what is a commercially available tartan that you use

[Theyoungkiltman]

Under 10 dollars a yard

[unixken]

I was prepared to answer this with a list of the tartan fabrics from different mills that make up my growing collection of nice kilts. But then I read the qualifier. :/

[MacGumerait]

I was prepared to answer this with a list of the tartan fabrics from different mills that make up my growing collection of nice kilts. But then I read the qualifier. :/

Ditto , Ken .

Theyoungkiltman , you may have a challenge at that price .

[Ron Abbott]

.....and by your location, may I take it that you are referring to US dollars?

And what is the purpose of the tartan? to make a kilt or perhaps bagpipe ribbons?

If you're interested in lightweight fabric and not to bothered about quality you can always surf ebay. I've seen bales of good quality tartan on sale there as well as poorer quality stuff. For instance, here's some real lightweight, poly-viscose stuff on ebay just now within the price range:-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TARTAN-ROYAL-STEWART-POLY-VISCOSE-SCOTTISH-FABRIC-CLOTH-58-WIDE-PER-METRE-/170988501931?
pt=UK_Crafts_Fabric&hash=item27cfb57bab

But if you want good quality fabric for a kilt, you're looking at 5 to 10 times (and that's very conservative) the amount you quote!

[ratspike]

Black Watch is super easy to find in fabric stores in some sort of poly/rayon for around 10 bucks a yard. I've seen plenty of Royal Stewart and Gordon Dress also. It's fine for some stuff but speaking from experience, these inexpensive tartan fabrics are no fun to make a kilt with. If you're able to spend a little more cash then proper poly/viscose from Marton Mills will be soooooo much nicer to work with.

[craigclan]

fabric land sewing stores carry Pv tartans for about 18 a yard and if you can catch it on for half off its a great deal

[Theyoungkiltman]

Yes the quality does not matter much because it will just be a everyday super casual kilt. Ratspike, I have not seen real black watch at any fabric stores. Joann has their version but it is only a basic check rather than the overcheck of real black watch

[Theyoungkiltman]

Thanks for replying. What I might do is try and find a acrylic blanket in a tartan hopefully six inch sett and use that to make my casual kilt. I can probably find one for 3-5 dollars anyway.

[scottmphoto]

You can always try Hobby Lobby (if you have one close) and use the online (or phone app) 40% off coupon.

[OC Richard]

I've often seen wool plaid fabric in ordinary fabric shops in "real tartans", usually Black Watch, Royal Stewart, Dress Stewart, and Buchanan.

Back in the late 1970s some of us were organizing a 79th New York Highlanders group and we needed a large quantity of Cameron of Erracht tartan, cheap. On a trip back to West Virginia I found a bolt of perfectly-rendered Cameron of Erracht tartan and bought the whole thing. We got kilts made out of it. It was well under $10/yard as I recall.

There are two main problems with this sort of stuff

1) it's woven with a plain tabby weave, not the twill weave used for kilts

2) the selvedge is unsuitable for a proper hem-less kilt; you can either make the kilt traditionally and have the bottom edge of the kilt look unsightly, or you can put a hem in the kilt

My very first kilt was made for me by my grandmother from random plaid wool got cheaply at an ordinary shop (The House Of Fabrics) around 1975. I have no idea where that kilt is today. Recently I used a tartan generator programme and tried to recreate that plaid from memory; here it is!