Received my new USA Kilts 8yd

[OC Richard]

You give me hope, as I am waiting on an eight-yard kilt from USA Kilts...

Your name is Patience, after all

I too have a USA kilt on order, my first from them, and my first tweed kilt from anyone.

My patience is aided by the fact that all Scottish-themed events have been cancelled, and I have no bagpipe jobs on the books.

We need more patience in the world, I feel. I think the current situation is forcing us to be better at it.

[revdpatience]

I'm only able to be so patient because I knew from the start (in January) that my order would take quite a bit longer than normal.

My kilt and waistcoat will be in the MacColl Ancient tartan, which Lochcarron had to weave specially as it was not in stock. They hadn't had a chance to start weaving it before the coronavirus shut the mill down in March.

Lucas at USA Kilts has been keeping me apprised throughout the process and, as you say, the event at which I would have debuted my new kilt (the Wisconsin Highland Games on Labor Day weekend) has been canceled, anyway, so there's no real urgency.

I did do a kilted fundraiser for a nonprofit I support since their run/walk event was canceled -- that gave a local bagpiper at least one gig.

And I've got a Robert Mackie diced fawn Balmoral on its way. The "jocking" should occupy my time for a little bit, at least.

Your name is Patience, after all

I too have a USA kilt on order, my first from them, and my first tweed kilt from anyone.

My patience is aided by the fact that all Scottish-themed events have been cancelled, and I have no bagpipe jobs on the books.

We need more patience in the world, I feel. I think the current situation is forcing us to be better at it.

[OC Richard]

My kilt and waistcoat will be in the MacColl Ancient tartan, which Lochcarron had to weave specially as it was not in stock. They hadn't had a chance to start weaving it before the coronavirus shut the mill down in March.

Wow, good luck with the progress of that.

We here in California have a half-century familiarity with that tartan due to it long being worn by local piping icon and Gold Medallist Jimmy McColl.

As you probably know The Clan MacColl is one of the most beautiful of the great pipe marches.

I've got a Robert Mackie diced fawn Balmoral on its way.

Ooooh those are beautiful, perhaps the nicest of the traditional colours.

Are Mackie open and taking orders? What has the process been like?

Because I have a design in mind, an old one, but not one that would be in stock, a Balmoral done in this colour-scheme



As seen in this illustration from the 1930s



The lovely 2/4 March, The Clan MacColl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS7fKvM_o-0

I can only find this old photo of Jimmy McColl wearing modern colours, I'm pretty sure that in recent decades he wore ancient.

[revdpatience]

As soon as I saw this style of Balmoral from Mackie, I knew it would eventually be the one I bought.

I finally ordered the bonnet from J. Higgins in April I think, and had to wait several weeks for it to be shipped from Scotland.

Thanks for the links regarding piper McColl. I’ll admit I knew of him, but am not terribly familiar. I’ll follow your leading down the rabbit-hole.

Ooooh those are beautiful, perhaps the nicest of the traditional colours.

Are Mackie open and taking orders? What has the process been like?

Because I have a design in mind, an old one, but not one that would be in stock, a Balmoral done in this colour-scheme.

[Arnot]

Are Mackie open and taking orders?

They are. I recently got a plain balmoral in rifle green from them.

[Tobus]

Because I have a design in mind, an old one, but not one that would be in stock, a Balmoral done in this colour-scheme



As seen in this illustration from the 1930s

Are we sure the Balmoral in the illustration is black? I was always under the impression that it was a dark/navy blue. I had considered that perhaps there was fading of the colours in the print, but his shoes are clearly black while his bonnet and tie appear (to me) to be purposely shown as dark blue.

[gsmacleod]

l

Are Mackie open and taking orders? What has the process been like?

Because I have a design in mind, an old one, but not one that would be in stock, a Balmoral done in this colour-scheme



As seen in this illustration from the 1930s

That's an interesting dicing pattern; I've been thinking of getting a diced Balmoral but am having trouble choosing between dicing options. This just adds another choice to further complicate matters!

Shanr

[OC Richard]

Yes it's a Navy Blue bonnet with St Andrews Blue dicing. (Or whatever Mackie calls that colour- Saxony blue? Royal blue?)

Here's a Mackie entirely of that colour



The reason I want that dicing is I'm of Stewart ancestry, and that dicing appears on the heraldry of numerous Stewart branches:

[Arnot]

Yes it's a Navy Blue bonnet with St Andrews Blue dicing. (Or whatever Mackie calls that colour- Saxony blue? Royal blue?)

Here's a Mackie entirely of that colour

It's what Mackie calls royal blue.

[OC Richard]

It's what Mackie calls royal blue.

Thanks!

Just checked the Mackie site, they have Royal Blue and Saxe Blue...not sure which I ought to go with for the dicing.