Greetings from Alaska

**J H S** · 10th May 15, 10:56 PM

Hello,

Nice to find such an active board of Kilters.

My home is the maritime rainforest's of Southeast Alaska.

I do a lot of tree sitting, quietly watching and taking in the many sites and sounds of the ancient wood, for hours at a time.

It is important to me, as a matter of respect, that my clothing fit the forest, and my woods wear is very different from my town wear.

My interest in Kilts follows a lot of experimentation with synthetic and natural fibers while ocean fishing and still hunting with camera and charcoal.

I wear merino wool and possum fur next to the skin, adding additional natural fiber layers as needed. I much prefer to get wet in the wool than clammy in synthetics; not for everyone I know. I find that once acclimated to a moist skin covered in good wool, my comfort level is greatly extended, even in rain I do not worry about getting 'wet', and my raincoat is used mostly for protecting my gear.

Over my under-layer, I wear denim or wool trousers, and an oversize shirt, typically spraying lines of bleach into greens and blacks, which makes a fair and comfortable outer-wear, that is most invisible in the similar patterns of the old growth.

I collect hand woven wool blankets, and use a length of Blackwatch tartan, cut from a Pendleton blanket, as my 'Kilt', friction-tuck wrapped, or hung on a belt.

My current interest, is not so much in pleated Kilts, but rather in my understanding of the earlier 8 yard long Kilt, used for highland trekking, the 'pleats' being not sewn, but rather an matter of consequence when bunched on the belt.

I am convinced that the long Kilt will complete my wood wear with a versatility that cannot otherwise be obtained.

Currently I am hunting an 8 yard length of fine wool to use as a long Kilt. My expectation is to find the yardage, and cut and finish by hand here in my studio. I like Blackwatch, the deep greens and blacks work well in the rainforest; but the quality of the wool is more important than the color, as long as it is neutral earth toned....from deep greens, and blacks, on through the more common natural wool colors of browns to sand....nothing to bright, and a mottled weave or pattern will be preferred to solids.
I hope to find wool from a cold and wet environment, and expect to wear it for years and years.

Any pointers as to who might make a fine example of this description, as well as traditional methods of wear, will be most welcome.

The Sporran is also of interest, to carry my ready art materials for sketching, sorry if my usage is a bit off the map!

All of this is my intuitive thinking, I have much to learn of Kilts. My ancestry is homed in Wales and Scotland, so I am told, though my name of Shepard seems a bit English to me. Ah well, courting was complicated back there and then.

I look forward to learning more about Kilts, and traditional highland wear, as used on the moorlands, when the home fire was days away.

Thank you,

Jim

**Spartan Tartan** · 11th May 15, 01:50 AM

from Rhode Island.

**Jock Scot** · 11th May 15, 02:21 AM

Welcome, from Inverness-shire.

I would have a good look at "weathered tartans" they might be more in line with your requirements. I should think that Black Watch tartan in traditional hues(modern, it is rather confusingly called) will look black when wet and in my experience, anything black stands out a mile in most country surroundings. Having spent much of my life out on the hill, sometimes in other places in the world, but mainly in Scotland, then tweed in its many and various hues would be a serious consideration for you. Remember that tweed is the original "cammo gear" and many Scottish estates still clad their estate staff in tweed that blends in with the locality, they can look a tad strange on the high street though!