Kilt and the SCA
Jerry Reese
compile information on the kilt... If you have any information on any of
the following questions, be it either new or acrived from dates gown by<
please send it to me. I will at a later date post the findings. Who knows
maby (with the senders permission, include their submission) in an
upcomming edition of CA.
1) History of the kilt, from achient to modern...
2) History of the clan tartan and it's tie-in
3) the making of each of the kilt styles..
4) Stories about the kilt... or the men wearing one...
5) Where to but ready-made kilts and accessories...
6) How to wear and of the kilt styles...
7) Books about the kilt, tartan, Highland dress...
Well you get the picture.
The Honorable Seigneur, Thomas du Lac
Laird Johnathan MacMurry of Athol (alt persona)
Roland Kari
Here is some information on kilts that I have learned over the years. I
am by no means an authority.
The kilt or philabeag (Gaelic for little plaid) is not a period garment
for the middle ages. The breacon feile (belted plaid) which most SCA
people refer to as the great kilt is the period garment that should be
worn. It's a damned difficult thing to get into and do it right the first
few times. The kilt as we know it today was an Englishman's invention who
saw some Highlanders working in the hot sun and saw how they were
suffering in the heat. He cut the extra plaid off above the waist and
that's what became the kilt. This occured around 1730.
Tartan used as a clan identity is not a period concept either. This came
about in the early 1800's when Sir Walter Scott romanticized the
highlands to bring back a sense of national pride to Scotland after the
tartan and bagpipes were proscribed following the Battle of Culloden
which crushed the Jacobite Rebellion in 1746. More accurately, a weaver
in a district would use dies from whatever native plants were available
and wove a pattern to their liking. The highlanders in that district
would purchase or more likley barter for fabric and would wear what was
available. Since clansmen from predominantly one clan would most likley
inhabit that district, that tartan would become associated with that
clan.
There is no such thing as a ready made kilt. It must be taylored to the
wearer. Sometimes you can find used kilts for sale at highland games. New
kilts will run you in the neighborhood of $300+ made in Scottish tartan
wool.
If you would like more info, E-mail me at ka...@cdsnet.net.
In service
Lord Angus MacErc
William Underhill
In a previous article, afn2...@freenet.ufl.edu (Jerry Reese) says:
>I have noted the many questions on the Kilt... I am trying to collect and
>compile information on the kilt... If you have any information on any of
>the following questions, be it either new or acrived from dates gown by<
>please send it to me. I will at a later date post the findings. Who knows
>maby (with the senders permission, include their submission) in an
>upcomming edition of CA.
> 1) History of the kilt, from achient to modern...
> 2) History of the clan tartan and it's tie-in
Most of the modern tartans are complete fabrications from our (the
Society) viewpoint. They were made up (pun alert) from whole cloth. There
are some which do date back to being within period - I belive, but am not
sure, that the Gordon and the Stuart are two such. As a general rule of
thumb, though, any fairly complex plaid, though it may have existed in
period, was likely not the "official" clan tartan. And for most patterns,
the most you can read into them is that the weaver who made the material
was likely from a certain area of Scotland.H
> 3) the making of each of the kilt styles..
> 4) Stories about the kilt... or the men wearing one...
> 5) Where to but ready-made kilts and accessories...
A "ready-made" kilt, in period, consists of two lengths of 36" material,
each about 5 to 7 yards long (depending on the phase of the moon, etc...
:->), laid down side by each and sewn together, then hemmed at each end,
to produce a piece 72" by however long. That's the ready made part.
Putting it on is a different story... As for accessories, such as
sporran, penannular brooch, etc., your best bet is your local highland
Scot. If you have a "Scottish" store (a la "All Things Scottish -- wee,
not so wee, and friggin' huge!" :->), they may be of some help.
> 6) How to wear and of the kilt styles...
> 7) Books about the kilt, tartan, Highland dress...
Two books that I have found useful (to a limited degree) are:
1. McIan, R.R.; "The Clans and Tartans of Scotland"; Bestseller
Publications Ltd., London, England, 1988; ISBN 1 85170 223 7
2. Sutton, Ann and Richard Carr; "Tartans: Their Art and History"; Arco
Publishing, Inc., New York, NY, 1984; ISBN 0-668-06189-8
The second I found particularly useful in that it provides the actual
weaving patterns and thread ratios (not counts) for over 300 tartans,
including such non-period items (but important to me) as the MacBeth, the
Ogilvie, etc. Some of the pattern entries includes a brief excursis on
the history of that particular pattern.
