X Marks Tartan order update

**The Wizard of BC** · 18th July 05, 04:19 PM

I just got off the phone with Gordon Kirkbright.

The bad news is;
The mill is shut down for their two week vacation.

The good news is;
We are on the production schedule to start weaving 23 meters as soon as they get back.

Here is the official word;
I will accept orders until 2400 pdt Sat.23 July 05. Anyone who has already ordered will be getting an invoice from Freedom Kilts this week. The invoice will include the cost of the amount of fabric you ordered, any applicable taxes, cost of shipping to the address you gave me, and my fee for handling this.
As soon as I have recieved confirmation of your payment and no later than Mon. 25 July 05 I will send a check to Faser & Kirkbright.

After Mon the 25th you will have to wait for the next run to get the X Marks Tartan.

**Riverkilt** · 18th July 05, 05:38 PM

Cool!!

Since we're a tiny order and different may take a while eh?

Guessing the actual arrival of the cloth will be sometime around December??

Waiting four months for a special tartan from Lochcharron and they take that two week break too.

Or did they give us a promise/guesstimate on shipping time?

Thanks

Ron

**The Wizard of BC** · 18th July 05, 05:53 PM

I have been quoted 6 weeks for delivery.

I will probably go over to the mainland and visit the mill while the fabric is on the loom. I just think that would be neat to see. And that way I can post pictures and get everyone who didn't order jealous.

Who knows, perhaps this will all fall into place and we can have the fabric for "The Gathering". I'm not holding my breath, but "There are strange things done in the midnight sun, by the men who moil for Gold."

**Avonlea22** · 18th July 05, 06:15 PM

Dang, I wish I was swimming in money, or at least stepping in a puddle. I would so love to do this, but it's just not possible at this time. I hope that this isn't just a one time thing.

**Alan H** · 19th July 05, 06:36 PM

Well, I'm back from a week of backpacking in the Emigrant Wilderness (pics sooner or later!) and I see we're on the F&K Schedule. FANTASTIC! Thanks, everybody for stepping up and ordering so we can have that minimum 25 meters.

Regarding whether there'll be another run.... note that it's been a bit of a grunt to get up to very-nearly-that-minimum-order. It's taken a couple of weeks. I didn't know if it was all going to be a bust when I logged on this evening. Are there enough guys out there who want the tartan enough that there's enough for a second minimum order? Personally, and this is just me....I wouldn't count on it.

That doesn't mean that you can't get your very own X Marks Tartan kilt. It just means you'll be paying $20 a yard more for it. Remember that Matt Newsome and Cyndi at Thistle Stop know a custom weaver that will produce yardage for you at $65 a yard. The stuff we're getting from Fraser and Kirkbright will cost roughly $20 a yard less than that. So if I were you, I'd find some way to scrounge the money, but if you simply can't and the support isn't there for another run in a couple of months, you CAN get 2-4 yards of the tartan for your traditional kilt. It'll just cost you more and it'll look slightly different than if you bought it on this go'-round.

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 20th July 05, 04:04 AM

Gordon Kirkbright:

Price of $53/m applies to approx. half bolt but if we could get to a full bolt (50-55m) then price drops to only $43/m for the 13-14 oz weight. On speaking with Matt Newsome, and others, in North Carolina it seems that this would be the most suitable weight for all climates.

Funny, the only thing I remember saying to him about cloth eight was as I was feeling a sample of his heavy weight cloth I made the comment that I was glad you guys decided on the heavy weight. So I'm not sure how he got the impression that I favored the medium weight.

So what weight did you wind up ordering?

Matt

**The Wizard of BC** · 20th July 05, 07:58 AM

We have not actually ordered anything yet.
We are on the production schedule.
But I have not sent the thread count or any monies.
I believe we have been talking about the 14oz. fabric.
Is the heavier weight fabric that much more impressive?

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 20th July 05, 08:25 AM

Well, if there is not that much cost difference, I would always prefer the heavy weight. My general rule of thumb is to purchase the heaviest weight cloth you can afford -- it just makes for a better kilt.

Nothing wrong with 14 oz mind you. It makes a good kilt, too. I just prefer working with the 16 oz, especialy for my four yard kilts.

I was mostly just curious as to why Gordon might have gotten the impression that I would prefer the medium weight. Who knows? In any case, the examples I saw of his wool cloth were good.

Aye,
Matt