Custom toorie

[SMcCandlish]

One thing I did on my last flat cap is make a custom toorie (the pompon on the top of the hat). I went to a fabric and crafts store and picked a deep red yarn that closely matched the dominant color of my kilt. I used a method similar to the one illustrated here. Part of my motivation, other than the color, was not having a little round dingleberry on my head. I ended up making it larger than usual, then sculpting it slowly with scissors to be more like the shape of a mushroom cap, and ended up with a broader, lower, flatter toorie, about 1/2 of a sphere instead of a sphere. It looked really good, especially on an antique-ish flat cap, though it would also do well on a more typical Balmoral. Just had to pop a stitch on the liner to get at where the toorie was attached, cut the old one loose and attach the new one, then repair the headband seam. It was about an hour operation, though for someone who knows what they're doing it would be much faster. I'm looking, and I don't seem to have any pics of it, before I lost that hat at an event.

[MichiganKyle]

It's a shame you don't have a picture. Sounds like an interesting project.

[ThistleDown]

Good for you, and it will be interesting to see the result of your efforts. One thing, though, a 'flat-cap' is not a Balmoral or a Tam, both if which do have toories, whereas the flat-cap does not.

[Howling Dingo]

Needs a pic mate...

[MacHeath]

Thanks. If one goes to the link, it's all you need to know. Once I saw the slides on the link, it made perfect sense. When I got my balmoral, I was torn between getting it with a red toorie or a black one, but now I plan to make one in the colors of my tartan. How cool!

[Jock Scot]

Thanks. If one goes to the link, it's all you need to know. Once I saw the slides on the link, it made perfect sense. When I got my balmoral, I was torn between getting it with a red toorie or a black one, but now I plan to make one in the colors of my tartan. How cool!

What you and others decide to do is entirely your choice. But.......

Something for you and others to consider and that is the divergence of Scottish and North American ideas on the definition of “cool”. Now, it is true that not everyone in Scotland will agree, likewise not everyone in North America will agree either, however, a multicoloured toorie in Scotland would be considered as loud and brash by many Scots traditionalists. Not so by you at least! And fair enough.

As I understand it you and others are fairly new to kilt attire, so yes wear what you want and how you want, but at least please be aware that differences of opinions of what is “cool” will differ, sometimes quite markedly, from one side of the Atlantic to the other.