There have also been some items in TI and I believe the Compleat
Anachronist regarding kilts and other paraphernalia.
>Well you get the picture.
>The Honorable Seigneur, Thomas du Lac
>Laird Johnathan MacMurry of Athol (alt persona)
I hope this is of some help; bear in mind that there may be errors or
ommissions in what I have writen above. If anyone else has corrections or
additions to offer, by all means please post them.
Yours aye,
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------.
| William Underhill William the Mariner, AoA +-) |
| email: uf...@freenet.victoria.bc.ca member # 100205 |
`----------------------------------------------------------------------'
Heather L. Garvey
>
>The kilt as we know it today was an Englishman's invention who
>saw some Highlanders working in the hot sun and saw how they were
>suffering in the heat. He cut the extra plaid off above the waist and
>that's what became the kilt. This occured around 1730.
Eep! Seriously?
The Scots were too stone stupid to figure out how to cool
off and some Englishman had to come by and go "Daaaah, why don't you
cut that part off?" ?!?
I sure hope that's not how it really happened. :)
-- Maggie MacKenzie
--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heather Garvey Work Email: gar...@cig.mot.com
SCA : Maggie MacKenzie Play Email: h...@po.cwru.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Suzuki
: 1) History of the kilt, from achient to modern...
: 2) History of the clan tartan and it's tie-in
: 4) Stories about the kilt... or the men wearing one...
: 5) Where to but ready-made kilts and accessories...
: 7) Books about the kilt, tartan, Highland dress...
: The Honorable Seigneur, Thomas du Lac
: Laird Johnathan MacMurry of Athol (alt persona)
_Cut my Cote_ is a booklet published by the Royal Ontario Museum (and
available through various Booksellers in the SCA); it has a section on
kilts you might want to check out. (I guess that's #7)
However (IMSC):
1) "kilts" as most people recognize them are very, very late period
2) clan tartans are totally OOP
4) Two punch lines:
"I've got three more yards at home!"
"I don't know where you've been, but I see you've won first
prize!"
William the Alchymist
daver
Heather L. Garvey <gar...@poohbear.cig.mot.com> wrote:
>Roland Kari <ka...@cdsnet.net> wrote:
>>The kilt as we know it today was an Englishman's invention who
>>saw some Highlanders working in the hot sun and saw how they were
>>suffering in the heat. He cut the extra plaid off above the waist and
>>that's what became the kilt. This occured around 1730.
> Eep! Seriously?
> The Scots were too stone stupid to figure out how to cool
>off and some Englishman had to come by and go "Daaaah, why don't you
>cut that part off?" ?!?
> I sure hope that's not how it really happened. :)
The traditional explanation (i.e. what's in most history
books) is that an English foreman by the name of Rawlinson created the
kilt (or philabeg) sometime in the 1720's. His creation sprung from a
desire to stop his workers from being mauled by the machinery they
were using. (Rawlinson operated a foundry)
Somewhat more documented is the introduction of the kilt into
the Highland regiment's. This was due largely to the efforts of Lord
Howe.
Of course, this is all somewhat beyond the scope of the SCA,
being two centuries too late. Besides, there are plenty of other
things that you can use to poke fun at the Scots...:-)
--
da...@world.std.com DoD#0658 KZ750H1 KA1NBG TIP#132 YMMV...
================================================================
"It is one of the superstitions of the human mind to have
imagined that virginity could be a virtue." -Voltaire
(ObScotsWithTheirKnickersInATwist: I was born in Aberdeen and raised
anonymous
>I have noted the many questions on the Kilt... I am trying to collect and
>compile information on the kilt... If you have any information on any of
>the following questions, be it either new or acrived from dates gown by<
>please send it to me. I will at a later date post the findings. Who knows
>maby (with the senders permission, include their submission) in an
>upcomming edition of CA.
> 1) History of the kilt, from achient to modern...
> 2) History of the clan tartan and it's tie-in
> 3) the making of each of the kilt styles..
> 4) Stories about the kilt... or the men wearing one...
> 5) Where to but ready-made kilts and accessories...
> 6) How to wear and of the kilt styles...
> 7) Books about the kilt, tartan, Highland dress...
>Well you get the picture.
