On choosing kilt cloth part two: Choosing the colours of your tartan 

Super interesting! Thank you!

About Ancient colours, they're spoken of in the 1920s as being a relatively new and attractive alternative colour-scheme. They were called "vegetable colourings" at that time. The earliest illustration I can find is a 1909 catalogue which clearly shows a gent wearing an "vegetable colourings" kilt.

I am of Scots descent living in Corfu, Greece and I've found your videos of particular interest and help especially concerning the folding of the kilt. I will hang my Frazer tartan kilt no longer. I believe your point about the 'historicality' of the cloth of kilts from days gone by and their colours is amply made by R. R. Mclan in his illustrated book 'The Clans and Tartans of Scotland' originally published in 1845, in conjunction with his great friend James Logan, who wrote the text and of which I have a copy, albeit in reproduction. Good luck to you especially today as it is still 30th November here in Greece and I will be enjoying a dram (or two) later.

Thank you for sharing this I always find this subject informative and fascinating.

I spent a LOT of time watching your videos before I'd even managed to find a kilt maker in Australia (it turns out we have just the two) so I could get my measurements done. As fortune would have it one of those two kilt makers is only 2 hrs drive from my home. More research, a few e-mails, and many on-line visits to The Scottish Register of Tartans resulted in my House of Edgar 13 oz Irish National tartan kilt. Your videos were instrumental in my choices. I couldn't be happier. :)

I believe they confuse old dyes and cheap dyes. Old dye is not automatically less quality.

I'm a spinner, seamstress and my daughter is a weaver. She wants to weave our MacLaren tartan. What size should I spin the wool? Fingering weight at 15wpi? Should it be a certain ply? I can do single, 2 or 3 ply. I'm sure I will have more question as we go through this process. I'm also wanting to knit up some hosing.

You allude to the creation of the Reproduction colour palette by D C Dalgliesh. I have a pamphlet printed and distributed by them telling the story: "The story of Reproduction Tartans is the tale of a piece of cloth no larger than a table napkin. It began in the autumn of 1946 when a peat-gatherer seeking fuel on Culloden Moor dug out an old piece of cloth, which after the most searching examination proved to be a MacDonald tartan. The colours and sett were noted to be somewhat different to that in vogue but this was hardly surprising when it was decided that this piece of cloth was certainly 200 years old. It may have well been worn by a MacDonald then fighting in defence of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, in his quest for the throne of Great Britain. Here indeed was the key to much lost and sketchy knowledge and to D C Dalgliesh, who obtained this piece of cloth on loan, among conditions laid down were two, namely that it be insured for 2,000 pounds and that it be lodged nightly locked in a safe. Patient and intensive research into colours, sett, and weave followed, and as a result D C Dalgliesh LTD have produced a range of Reproduction Tartans which are authentic in colour and design to those worn in 1745 and before." That is their claim. What we don't know is who the owner was, and where that fragment might now be.

Many thanks sir. A question that I have is for example if just the square of green is expanded in the ELPHINSTONE tartan and the purple bars and the green between them stays the same is it still the ELPHINSTONE tartan?

Robert; D.C. Dagleish is offers a "Weathered" or rather "Reproduction" Davidson tartan, in both 16oz. and 11oz. I've already got a Davidson Modern kilt, but like the weathered/older look. They require an order that needs to be rewoven and will take several weeks to get done. Time-wise that's okay. Would you recommend them for this? Thank you.

Hey there! I just found your videos and I thought it was pretty neat that you are, I'm guessing, from Clan MacDonald. I myself am from Clan McDonnel which I've read was a variant of Clan MacDonald if I'm correct. I don't actually know much about my clan other than the fact I'm decended from them.

Hi folks, my name is Thomas MacDonnell. My Dad was, France Mairian "Wally" MacDonnell. He was born in 1925 somewheres in Scotland, and came to the US in 1940 during WWII were he joined the US Navy. My Grandmother was from Newcastle, in the "Midlands" of Great Britain before she too came to the US along with my dad and my two aunts. My Grandmother lost everything during the war, especial her husband and youngest son. It would mean a lot to me if someone could give me the contact info of this trailer. I would like to have a kilt made in honor of my dad. Thanks