Quote Originally Posted by RockyR View Post
I find that each mill's cloth has it's own set of 'qualities' that differentiate it from another. That's part of the beauty of getting differnt cloths from different mills... each is unique and has it's own properties.

Yes, Lochcarron's Strome cloth is a little 'spongier' / 'fluffier' than other mills (their 16 oz is... not 13 oz Braeraich), but I don't find it any different from Lochcarron Strome cloth from 6 years ago to now. They are consistent that way (at least to me). I've come to accept, "it's just the way their cloth is". In MY opinion, it does make it SLIGHTLY more difficult to line up the pleats, BUT that same property makes the cloth MUCH easier to iron. THEIR cloth lays flat and takes much less pressure / steam to hold an edge that HOE's 13 oz cloth.

The splicing not matching up dead on is an issue I've seen with them a couple times. The worst scenario I had was one which was 1/2" off. When I contacted them, they indicated that it may have been an issue with the tension at the finishers. With a few minutes steaming at the ironing table, I was able to stretch the cloth to match up dead on and it was a non-issue. It's not on EVERY piece of cloth, just on a few... let's say 5 out of 100. I know that this issue was very prevalent with Kirkbright's cloth a few years back (other kiltmakers up here have commented on that as well). Of the 3 or 4 pieces of fabric I used of F & K, every one mis-matched by 3/4" to 1" at the edge. I no longer use their cloth at all.

The errant thread along the tuck selvedge being 'tucked' at the wrong spot does happen on occasion with every mill who uses a tuck selvedge. In the grand scheme of things, I don't think it happens any more on Lochcarron's cloth than on MM or Strathmore or HOE's Nevis range or Batley's. I just inspect the cloth's selvedge and where I see a mis-matched thread, I pull it out gently and trim it off. At the same time, look at Dalgliesh's K1 cloth. As an example... If there's a white stripe outlined by black stripes, often times the black thread will 'jump' over the white thread along the selvedge and re-start on the other side of the white. I don't say this to be negative about Dalgliesh, but to point out that all material have different 'qualities' that can be seen as flaws.

Each kiltmaker I
Well said Rocky, as kiltmakers we often face challenges on fabrics,and yes it owuld be nice if all the weavers produced perfect fabrics, but the truth of hte matter is that they don't, they never have been perfect and probably never will.