>The Honorable Seigneur, Thomas du Lac
>Laird Johnathan MacMurry of Athol (alt persona)
>
>
I hope I can answer some of your questions
The "Kilt" or feileadh-beag (little kilt) was invented around 1725.
It was about the same as a modern day kilt,but without the buckles.
Before this time the scotsmen wore what is called the feileadh-mor
(big kilt) or Belted Plaide. The Belted Plaide was constucted with
material about FIVE FEET wide and EIGHT YARDS .It was pleated in the
middle ,then the person lay down about two to three inches above the
knee, then belted. The rest of the material was brought over the
soulder.
The tartan had no clan distinction untill about the 1800's. Before
then your wore what ever the local weaver had ,which had a hand with
the clans because the weaver wove one type in a particular area.
On the question about where to buy kilt ,its real exspensive, I would
make your own. The Belted Plaide is all material, no sewing is
involved. The "kilt" is pleated and sewn. The only problem is
finding good material, the 30-30-30 material just doesn't cut it.
It's too light weight, and doesn't really hang right. 100% all the
way.
"Kilts" for SCA period was worn about one hand width above the top of
the knee. Also about the 1600's they worn socks made of tartan
material. The only real accesories are the sporran (which means purse
in gaelic), a dirk (no Highlander would be without) , and may be a
bonnet (depending if you are early or later period). If you really
have to buy anything don't buy them at Highland games because they are
usually to bloody exspensive. SCA events are cheeper.
"Scotland and Her Tartans" by Alexander Fulton , "Clans and Tartans
of Scotland" by Robert Bain, "Scottish Clans & Tartans" by Ian
Grimble are a few good books
With Pleasure
Ian Campbell of Glenlyon
James P. Mowry
John Groseclose
(Heather L. Garvey) wrote:
> Roland Kari <ka...@cdsnet.net> wrote:
> >
> >The kilt as we know it today was an Englishman's invention who
> >saw some Highlanders working in the hot sun and saw how they were
> >suffering in the heat. He cut the extra plaid off above the waist and
> >that's what became the kilt. This occured around 1730.
>
> Eep! Seriously?
>
> The Scots were too stone stupid to figure out how to cool
> off and some Englishman had to come by and go "Daaaah, why don't you
> cut that part off?" ?!?
>
> I sure hope that's not how it really happened. :)
Nope. Not according to the documentation I've got... He's got the date and
nationality right, but according to Alistair Campbell of Airds, the
philibeg or short kilt was invented by one Englishman named Rawlinson who
ran an ironworks near Lochaber. It wasn't the heat that caused the
modification, but the fact that the flowing upper half of the breacan
feile was highly susceptible to *catching on fire* as it got dragged
across various hot things within the ironworks.
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John Wash
anonymous <nobody@nowhere> wrote:
>Jerry Reese <afn2...@freenet.ufl.edu> wrote:
>
>>I have noted the many questions on the Kilt... I am trying to collect and
>>compile information on the kilt... If you have any information on any of
>>the following questions, be it either new or acrived from dates gown by<
>>please send it to me. I will at a later date post the findings. Who knows
>>maby (with the senders permission, include their submission) in an
>>upcomming edition of CA.
>> 1) History of the kilt, from achient to modern...
>> 2) History of the clan tartan and it's tie-in
>> 3) the making of each of the kilt styles..
>> 4) Stories about the kilt... or the men wearing one...
>> 5) Where to but ready-made kilts and accessories...
>> 6) How to wear and of the kilt styles...
>> 7) Books about the kilt, tartan, Highland dress...
I have a couple of things to say on the subject. First of all, the
histories posted thus far on the subject of the kilt have been fairly
accurate, if the limited research I've done is anything to go by.
Secondly, please remember that many of the people who wore these
great kilts were living in rural areas, sometimes quite removed from
any kind of popular culture. There is ABSOLUTELY NO "RIGHT WAY" TO
WEAR A GREAT KILT. There are several different valid methods, but
Scotland didn't have a Ministry of Great Kilts or anything to tell them
what to wear and how to wear it. For day-in, day-out work, you
wrapped a kilt in the most comfortable, most efficient way; it might
not look great, but it was functional. You'd be hard pressed to prove
that Joe mac Average really gave a hoot about how his kilt hung in the
back while he was plowing fields or banging on hot bits of metal.
With that said, I'd like to point out that I have a Web page that
shows how I wrap my great kilts. The URL is:
http://sunsite.unc.edu/gaelic/john/greatkilt.html
HTH.
