Greatkilt Question

[Pleater]

Interesting portrait Matt points us to - the kilt is pleated all round - unless he has it on in the reverse way to normal wearing - with a dirk in front and a pouch - perhaps for shot, on the left hip, held on a cross belt.

The little tubes dangling from the dark cross belt hold individual charges of powder.

As men are rather taller these days it might be that to get a great kilt in the right proportions it would be necessary to take two lengths of 54inch tartan and then join it so as to give sufficient width of material, making the seam in the centre.

You would then probably have enough material left over to make two or more small kilts for children, or someone who wants a short kilt length.

[fhpdo]

Try www.garbtheworld.com they have great kilt fabric and other renfaire type stuff.
John

[Woodsheal]

[QUOTE=Pleater]Interesting portrait Matt points us to - the kilt is pleated all round - unless he has it on in the reverse way to normal wearing - with a dirk in front and a pouch - perhaps for shot, on the left hip, held on a cross belt.

QUOTE]

The "pouch" on his left hip is actually the hilt of his basket-hilted sword....

[Pleater]

Duh - yes - the end of its scabbard is there at the back of his right knee - but look at both, see sword - look at just the hilt and - still see a pouch - oh well - just lucky one of us is awake.

[Josh_E]

This may seem kinda basic...but it just sorta hit me...

Can I just buy enough yards of a tartan material...lay it on the bed...pleat it up...flop down onto it....belt it up...do something with the extra...and have a greatkilt?

No sewing?

Ron

i'm pretty sure that thats how they were worn in the midevil ages

[GlassMan]

i'm pretty sure that thats how they were worn in the midevil ages

Sorry to pick, but that is properly spelled medieval (literally the latin for middle ages). Even as I child I was fascinated by the middle ages and I remember in horror when an uneducated public school teacher tried to tell our class that it was the "midevil" period because it was full of sin, catholicism and witch burnings and so it was named to show everyone that the period was in the middle of all that was evil. Needless to say I was one of those students who had no qualms about challenging my teacher and we got into a long squabble that wound up with me in the principle's office pointing to the entry in Webster's as a part of my defence.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Good for you Glassman, for correcting yoru misinformed teacher! I actually had a professor in college that (during a reading of Beowulf) tried to tell the class that round about the eighth century (or whenever the story was set) they wore plate armor that weighted 400 lbs, and in her next breath told us that their textile technology was very primitive so they wore mostly animal skins for clothes. I didn't have the patience at the time to get into it with her, so I just shook my head in disbelief.

Anyway, to further the point about the Middle Ages, the earliest documentation we have for the great kilt being worn is in 1594, so that's well past the medieval period. It is incorrect to call the kilt, in any form, a medieval garment.

Aye,
Matt

[Paul Henry]

if we are being really picky it should be with an alided ae (Mediaeval) - don;t know how to use the symbols on here!!

[Mithral]

I actually had a professor in college that (during a reading of Beowulf) tried to tell the class that round about the eighth century (or whenever the story was set) they wore plate armor that weighted 400 lbs, and in her next breath told us that their textile technology was very primitive so they wore mostly animal skins for clothes. I didn't have the patience at the time to get into it with her, so I just shook my head in disbelief.

Mein Gott!

It always saddens me when educators get so badly outta whack with their info. Personally, if I'm going to talk about something as part of a presentation or what have you, I research the hell out of it. But then... I actually like reading history books.
BTW, Matt, I picked up your book on early highland dress a Ymir this year and it was a great help to me. Thanks much.

As far as the great kilt goes, no you don't have to do any sewing, just pleat it up and belt it on. Since I'm generally wearing my belted plaid for SCA events, I don't even really bother with the precise folding either, just kinda bunch it up and belt it on. Still looks great too.

[Caradoc]

As far as the great kilt goes, no you don't have to do any sewing, just pleat it up and belt it on. Since I'm generally wearing my belted plaid for SCA events, I don't even really bother with the precise folding either, just kinda bunch it up and belt it on. Still looks great too.

It's also easy to pleat it up over one's shoulder, put the belt on, then pull the aprons around to the front depending on how cold it is.

Since the belted plaid is worn over a shirt that hangs to about knee length anyway, one is "covered" even without the plaid wrapped all the way around.