Newsome Box Pleat in MacMedic Tartan

[Mr. MacDougall]

A while ago, I discovered that there's a tartan used by the folks at the first aid tents at a couple of large Southeastern American highland games, the "MacMedic" tartan. Since I'm a nursing student, I decided I'd get myself a kilt in it. I'd also been looking with interest at The Scottish Tartans Museum, and the box pleat kilts the curator there, Matt Newsome, makes. I decided to use my summer income to purchase one from him. The tartan had to be custom woven, which took time, and then it sat in Mr. Newsome's queue for a while, and that took time. However, it's finally here, and I have photographic evidence.

Mr. Newsome was fantastic to work with on this, by the bye. He was able to identify my vague memory of the tartan I'd seen on a web page somewhere, find a mill for it, and get it woven. He put up with my chaotic and ever-shifting ability to actually pay for the kilt, and my thousand and one stupid questions, with grace and good humor. He kept me informed on every step of the process, which I greatly appreciated.



Here we have Mr. MacDougall in his natural environment, the bookstore. As you can see, the front of the kilt is reasonably standard-looking. (That's a Stillwater Kilts nylon cargo sporran I'm wearing, by the bye). The apron is a little wider than I'm used to, but comfortable. Mr. Newsome does something interesting with the left-side buckle... instead of piercing the fabric and buckling on the outside, Mr. Newsome puts it on the inside. Among other things, this makes it easier to adjust, should I succeed in losing weight.



And the obligatory pleat shot. As I think of it, I should have had my photographer take a back shot, to show how the box pleat differs from the knife pleat most people are used to, but I didn't think of it at the time. Alas. One thing that I've noticed is that the box pleat takes about half the material, so the kilt is lighter around my waist than a full tank.

The kilt was hand-sewn by Mr. Newsome, and he does fine work. The stitches are remarkably even, and you have to look rather closely to even see that they're there. He pleated this to the sett (such as it is), and that has the interesting effect of putting a red stripe at the bottom center of each pleat, so as I walk, it flashes red, which I find amusing. The lining is much as you'd find in a well-made tank, extending about five inches inside the aprons, and about twelve in back.

Before this kilt, I'd only owned machine-stitched kilts in artificial fabrics, or cotton canvas. The wool is different... it's a little bit rougher to the touch, but you stop noticing that pretty quickly... or at least, I do. And despite the fabric being heavier-weight, since there's less of it, the overall impression is of less weight than, for instance, a Stillwater Standard.

As Riverkilt has previously reported, these kilts are great for driving. They wrinkle a little bit while you're sitting on the pleats, but that quickly falls out after you've been up and walking for a little while.

Oh, and one final photo to prove that I'm not always either scowling or closing my eyes when pictures are taken:



So, grades:

Customer Service: A
Quality of Kilt: A
Value for the money: A
Likelihood I'll do business with this kiltmaker again: High

[Bugbear]

Congratulations.

[James MacMillan]

My box pleat is one closer, because you have yours.

I have yet to handle one of Matt's kilts, but I have never heard said or seen written anything bad about his work.

I'm really glad you like your kilt.

The tartan however, to me, looks like the tablecloth my wife uses for the picnic table. I think it's called gingham like is shown here.

Glad you like it.

[pipesndrumsnun]

The tartan however, to me, looks like the tablecloth my wife uses for the picnic table. I think it's called gingham...

James...
That is EXACTLY what I thought ("Oh my goodness! It looks like a picnic table cloth!").
Maybe there is a specifically nursing tartan??

[McMurdo]

Congratulations on the new kilt, wear it well, this also means my Newsome is one step closer.

[Mr. MacDougall]

Yes, one of my concerns about the MacMedic tartan is that it does rather look like "Clan McTablecloth." The point, however, is the repeating pattern of red crosses.

Matt and I discussed this, and he felt that getting the larger sett would make it look more tartan, and less tablecloth. Since a couple of people (including my dad) have made mention of the tablecloth resemblance, I'm not sure we entirely succeeded. 8)

[Jack Daw]

Yes, one of my concerns about the MacMedic tartan is that it does rather look like "Clan McTablecloth." The point, however, is the repeating pattern of red crosses.

Matt and I discussed this, and he felt that getting the larger sett would make it look more tartan, and less tablecloth. Since a couple of people (including my dad) have made mention of the tablecloth resemblance, I'm not sure we entirely succeeded. 8)

That's not so unusual. Some MacGregors like to wear the Rob Roy tartan, which is a red-and-black diced (checked) pattern.

[Moosedog]

Thanks for the review and the pics! Wear it with pride. Now I know who to look for should I require assistance at the games.

Moosedog

[Tattoo Bradley]

Matt does fine work. Enjoy it.

[Mael Coluim]

Very nice indeed, Mr. Mac. Thanks also for the review. Another recent report of a Newsome being obtained, which means it's getting close to my turn to have my tartans feel Mr. Newsome's needles and threads!