The Title of "Master Kiltmaker"

[Pleater]

In my native Yorkshire back in the 17 and 18 hundreds there were numerous small workshops - not for kilts, though, casting and blacksmithing was more the thing, or carpentry and cabinet making - the owner and chief craftsman was called little mester - said 'meh-stah'.

I assume the title goes back before the vowel slide that altered mester to master.

There were mesters that had bigger works and small factories, and gret mesters who made huge factories and built whole towns to serve them.

I suspect that many of them were outside the Guild organisation as there simply wasn't time for the slow ascent through the ranks when there was experimentation and innovation everywhere, and a young man with ideas could find himself employed to assist or just to work out his own ideas for someone with money to invest in new technology.

If something new was developed then he could find himself unable to leave that employment in order to attain Guild qualifications as it would mean revealing the process to other Guild members.

These days I would take any craft type title with a pinch of salt if it was not fully explained just who it was awarding the title, as so many formerly powerful Guilds are now little more than voluntary associations of professional people, whilst others are little more than wishful thinking.

Anne the Pleater

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

100% spot on, Anne.

[Riverkilt]

Sadly, I am not up on the details that differ between a kilt hand sewn by a member of the Traditional Kiltmaker's Guild and other kiltmakers members of that guild feel "tailor" their kilts. Certainly an inside thing.

I can only speculate that it makes sense that there would be differences between how kiltmaking was taught at the Keith Kilt School and how Barb T. apprenticed, or how Matt apprenticed, or how various other kiltmakers found on the Internet learned their craft.

I would guess in any craft there would be differences in the techniques used by various craftsmen that lay folks would have no clue about.

Which brings me back to the original question, is there an earned designation to be called a Master Kiltmaker - or is just a subjective term that middle men use when trying to sell kilts - that they will have them sewn up by their master kiltmakers, or a term some individual kiltmakers affect for advertising and promotion purposes?

I'm guessing the later since none of our experts on the board seem aware of a program of some sort one would complete to attain the title of Master Kiltmaker. Closest to that seems to be the Scottish Qualifications Board kiltmaking credential.

So I'm guessing when I see the term Master Kiltmaker associated with a kiltmaker's name that there's no meat to it, no credential or program behind it. And I think we've determined the STA isn't issuing such a credential.

Ron

[Ayin McFye]

So I'm guessing when I see the term Master Kiltmaker associated with a kiltmaker's name that there's no meat to it, no credential or program behind it. And I think we've determined the STA isn't issuing such a credential.

Ron

I think you've pretty much sumed it up Ron. Although there are people in this world that probably deserve the title, there is no official body that we know of at least that are issuing this title, and if so, what qualifications they are using to decide this.

The "Master" kilt makers that we all know, are the ones that we continue to spend our hard earned money on. Whether they are officially "masters" or not, they have acheived our return business, and when it comes down to it, that's all that really matters. Anything above that, would just be to serve their ego (or to promote business to the unknowning public)

[beloitpiper]

So I'm guessing when I see the term Master Kiltmaker associated with a kiltmaker's name that there's no meat to it, no credential or program behind it. And I think we've determined the STA isn't issuing such a credential.

Nobody has answered my questions as to whether the British military issues this hono(u)r.

[macwilkin]

Nobody has answered my questions as to whether the British military issues this hono(u)r.

PM Nervous Jock, since he's a TA officer, but I can't say I've read of any such title in the British Army. Material for kilts have traditionally been supplied by weavers in the Borders, and historically, private firms such as Thos. Gordon & Sons of Glasgow have made army-issue kilts.

I'd take this claim with a dose of salts.

T.

[The Wizard of BC]

I just got off the phone with Rob McDonald, Kiltmaker from Vancouver who was a Regimental Kiltmaker for many years.

According to Rob there was in the Highland and Guards Regiments a man in the Quartermaster who held the title "Master Tailor". This man would be responsible for all uniforms including Kilts.

The position and title were dropped some time around '79-80 when the clothing allowance regulations were changed.

According to Rob there was never a title "Master Kiltmaker" awarded or implied in the British, Canadian, or Australian Military.

[pdcorlis]

Game, Set, and Match...

[Barb T]

And that is as it should be. What really matters is the quality of the product, not the title of the maker.

[The Wizard of BC]

But you are Dr. Barb, Master, Ultra-Super, Supreme Kiltmaker. AbC,. dEf, xYZ.