What to buy 4 yard or 8 yard and where

[bug_n_67]

This will be my first kilt and there is a ton of info out there and I'm over loaded on what is better, what is not. Go with the 8 yard anything less is no good, so on and so on. So any input would be great, just a little info to help. This is going to be worn for my wedding so I'm looking at buying a kilt so what I've come with so far is a med. weight 13oz, as the color I want is not at any rental place around. So the wedding will be in Aug. a hot month and I'm sure I will wear it once and a while after the wedding. The rest of the party will be in 8 yard kilts from the rental place so if I wear a 4 yard will it look out of place. So do I go with 4 yard or 8 yard. How is this company for making kilts, the highlandstore.com the Grey Sprit 13oz worsted wool in a 8 yard for $400usd or $265usd for the 4 yard. This is the colors I'm after blacks and grey so any input on something or some other place would be great. I'm not a large guy 31" waist so will the 4 yard be enough and or if I go with an 8 yard will it really be something smaller due to my size.

[David Dubh]

have you looked at www.tartanweb.com they are a xmarks sponsor and operate other sites. they do good work and are very reasonable. If you are doing a 13oz I would certainly suggest an 8 yard. Remeber you are buying this for the biggest day of your life and you want it to last.
Congratulations on your upcomming wedding

[ronstew]

8 yards and 4 yards are ranges, not firm numbers. I'd guess that a thin bloke like yourself would come in around 7 yards for a nice kilt. Depends on the sett, and how you want it pleated.

Don't get hung up on numbers. Find a good kiltmaker who will take time answer your questions.

[The Wizard of BC]

First, welcome to our rabble.

There are many grey and based Tartans. Each weaving Co. has their own grey Tartan. Each with its own name. Highland Granite in 16oz. Strome is what my Traditional Kilt is made from.

The amount of fabric in a Kilt is determined by the Sett or size of the Tartan pattern and the customers Hip size. Someone as small as you may not need a full 8 linear yards to make a full Kilt.

The so called 4 & 5 yard Kilts are usually machine made and of lesser yardage because the company skimps somewhere in the Kilt to produce a less expensive Kilt. This skimping is usually done in the Pleat depth or the size of the deep and reverse Pleats. These things have a lot to do with how the Kilt swishes and how the aprons lay. If possible (This means if your budget allows) go with the Kilt that is hand sewn and uses the most amount of fabric.

Many of the Kiltmakers who advertise here will be able to beat or come close to the price you quoted. And many of us are in N. America so you will save on shipping and possible duty and taxes over a Kilt purchased from an overseas Kiltmaker.

The secret to sorting through all this information is ask questions. Ask them her on the forum and ask them of the Kiltmaker you choose.

In fact the best way to find the best answers to your questions is to ask several Kiltmakers. Bounce the same question off each one. After talking to just a couple you will get to know what are good answers and what are answers given by a sales clerk or someone who just wants to sell you a "Package".
Most reputable Kiltmakers will talk to you and answer all your questions with patience and understanding because we've all been in your same situation before.

If you have till August there is plenty of time to get the best Kilt for your money. One which will be able to be worn with pride and which will last a long time.

[Bugbear]

Highland Granite... 16 Oz Strome... Those are magical words.

Welcome.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I'll just comment and say that at my wedding I wore a four yard box pleated kilt while all my groomsmen wore eight yard knife pleated kilts, and my kilt did not look out of place at all. If anything, it set me apart from the other guys just slightly as the groom. I'll note that we all wore matching black Argyle jackets, tux shirts, and black bow ties, as well as the same color hose and shoes. The groomsmen all had the same style sporran -- mine was different. But these commonalities made it clear that we were all in the same wedding party, desite the fact that we were all in different tartans.

[Buckskin]

http://scottishkilts.net/products/st...ched_kilt.html

[Buckskin]

http://scottishkilts.net/products/st...ched_kilt.html

You might take a look at this Tartan. It's a machine made 8 yrd on sale. May or may not be grey enough for you.
I wouldn't go with a 4 yrd casual kilt for this. Matt's 4 yrd box pleat would be great, but that's all together different from the 4 yrd kilts your seeing advertised. They are just skimpy knife pleats.

[bug_n_67]

Thanks for all the info guys. So where would be a good kilt company to deal with in the US to have one made, 13oz or 16oz or even oversea's for that matter. It's hard to get any good info from a companys web site, it's people that buy from them that you need to talk to to see how they like the product.

[Colin]

Welcome to Xmarks.

As for what to buy, buy the best you can get on the budget you have. I would highly recommend an 8 yard in 16 oz wool (I prefer Lochcarron), but a 13 oz is also a very comfortable weight for a kilt. I wear my 13oz Lochcarron wool kilt from www.scottishkilts.com in the dead of summer and have no issue with it.

Buckskin mentioned some deals at Scottishkilts above, but they also have a sale on select tartans in their machine sewn 8 yard kilts. http://scottishkilts.net/products/st...ched_kilt.html