8 yard tank in 78th Fraser tartan

[NorCalPiper]

Hi all-
I've just finished my last kilt that I'm making myself. I've made 4 and that should be enough for now with my larger measurements. I'm actually starting to down trend again, so I've made this in between my fattest measurements and my "normal", so I should get some wear out of this. OK......

In my youth, I was a member of the 78th regiment in Canada and I finally scored some of the VERY hard to get custom woven tartan. Almost 20 years to get this (Albeit there were many years in between that I didn't try), but anyway. This tartan is EXTREMELY.....um.....well....Loud you might say. I wanted to tone it down a bit and decided to pleat it to the bar. I want to point out that I have 3 terminologies. Pleating to the sett is a mimic of the actual tartan sett. Pleating to the stripe is when I pleat to a vertical stripe within the set, and lastly, pleating to the bar. Pleating to the bar means that you choose a scheme that has no vertical striping. Only left to right bars in the pleats. I choose the Charcoal teal bar and pleated to that which provides EXCELLENT contrast to the loud, bright front apron. I haven't pressed the kilt yet, but it looks REALLY fantastic-Hope ya'll enjoy. Pics of me wearing coming later today or tomorrow.

[cruiser348]

Amazing, I like how you chose to pleat. The tartan to the front is certainly loud as you said, and I am looking forward to the shots of you wearing it as I can imagine that there will be an interesting flash of color from those pleats.

[Elf]

Yes, I have seen pleating to the bar in historic photgraphs. Nice modern rendition. Good work.

[cavscout]

I trust you acquired enough for just one more kilt?

Looks great Josh, congrats

[Andy Proffitt]

That looks awesome, I have not run across that tartan. Should make you stand out even among other kilties!

[NorCalPiper]

Here's a pic of the aprons-I'll have some better ones in a day or 2, but you can see the difference-This tartan is restricted to active and veteran members only, so its not readily available.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Looks great, Josh! I see that tartan frequently worn down in Atlanta by the pipe band there, as well as by the 78th Fraser re-enactors.

[NorCalPiper]

Funny you mention that Matt. In 1986, I was a piper with the Atlanta band, and they arranged for myself and another young band mate to go and train with the squad in Montreal with the idea that we'd come back and start a squad in Atlanta. There was a lot of enthusiasm for this back then. When we returned after almost 4 months of work in Montreal, all those old guys who were in Atlanta trying to get a Garrison going decided "THEY" wanted to do the squad and dress up and shoot muskets and canons. Their style was quite contrary to the 78th proper in Canada and my friend and I who had actualy gone and did the real grunt training at the fort realized this and sorta' just let it go. I'm not actually sure what happened after that as I stayed attached to the Montreal garrison. The Atlanta Pipe Band was supposed to be the 78th on cal pipe band, but I don't remeber ever doing anything associated with the Atlanta garrison......We did wear the 78th tartan that I'm wearing in the pic above, but there was never any real association during my time with the regiment and the Atlanta Pipe Band. I believe that the failed Atlanta attempt eventually got downgraded to "Outpost". So Wearing this kilt now is kinda' a double tribute to my time with the 78ths in Montreal and my time with the Atlanta Pipe Band.

I actually have agreat pic of the Atlanta Pipe Band when we first wore the 78th tartan. We played at a Rod Stewart concert and we got our pic with him after the show. Rod is literally squatting between my legs and I'm peeking around over his right shoulder laughing my head off because he had stated that better be my sporran poking him in the rear...Classic Rod
http://www.raleighbagpiper.com/images/apb-rods.jpg

[SlackerDrummer]

Saw this on the old smart phone and had to log in on the computer to see it full-size. Sweet kilt, Josh!

[Cowher]

Beautiful kilt Josh. I think the tartan is cool. Different is usually good in my book.