New Poster. Ahoy all.

**Rome** · 26th October 08, 08:01 PM

Hey everyone.

I attend the Stirling Ren Faire every year in NY and finally decided to go ahead and get a kilt. I originally bought a "cheater-pleated" kilt, and recently exchanged it for a "great kilt". I really like the look of all that tartan!

Its in the mail on its way to me, and I was looking around for information. I stumbled across this site, and decided to post.

I don't know I'f I'll ever be one to wear kilts on regular days, but maybe someday.

I have a few questions too, perhaps someone will be willing to answer.

I bought a Black Watch (they only had 5 options in the cheaper wool blend variety - I'm pretty poor) 5 yard great kilt. I am 5'8", 165lbs. The salesman said it would be big enough to wrap around my shoulders and brooch it, or over my head, etc etc.

I'm wondering what the difference is between a 4,5,6,8 yard kilt is. How can a 5 yard great kilt be enough tartan to wrap around my shoulders, and a 5 yard kilt I saw online just be a modernized skirt-like kilt with no extra fabric?

Anyways, hope to get to know you all as I continue to post here! Once I get my kilt in the mail, I'll take a picture and post. Should look good with my shoulder length red hair ^_~.

God Bless!
~Rome

**fudgeman** · 26th October 08, 08:07 PM

from Charlotte, NC

**macneighill** · 26th October 08, 08:11 PM

First things first . .

from "Karst Kountry" . . beautiful Central Kentucky, USA

Second, there are many, better qualified folks on here that could offer a better answer than I could ever attempt.

**Rome** · 26th October 08, 08:27 PM

Hello to both of you and thanks for the welcome.

**Matty Ross** · 26th October 08, 08:31 PM

Ceud Mile Failte
(A HUNDRED THOUSAND WELCOMES)
from
Matty ROSS

**Moosedog** · 26th October 08, 08:57 PM

First, welcome from Oregons' beautiful Willamette Valley!

Your great kilt probably is made of double-width fabric. (Originally, they were made of two lengths of fabric sewn together--looms of the time could only make fabric 24-27 inches, approx. Modern looms can handle much wider fabric , so many types of fabric, including kilting wool, are available 54-60." So most great kilts are made of this uncut fabric.

A "modern" kilt of 4-10 yards is made either of a single-width fabric or a double-width that has been split. What goes around comes around, eh? The various lengths you mention and how well they work out for a particluar kilt are based on a variety of factors including such things as such as pleating method (box, double box, knife, etc) how wide and deep your pleats are, the sett size, fabric weight, your kiltmaker's skill, and how big around you are.

Whether you have enough fabric in your great kilt to go over your head is largely dependent on your height, where you wear the kilt, and the width of the fabric, not the length. You belt the plaid around you; the part above the belt is what you have to play with.

I hope this helps. This forum has a great search engine, also Matt Newsome's articles and the Scottish Tartans Museum's website have lots of info on the evolution and design of the kilt.

Moosedog