Regarding the Keith School of Kiltmaking aka Keith Kilt and Textile Center

[Alan H]

I was in Keith about a week ago and I stopped in to ask directions to the House of Edgar Mill. I had permission from Blair MacNaughton to visit the mill and we were running late. I became involved in a long conversation, mostly one-sided but yet interesting with the woman at the center. I can sense that this thread could become embroiled in significant controversy, and yet I told this person that I would post here on X Marks about our meeting. I ask all participants to post with some restraint, and ask the moderators to please keep an eye on this thread and lock it if it "goes south".

I will leave out a lot of the personal conversation that took place, and just want to say a few specific things about the school.

1. They are up and running with a different kilting instructor

2. They have several students signed up for the next course, at this moment I forget how many, but I think six. I'm not clear if all the students are locally from Keith and previously employed in the textile industries in some form or other, or if they are taking students from all over the UK, or even worldwide.

3. They have moved from the former location to a new shop front in what I believe is the retail center of Keith. The front of the space is a storefront, and an attractive one at that. The kiltmaking part is in the back. It was a bit of a mess when I saw it, but it certainly could handle six apprentice kiltmakers at a time, when tidied up.

4. I heard a number of details, of which I am not clear, about how many kilts must be made, and of what style etc. in order to acquire certification from a Board whose name I do not recall. If I recall correctly, this certification used to require the manufacture of 15 kilts of various types, and now it requires 6 kilts. However, I am confused because I spoke at some length with a different kiltmaker in Scotland who also trains apprentices and from them I got the impression that 15 kilts was still required. Upshot is that I don't actually know how many kilts must be constructed in order to achieve this certification. However, the woman at the Keith school seemed certain that their trainees would in fact be certified, when done.

I know that this is all rather confusing and vague, but I hope it's informative for anybody who might be interested in the situation that the school is in and has some prior knowledge of it.

[Downunder Kilt]

Going on from Alans opening post, here is the website of the new course http://www.kiltsandtextiles.org/page/kiltmaking_courses
And it does appear that you have to make six kilts. Cheers

[Downunder Kilt]

According to the Assessment notes of the Scottish Qualifications Authority in the Assessment Guidelines in Kiltmaking 3 at SCQF Level 6 as at March 2013, the requirement is
"Range of Kilts
Candidates must complete a minimum of six kilts of commercial quality of which:
 One must be a solid block single colour.
 Five must be of different tartans to include heavy weight, medium weight, symmetrical and asymmetrical fabrics.
 Each of the pleating options must be covered — knife pleat, box pleat, to sett and to stripe.
 All customer types must be covered — adult, lady and child."

Page 22 of the notes