The Title of "Master Kiltmaker"

[Riverkilt]

I notice that sometimes when we're talking about kiltmakers on this board we use the term Master Kiltmaker as a compliment - sometimes even when talking about kiltmakers who have only recently taken up the craft.

I'm wondering if Master Kilt Maker is actually an earned title or designation. If it is, perhaps we should apply it properly to those who have earned it. But its a confusing thing to track down. May just be a compliment or advertising hype.

There's a guy in London whose website is called the Master Kiltmaker www.masterkiltmaker.com and he claims there are only 26 people so designated. He also claims the title is bestowed by the Scottish Tartans Authority - which seems a bit unusual to me....? And he's "earned" the title after only 8 years in the craft. He seems to use The Master Kiltmaker as his name, rather than his title, throughout his website and in his PR work. One spot says his true name is Thomas, can't find a last name.

STA does mention Master Kiltmakers in thier FAQ section, " Kilt making is a very specialist task: you need about 24 feet (7.3metres) of material and years of training before you can consider yourself a really competent kiltmaker. Master kiltmakers have been at it for donkey's years!" But, I cannot find a description of what a Master Kiltmaker is on the STA Website. Since "kiltmaker" is not capitalized, maybe they don't mean a title, just a term to describe very experienced kiltmakers.

Kathy Lare, who would be a master kiltmaker in my estimation, doesn't claim that title, but says Robert McBain, who ran the Keith Kilt School and trained her was a Master Kiltmaker.

Her website says she has 15 years experience in Kiltmaking and I know that as a full time kiltmaker she's hand sewn well over 1,000 kilts. Then her website says, "She has become the first American to attend the school and the first fully certified kiltmaker in North America attaining the Scottish Qualifications Authority Award in Traditional handcraft and Kilt Making Skills. Returning to Scotland in May of 1999 she studied the unique crafting of the military box pleated kilt of the Scottish regiments and achieved an award in Traditional Handcraft Kilt Manufacturing. This professional development award paves the way towards becoming a Master Kiltmaker, which was almost a dying breed now in Scotland."

So she's still working towards the title "Master Kiltmaker" but she doesn't mention who so designates that award/title and what the requirements are to earn the title.

If Kathy's not a Master Kiltmaker yet, after all her schooling and years of kiltmaking, I can't imagine what one has to do to earn that title/designation.

But there's a LOT of wisdom on this board. Maybe someone can solve the mystery. Maybe we could even get a list of kiltmaker's who've earned the designation Master Kiltmaker from whatever body bestows the title.

Ron

Mods - I didn't put this in the kiltmaking section since its not about making kilts, its about earning a title. But if you need to move it go ahead.