Quote Originally Posted by Barb T.
Hi BBQ
And the quality is just plain different from the wool fabric that you can buy at Joann Fabrics in the US (if you can even find wool nowadays). Many years ago, when I first learned how to make kilts, Joann's was still carrying the occasional bolt of wool tartan. I bought a nice piece at about $10/yard and made a kilt for my daughter (and won a blue ribbon at the New York State Fair!!). The kilt has held its shape well, but....it's a wool saxony, and it has a perpetual pilling and pressing problem. Scottish tartan is just a different animal - hard, smooth, non-pilling, and holds a great crease.

Barb
Wool at Joannes? Fat chance. Not at the two Joannes around here, that's for sure. To actually buy 4 yards of wool tartan here in the SF Bay area I have to go to San Francisco itself to a specialty fabric store. If you lived outside of a major metropolitan area there's no freaking way you'll find high-quality midweight or heavyweight wool for sale at a fabric store.

Now, JoAnne's did have some nice lightweight Black Watch flannel two weeks ago. I thought about making a head rag out of it, or maybe a tie, but it'd be a disaster as a kilt.