I was the kind of person that always wanted a kilt but never wanted to spend the money.
I rented kilts but that too got very expensive, and something else - I was allergic to wool. My main goal was to have a kilt that can be warn casually or formally. One summer my girlfriend (later to become my wife) and I went to our town's Highland Games and Scottish festival. I was in awe over seeing all these kilts everywhere! All I kept thinking was man if I had my own kilt I’d wear it all the time, right after that thought I saw a small booth called 21stCentury Kilts and the man operating it was wearing a denim kilt. I went crazy! I went over and immediately asked a ton of questions. To me this was the perfect kilt - casual yet a formal style.
I was consumed by the thought of a denim kilt and that’s all I ever talked about, I made my girlfriend so sick and tired of hearing about it she begged to buy one or make one. Living in the town of Fergus Ontario, Canada it wasn’t too difficult to find someone who at one point in their life had made a kilt or two. This particular woman was happy to pass on her knowledge of kiltmaking but was shocked when I pulled out 7yards of heavy indigo blue denim for a kilt.
Off we went taking measurements and cutting denim and measuring out aprons and pleats. Finally after a day of sewing the first Canadian Casual Kilt was born - a 6yrd machine stiched indigo blue denim kilt with gold coloured stitching down each pleat to the fell, brass buckles and leather straps with of course matching flashes.
I went to the local pub to celebrate my new kilt and was greeted with stares and questions, seems people didn’t realize a denim kilt would look good.
Then I got to thinking about making a tartan casual kilt with the same method used in the denim kilt, enter POLY/VISCOSE. It was the perfect fabric. It was Teflon treated, came in a great number of tartans, was machine washable , pleated up nicely, and most importantly very economical..
The first kilt made with this fabric was my 5yrd Scottish National. This kilt's test run took place in Scotland. Not only did we go to a friend's wedding at beautiful Loch Lommond but I proposed to my girlfriend at Stirling Castle so it was a totally exciting time. Back to the kilt. I was a little nervous at first about wearing this kilt to Scotland what if they thought I was a fraud or something, I dressed it up with an Argyll. No one was the wiser to my kilt. My fiancée went around during the reception and told people about my kilt and all the reactions were postitve many were impressed by the weight of the kilt this was a hot July day in Loch Lommond.
After Scotland it came to me that maybe I should get into the kilt business. My biggest test of all was planning and making all the kilts in my wedding party all the groomsmen needed to be kilted I decided that we were going with 8yrd traditional looking kilts.
My wife’s family is very Scottish and these were going to be in pictures so they had to be perfect. In the end we were married on a beautiful day, the pictures turned out great and we now make kilts.
MacHummel
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