research.