Project Clanranald WoB

[MacMillans son]

X, I know you can do the math, but that's less than $15 per yard for custom run heavyweight tartan fabric! We cant buy stock low grade tartan for that. What's the deal ? Am I missing something ?

[xman]

X, I know you can do the math, but that's less than $15 per yard for custom run heavyweight tartan fabric! We cant buy stock low grade tartan for that. What's the deal ? Am I missing something ?

It's £18.90 per double width(54") yard with a minimum order of 30 yards. Yes there will be duties on that. I should have been clearer about that.

X is being generous and not marking up the tartan at all, which means essentially you are seeing wholesale pricing.

More porecicely, X is being negligent about mentioning the other charges. I can't really absorb them all myself, but they won't be too much and it's still a terrific deal.

I will be in for 4 yards double width and 8 yards single as I want a mil. box pleated kilt and a pipers plaid. That adds up to around 8 yards double width but I would prefer to have the tartan as I specified above if someone else also wants an unbroken 8 yards of single width for a kilt.

Sounds good to me.

Since this will be a custom run could you request a sett size of around 9 inches? I really like a larger sett size.

Well I thought the 7ish" sett size would appeal to more potential buyers. If everyone else wants 9" I suppose I could be persuaded. I agree that the larger sett looks great on the apron, but delivers fewer or shallower pleats.

Also be aware that you will need to cover shipping from X to yourself in your calculations. (right X?)

As indicated, yes.

[MacMillans son]

That's a crazy deal X, congratulations!

As someone who has been following your "swatching the mail" thread, it's a bitter sweet occasion for you to finally dial in on a tartan. Any ideas for your next one???

I'm happy for you, keep us posted!

[xman]

For the edification of both of us currently involved as well as anyone following along with interest;

Peter was kind enough to send along the relevant colours in his expert opinion so that I might compare with the Strathmore interpretation and I have found that Strathmore's red is too 'rusty' for my taste and have decided to swap it for a much better scarlet which fits very well with the rest of the colour scheme. Thank-you again, Peter.

After much humming and hawing I am going with the 9" sett size in a thread count of my own devising.
(and very attractive it is if I do say so myself )

There's still time to jump in for anyone on the fence or just discovering the thread. I'm gathering my coppers and will be calling Dalgliesh to place the order in a few weeks.

As someone who has been following your "swatching the mail" thread, it's a bitter sweet occasion for you to finally dial in on a tartan.

Not at all, Brooke. It's all sweet. I'm having all my fancies tickled at once. My clan tartan in the colours and thread count of my choosing and in the best cloth in the world. I'm having my cake and eating it too so to speak. All I have to do now is decide on who will sew it.

Any ideas for your next one???

Well, my step father is Clan Anderson, FOB from Glasgow so I'll be looking keenly at that one soon. It should make a nice contrast to Clanranald.

Marton Mills is currently sold out of their 16oz MacDonald of Clanranald Muted so in the mean time I've ordered from them some medium weight MacDonald of Clanranald Ancient, Isle of Skye and County Roscommon for my son and two nieces for xmas gifts. They will be the first kilts I sew. Wish me luck!

[figheadair]

Well, my step father is Clan Anderson, FOB from Glasgow so I'll be looking keenly at that one soon. It should make a nice contrast to Clanranald.

Looks good in Wilsons' colours, as does the Red Anderson.

[xman]

Looks good in Wilsons' colours, as does the Red Anderson.

I'll bet it does actually. Don't get me started.

[xman]

And here it is:


(shown are the K1 heavy weight cloth atop K7 "medium" weight)

I had sent a brighter green to be matched "as closely as their stock would permit", but cannot say I'm displeased with the result. The result is closer to the Wilson's Colours shown earlier and I'm sure it will make a wonderful set of garments over here.

Grateful am I to Gabe for going in on this project with me and facilitating the order as well as to Peter for the wealth of information and the samples he generously provided.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Well I thought the 7ish" sett size would appeal to more potential buyers. If everyone else wants 9" I suppose I could be persuaded. I agree that the larger sett looks great on the apron, but delivers fewer or shallower pleats.

Actually, a larger sett size would equate to fewer, but deeper pleats.

Sorry, just wanted to correct that minor point.

[xman]

Actually, a larger sett size would equate to fewer, but deeper pleats.

Sorry, just wanted to correct that minor point.

I meant that, if not pleated to the full sett but alternately pleated to the blue and green blocks, which is how I would pleat this sett size, it would only use half the sett so more pleats, but shallower. Either fewer pleats if the whole sett is used for each pleat OR more but shallower pleats as is the case for the NS Highlanders.


Props to Wompet for supplying this image to the forum.

However, thank-you for piping in Matt. Keeps me on my toes.

But if you want 7" sett size I'm still in.

Good to hear. I could go either way actually and I partly really like the idea of the 9" sett for the alternate pleating opportunity displayed above which it provides.

[Hothir Ethelnor]

Well I thought the 7ish" sett size would appeal to more potential buyers. If everyone else wants 9" I suppose I could be persuaded. I agree that the larger sett looks great on the apron, but delivers fewer or shallower pleats.

Ah yes, I suppose that fewer pleats may have to be put up with but I have found that I can get 21 1" wide pleats around my 41" hips out of 8 yards of tartan with a sett repeat of around 9" and still have enough for nice under-apron pleats. Remember most commercial 8 yard kilts don't actually use 8 yards until the hips are around 45+.

And something worth trying is pleating to the reverse sett where each pleat is sett behind the "previous" one as far as pleating goes which yields an interesting effect. I understand Rocky at USAK has utilized this style with his 5 yard Wool kilts to pleasing effect. Check the pictures carefully between the pleats and the apron, the pleats look like a different tartan with the same colours.

http://www.usakilts.com/store/5yardwool_kiltpage.php

But if you want 7" sett size I'm still in.