[MR] Kilt making

[EoganOg at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/7/01 6:31:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
bethoc at peoplepc.com writes:


> Not wanting to throw a monkey wrench into the works, or start a major flame
> war, but here goes ....
> 
> I seem to recall seeing some very persuasive documentation that great kilts
> were not worn in our period in Scotland.  I can't remember off the top of my
> head where I saw it, but I could find it if you're interested.  Certainly,
> the Victorian kilts (the ones with the pleats sewn in), which you can see at
> modern Scottish festivals, are wa-a-ay post-period.
> 
> So, the point is, if you're planning to wear it at SCA events, you may want
> 

I replied earlier, but off list, sorry. ;-)  Here goes again.  What we 
moderns call a "great kilt" is a belted plaid or in Gaelic "feilidh-mhor" 
(big wrap) or "breacan-feile" (tartan wrap), and can first be documented as 
being worn by Hebridean soldiers in 1594 AD, thus it is just within our 
period.  Since in the early 17th century it seems to have become a nearly 
universal dress among Highlanders, any late period Scottish Gael should feel 
comfortable wearing one.

This is the grandfather of the modern day kilt.  The lower portion of the 
belted plaid began to be worn by itself sometime between the late 17th 
century and the mid 18th (dates uncertain).  This is called the feilidh-beag, 
or phillabeg, meaning "little wrap."  The pleats were first sewn in place at 
the very end of the 18th century.  The earliest known surviving civilian kilt 
(pleats sewn in) dates from 1792 and is on display in the Scottish Tartans 
Museum in Franklin, NC.  (www.scottishtartans.org).  Click on the museum tour 
section for pictures.  This is the first true kilt.  At first the pleats were 
box pleated, to no particular pattern, and contained about 4 yards of 
material in length, same as the phillabeg and the belted plaid.  During the 
19th century lots of experimentation went on with the pleating, including one 
weird one called the Kinguissie pleat, with a single box pleat in the back, 
and knife pleats fanning out from it in opposite directions.  Eventually the 
knife pleat became standard, and tailors began pleating to a particular 
pattern (sett or stripe, or color), that required more yardage, so now your 
average kilt is about 9 yards in length.

There you have it, a breif history of the kilt.  If you want to know more, 
look at my articles on http://albanach.org and let me know if you have more 
questions.

Aye,
Eogan

Tighearn Eoghan Og mac Labhrainn, OPE, CP
Sacred Stone Pursuivant
Web Master et A&S Minister, Hawkwood
sennechie na hAlba agus Atlantia
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