Frustrated by the Lewis Kilt Hose Colors

**piperdbh** · 17th February 12, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by fluter

Finally---Ron, you believe in being nice to your feet. Isn't it time you just broke down and commissioned two pairs of custom hand-knit tan hose from one of our resident knitters? You know you want them.

Bingo!

**opositive** · 17th February 12, 08:54 PM

how about these khaki kilt hose from what price glory?

good reviews, though i do not have them.

or these british india army full hose, which seem to be a little more brown.

**Riverkilt** · 17th February 12, 09:04 PM

May have to commission as suggested.

I know I can get inexpensive tan/khaki kilt hose from many vendors. What I want is LEWIS kilt hose - quality goods that are oh so comfy and well made...in a tan color....

My college minor was clothing and textiles and there's just no way, as mentioned, that I'd attempt to dye an expensive pair of Lewis kilt hose. Acrylic is acrylic. The dye happens when its spun/created. It won't absorb dye...maybe be coated for a while, but not absorb... basic chemistry.

I can live without them but I also want what I want when I want it and expect others to meet MY expectations....and I'm curious why not?

**fluter** · 18th February 12, 08:40 AM

I'll report back when I've washed the dyed hosen a few times. that walnut may only be coating the synthetics, but it coats right smartly. As shown above, they are darker than the oatmeal, so lighter may work out well.

those pairs of cream hose weren't doing much in my sock drawer. They were only ever worn with trainers----pardon me, I mean "with authentic Carolina hill-walking shoes."

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

May have to commission as suggested.

You wouldn't be sorry! There's nothing like hand knit hose made for your feet alone.

The difficult part is probably choosing the yarn. I don't know of a wool/acrylic blend like the Lewis hose. The one I'm most familiar with is merino/nylon 75/25, as in the Knitpicks Stroll yarn in fingering or sport weight.

Since you hand-wash anyway, how about 70% merino wool and 30% silk? Or up the ante a little more, with 80% merino, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon? Get with a knitter and price them out. Like the Lewis hose, they would not be cheap, but incredible value.

Hmm, I think I may have convinced myself to get busy swatching some of that merino and silk blend. It's only $6 for 50 grams (sigh)... O well, much cheaper than some other drugs.

I can live without them but I also want what I want when I want it and expect others to meet MY expectations....and I'm curious why not?

I hear you, Ron. I'm human, too.

In the final analysis, I think House of Cheviot is simply not trying to compete with Gaelic Themes, House of Edgar, et al. Their niche is based on quality, to be sure; but also offering a wide range of colors that others do not. I think if we want something comparable in the tan/oatmeal shade, we may have to go to one of the other (somewhat expensive) sources mentioned, like Unwearoutable. The pipers' hose are worth trying, but seem to come in various fiber blends, so I'd want to choose carefully.

I mentioned (only partly in jest) that lovat green is the universal hose color.

Have you noticed that at this writing, HoC does not offer lovat green or a dark forest green like the other vendors? Ancient green is close, but different; loden is in between. Instead of the dark forest green, they have a gorgeous vivid green (tartan green) that really rings my chimes.

I have brick red, claret, and purple Lewis hose, and at some point I could have added ancient red, tartan red. I really appreciate that range of choice. With the decorative cuffs and the "generic" Argyle offerings, I can forgive them for missing a mass-market niche.

Those pink and purple shooting socks are going somewhere, and I'm not one to cast nasturtiums at a fellow holding a Purdey double, y'knowwhatimean?

**mookien** · 18th February 12, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

Still haven't found tan kilt hose in a quality brand...but did find SAFFRON traditional garter ties from House of Labhran...hadn't heard of them, good web site, says they're in the Highlands of Scotland - but no address on the contact us page...makes me a bit leary...just might risk it for saffron garter ties. ...

Okay, found the House of Labhran on X Marks and an explaination of why they hide their address...they're a member but haven't posted in nearly a year.

Ron,

I don't know if it will make you feel any better, but I have bought Scottish attire from the House of Labhran as recently as November. Their products are good quality, their service (eg shipping) and communications excellent, and their prices reasonable. Ask for Tim. He is very helpful. Good luck in your quest for tan hose.

John

**mookien** · 18th February 12, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

...
But they don't make a TAN/KHAKI color for some reason...a basic neutral color that goes with ALL tartans. Go figure???
...
Any enlightenment appreciated....

If you were selling hose hand over fist in myriad colors, some varying from others only slightly, and making bookoodles of money doing it, would you offer "a basic neutral color that goes with ALL tartans"?

**ForresterModern** · 18th February 12, 08:14 PM

Ron

HoC do make a Sandringham hose in what they call bracken which appears a bit darker than regular tan but may suit the need, and they appear comparable in build to the Lewis:
http://www.shootingsocks.co.uk/acata...ng_Sock_B.html

HoC also make two other styles they call Harris and Skye which come in a more tan color they call Otter.

Orvis sell their shooting sock in a nice tan, although I am not sure if they will meet your needs as far as being hefty enough:

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=7112

**Riverkilt** · 18th February 12, 09:25 PM

Thanks guys, what I'm sold on is the quality, design, and material in the Lewis hose line - know there are lots of tan alternatives - and I own many less expensive tan hose- but I'm hoping for Lewis hose design and material in tan.

I did order them saffron/cimmamon ties and had some good email back and forth with them. Looking forward to them.

**MacGumerait** · 19th February 12, 01:59 AM

Riverkilt ,

I am not sue if this will help you , but I too went searching for khaki kilt hose hose in many places . I did find them eventually . I finally searched on ebay ( of all places ) and found them .

I discovered that if you go to ebay and enter a search for " oatmeal kilt hose " you will find a distributor out of the UK that has them and they are made in Scotland primarily for the Boy Scouts and they have them in available for adult and youth sizes .

I ordered a pair and they are excellent in color , quality and comfortabilty . They are not ornate but they are a standard kilt hose . They offer the color that I was looking for , which is to say , a light khaki color that would match the color of a khaki military uniform shirt .

Hope this helps , Mike

**ForresterModern** · 19th February 12, 05:07 AM

[QUOTE=Riverkilt;1067065]Thanks guys, what I'm sold on is the quality, design, and material in the Lewis hose line - know there are lots of tan alternatives - and I own many less expensive tan hose- but I'm hoping for Lewis hose design and material in tan.
QUOTE]

Ron

From what I can gather, aside from a different hose top pattern (cable instead of basket weave), the House of Cheviot Harris hose (in Otter=tan) and the Sandringham (in Bracken= slightly darker brown shade) should be the same as or better than the Lewis , and the Skye hose (in Otter = tan) again similar to the Lewis except for hose top pattern and ability to cover larger calves. Otherwise same build and materials. Orkney (available in Bison = tan) are even nicer as they are basket weave pattern on both the body and hose tops and described as equivalent to hand knit patterns in their catalogue. Matt as North American HoC distributor should be able to get any of them special order for you. Here is their current website where you can download two different 2011 catalogues of al thier hose in all their colors:

http://www.houseofcheviot.com/our-ca...s/sandringham/

I have Lewis and Rannoch and other HoC hose that are all basically same quality and substantial build, and similar or MORE expensive price, so unless you are really stuck on the basket weave top of the Lewis hose these alternatives really ought to be in every way as comfortable and well built as the Lewis.

Hope this helps. If you are absolutely stuck on the Lewis and it has to be in tan then I think you are SOL, but there are very comparable alternatives that are available.

j