Quality Sporrans for less money

[OC Richard]

The stitching is invisible to my eyes.

I think that USA Kilts "Premium", well as J Higgins, and Gaelic Themes/St Kilda Kilts all do the pleats the same way: each pleat is machine-stitched on the reverse (back side) then flipped over.

So there's no visible stitching; both sides of each pleat are seams.

Beyond that common point, there's a range of possible looks according to how straight, even, and consistent the pleats are sewn.

I've seen one Gaelic Themes/St Kilda Kilts kilt up close and the pleats were perfection: all exactly the same width and rate of taper, and each seam being dead-straight.

My J Higgins kilt not so much.

[jsrnephdoc]

Interesting that they mention as a positive something that I dislike in their kilts, the super thick leather straps.

As soon as I received my USA Kilts kilt I switched them out for traditional leather straps. Scottish kilt makers have had a couple hundred years to figure out what thickness and suppleness of leather works best.

(and)


It would be really nice to have both a Gaelic Themes kilt and a USA Kilts "Premier" kilt to hand simultaneously to do an in-depth side-by-side comparison.

I assume that both are "traditional kilts" in having a stabiliser and cut-out pleats.

What I'd like to see up close in particular are the stitched portions of the pleats.

I've not checked, but since you HAVE a kilt from USA Kilts, can you not provide at least some responses to your own rhetorical questions? Not intending to be snarky, just curious.

And, I've NEVER seen anyone from USA Kilts try to hide the fact that they machine-stitch their kilts.There is a former Canadian military (Seaforth Highlanders) guy online who's posted probably HUNDREDS of videos of his own kilt-making enterprise who's said some disparaging things about USA Kilts, but those have been disparaged themselves by VERY respected people here.

I have two 8 yard kilts from St. Kilda, both with machine-stitched pleats. The spokesperson for St Kilda with whom I occasionally chat online tells me that the main difference between their own machine-stitched 8 yd kilts and their hand-stitched products is the cost to make the latter, not the quality of the product. I also have a brand new example of Barb Tewksbury's handiwork. Barb advised me to have it pleated to the stripe, and I can recognize that, but as to the nature of the construction itself I'd be useless as a witness, except that NONE of those garments are particularly appreciative of being asked to cloak a shrinking body.

[ShaunMaxwell]

What I'd like to see up close in particular are the stitched portions of the pleats.

OC:

Here are a couple of photos of the stitched portions of the pleats on my USA Kilts Premiere kilt (which I like very much, btw):







Not sure if that's at all helpful, but here they are.

Cheers,

SM

[OC Richard]

since you HAVE a kilt from USA Kilts, can you not provide at least some responses to your own rhetorical questions?

That's the thing, my USA Kilts kilt is their "5 yard semi-traditional" kilt which has a quite different construction to their "premiere 8 yard" kilt.

The kilt I have has top-stitched pleats and the pleats aren't cut out.

Yes if I had a USA Kilts "premiere" I could do a side-by-side with my J Higgins kilt. I think they're more or less the same beast, but without having seen a USA Kilts "premiere" kilt in person I couldn't say.

I've NEVER seen anyone from USA Kilts try to hide the fact that they machine-stitch their kilts.

And to keep the record straight I didn't say that they tried to hide that fact.

All I said was that this quoted paragraph was AI-like and "short on specifics".

A traditional 8 yard kilt, cut from pure wool, deeply pleated to sett and finished with elegant double fringing. A beautiful kilt, crafted to last a lifetime.
High quality materials are combined with traditional tailoring techniques to create your bespoke kilt. Our range offers crafted pieces...

The spokesperson for St Kilda tells me that the main difference between their own machine-stitched 8 yd kilts and their hand-stitched products is the cost to make the latter, not the quality of the product.

They're made using different methods. If according to a person's definition of quality the two methods are equal, then to these people the products are of equal quality. I suppose it comes down to how someone defines "quality".

[OC Richard]

Here are a couple of photos of the stitched portions of the pleats on my USA Kilts Premiere kilt (which I like very much, btw):

Thanks!

Those pleats look perfect, very much like the Gaelic Themes/St Kilda Kilts kilt I saw.

My J Higgins kilt's pleats are a bit wonky.

[OC Richard]

10 pounds for what appears to be a Scottish-made seal sporran, and waistbelt.

Unfortunately they don't show the back of the sporran which would tell us where it was made.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/11654857610...Bk9SR8iszeHAZQ

[OC Richard]

A few days to go and no bids, 57 pounds for Scottish-made kilt, sporran, Prince Charlie, Ghillies, sgian, dirk, belt, etc.

They don't show the back of the sporran but everything else appears to have been purchased from Lochcarron, and I'm assuming the sporran is by one of the Scottish makers.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32651709443...Bk9SR6K1i_fBZQ

[Wingnut037]

A few days to go and no bids

Put in a bid. Will have the inlaws hold it until we visit them in Scotland again.

[jsrnephdoc]

A few days to go and no bids, 57 pounds for Scottish-made kilt, sporran, Prince Charlie, Ghillies, sgian, dirk, belt, etc.

They don't show the back of the sporran but everything else appears to have been purchased from Lochcarron, and I'm assuming the sporran is by one of the Scottish makers.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32651709443...Bk9SR6K1i_fBZQ

The bid price has doubled since your post, but for someone sized appropriately who wants to enter the world of kilt making, even THAT seems an amazing bargain. It even includes a Dirk and what I assume is a plaid brooch!

[Wingnut037]

Shoes and jacket fit, didn't see a length for the kilt. I'm guessing it will double again at a minimum.