John
a.k.a. Donachaidh Iain mac Aindreis,
a.a.k.a. Duncan John MacAndrew
a.a.a.k.a. Toots MacGroin
a.a.a.a.k.a. Gramps, Pokey, B.I.B.
a.a.a.a.a.k.a. Hey, You.
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- John "AverageMan" Wash "Windows 95? Be afraid. Be very afraid." --
-- Email: j...@rti.org | jw...@ch9000.chem.ncsu.edu | j...@sunsite.unc.edu --
-- Groovy Website: http://sunsite.unc.edu/gaelic/john/ --
william thomas powers
>modification, but the fact that the flowing upper half of the breacan
>feile was highly susceptible to *catching on fire* as it got dragged
>across various hot things within the ironworks.
>--
If the kilt was made from wool I doubt it! Wool was used to make
fireblankets. Pure wool is self extinguishing. Perhaps it was
the *stink* of charring wool.
I do a burn test on flea-market fabric finds to determing the content
of "wool-looking" stuff. Thoase that pass go onto the forge-garb pile.
wilelm the smith all wool and a yard wide!
s.krossa
: >I have noted the many questions on the Kilt... I am trying to collect and
: >compile information on the kilt... If you have any information on any of
: >the following questions, be it either new or acrived from dates gown by<
: >please send it to me. I will at a later date post the findings. Who knows
: >maby (with the senders permission, include their submission) in an
: >upcomming edition of CA.
: > 1) History of the kilt, from achient to modern...
One thing to keep in mind is that the 'kilt' (in SCA period range, more properly
called 'breacan an fh\eilidh' or 'breacan feile' [even if that is modern Gaelic]
which translates roughly to "folded multi-colored cloth" or "folded plaid") was
worn by the Gaelic-speaking cultures of Scotland, so if your character is from
16th century lowlands or towns, your character wouldn't have been caught dead in
a folded plaid. Whether folded plaids were worn prior to the 16th century I
won't get into, since I have no desire to be flamed. But whatever the century,
it's a feature of Gaelic, not Scots-speaking, culture. It was not until the
late 18th century or even later that the rest of Scotland adopted the kilt as
part of the national dress.
: > 2) History of the clan tartan and it's tie-in
"Clan tartan" patterns is again a modern development. Prior to the 18th century,
people wore the pattern their mother or whoever wove their particular piece of
cloth decided to weave that day. People living in a particular region probably
wore patterns with similar colors, since the local weavers would have used the
available dyes for that region, and this could vary from area to area. Use of
modern clan tartan patterns is generally anacronistic for the pre-18th century.
Originally, and in certain cases still, "tartan" referred to the weave, not the
color pattern. (the weave being a twill weave, "the weft threads go over
two and under two of the warp.")
: > 3) the making of each of the kilt styles..
As others have posted, the style is a big piece of cloth, about 5 feet wide to
about 7 to 9 or more yards long. there you go. pleat it up and put it on. The
skirt was probably worn such that if you were kneeling down, the edge would be
just above the floor. At this length, if covers as much of you as possible, for
warmth, without being in the way when walking, especially when wet! any longer
and it becomes hard work to walk in when wet, any shorter and it leaves more of
you exposed to the wind (and Scotland is a very windy place!) As someone else
posted, there were no kilt police wandering the highlands insisting the folded
plaid be worn just so. Use sense and practicality as a guide, whether for
length or how to drape the top bit. If its cold, they would obvsiouly use the
top part to best effect for keeping warm. If they were visiting a hot
country, they would obviously drape the top so as to keep cool (and possibly
raise that skirt a bit!)
: > 4) Stories about the kilt... or the men wearing one...
: > 5) Where to but ready-made kilts and accessories...
Ready-made and medieval are pretty much contradictions in terms -- unless you
buy from SCA merchants! Modern kilt equipment is nearly always non-period.
: > 6) How to wear and of the kilt styles...
: > 7) Books about the kilt, tartan, Highland dress...
A good book is "So You're going to wear the Kilt! -- All you want to know about
tartan dress" by J. Charles Thompson. It has good sections about the history
of the kilt, the history of clan tartans, etc, and includes a description of how
to fold your folded plaid (though I'd leave off the fringe!), and how to make
your own sporan. It's not perfect but it's generally sound.
Sharon Krossa, s.kr...@aberdeen.ac.uk