3 to 4 yard "recycled" box-pleated kilt

**slohairt** · 26th May 06, 09:37 PM

I live in the Great White North known as Canada so most tartan skirts are of the medium to heavy variety. Another good place for kilts are Army surplus stores. I don't know if many American military institutions wear kilts but many do in Canada (us still having the U.K. connection I guess).

**way2fractious** · 27th May 06, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by slohairt

Another good place for kilts are Army surplus stores. I don't know if many American military institutions wear kilts but many do in Canada (us still having the U.K. connection I guess).

Army surplus stores here DO NOT carry kilts. I am truly interested in acquiring a military box pleat kilt (not the standard knife pleat) - any condition, any tartan, any size, preferably cheap - for study of its construction. If you were to spot one and pick it up for me, I'd be much obliged. I can be reached by private message.

**Pleater** · 27th May 06, 01:45 PM

I don't have to do this now I have shrunk to a 38 inch waist from a 50 inch equator, but I have used a toning plain fabric for the under apron and associated large pleats so as to get enough fabric for the small pleats and apron.

I did consider making the apron pleats on both sides from the toning fabric, so it looked more deliberate design rather than desperation, but have never got around to making that particular kilt.

**Colin** · 29th May 06, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by slohairt

I live in the Great White North known as Canada so most tartan skirts are of the medium to heavy variety. Another good place for kilts are Army surplus stores. I don't know if many American military institutions wear kilts but many do in Canada (us still having the U.K. connection I guess).

We also have and have always had kilted regiments. I do not believe (correct me if I am wrong here) that the US has any kilted regiments. Were their kilted regiments in the US in the past?

The thrift store idea sounds like a decent one if you know your way around a sewing machine. I would think it would be hard to find actually tartans though. Have you had any difficulty with that?

**bubba** · 29th May 06, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by Colin

Were their kilted regiments in the US in the past?

I think there were 1 or 2 at the beginning of the Civil War but the kilts didn't survive the battlefield. I don't think there were any after that.

**Freelander Sporrano** · 29th May 06, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by bubba

I think there were 1 or 2 at the beginning of the Civil War but the kilts didn't survive the battlefield. I don't think there were any after that.

Where's Todd when you need him ?

**macwilkin** · 29th May 06, 08:41 PM

Okay, I'm here...been working today at the battlefield, in an ironic twist to this thread.

Yes, there was a kilted regiment in American military history -- the 79th New York Highlanders, which was a New York State Militia unit before the Civil War that based it's uniform on the Cameron Highlanders, even taking the same numerical desgination, 79th, and wearing the Cameron of Erract tartan -- but, there seems to be little evidence that the 79th actually wore their kilts into battle during the Civil War, save for one or two officers. Very few surving examples of the 79th's uniform (one is in the museum at Gettysburg, for example).

Apart from the occasional pipe band, such as the US Air Force or the 7th Cavalry's pipe band in the 1970's, the US simply doesn't have the Highland regimental traditions that the British Army and other Commonwealth nations, like Canada, South Africa, Australia, etc. have -- yes, we have tartans for our branches of service, and all that, but these are relatively modern (which isn't a bad thing at all; I'm glad to see them).

Hope that helps.

Cheers.

Todd

**slohairt** · 29th May 06, 11:11 PM

[QUOTE=Colin]We also have and have always had kilted regiments. I do not believe (correct me if I am wrong here) that the US has any kilted regiments. Were their kilted regiments in the US in the past?

The thrift store idea sounds like a decent one if you know your way around a sewing machine. I would think it would be hard to find actually tartans though. Have you had any difficulty with that?[/QUOTE

Yes, I do find actual tartans! So far I have found Forbes, Black Watch & Royal Stewart (the most typical; easy to find), Nova Scotia, Graham of Montrose, Black Watch Dress, and the one I am presently working on: Ancient Buchanan.
Surprisingly the Buchanan skirt was very heavy wool (maybe 16 or 17 oz?) and made for a very VERY large woman. When I took it apart I discovered that several inches had been hemmed under so when the skirt was taken apart I had enough to cut the fabric in half and stich it together for a total of 8 yards!

**Colin** · 30th May 06, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by slohairt

Yes, I do find actual tartans! So far I have found Forbes, Black Watch & Royal Stewart (the most typical; easy to find), Nova Scotia, Graham of Montrose, Black Watch Dress, and the one I am presently working on: Ancient Buchanan.
Surprisingly the Buchanan skirt was very heavy wool (maybe 16 or 17 oz?) and made for a very VERY large woman. When I took it apart I discovered that several inches had been hemmed under so when the skirt was taken apart I had enough to cut the fabric in half and stich it together for a total of 8 yards!

Well, that's alright than. I know any thrift store my wife has looked at for herself, she has had a hard time finding real tartan and not just a plaid design. Great idea.