the great kilt

8/18/2019 The Great Kilt

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The great kilt is made of three to six yards of

full width fabric (54 to 60 inches wide.) This

was the garment worn by the shepherds the

poor !! the highlanders who had "ery little. #t

was their blanket at night and their clothing by

day.

$t the time when the great kilt was worn (%500

to %&40's when tartans and kilts were banned)

tartans as we know them did not exist. atterns

were made up of natural colors from white and

black sheep with some dies made from local

ingredients. The fabric was wo"en on a 0 inch loom and shrunk by walking the cloth to a width of

*6 or *& inches. Two widths of this were sewn together to make a kilt width.

#n these far off and undocumented times the great kilt was 'put on' in some way about which we canonly guess. +ach man would ha"e his own wearing techni,ue and no uniformity could exist. # am

sure that many kilted highlanders would not be accepted by todays standards of decency.

-niformity and some documentation of the kilt came about when the great kilt was adopted by the

british army as the dress for regements recruited in scotland. uring the years %&4& to %&/* tartan

could be worn only by officers and men of his maesties armed forces. 1ith this uniformity was

achie"ed as only the british army can do. Tartans as we know them !! the go"ernment tartan (now

the black watch) and others such as the 2ordonthe 3acenie the ameron the ampbell which

are basically the black watch with modifications were created and defined.

The british soldier li"ed in slept in and fought in his kilt. This became a sweaty dirty greasy

stained garment which hung on the body to protect him from inclement weather but interfered to

some extent with his mo"ement and mobility. 7e was no doubt happy to ha"e it replaced with the

shorter kilt the 87+#9+ :+$2 towards the end of the %/th century.

The british soldier was issued 6 yards of single width fabric This was cut in half and sewn to make

yards of kilt width. 8our 5 or 6 yards make a comfortable kilt. 3ore than 6 yards gi"es too much

plaid to con"eniently handle without appearing bulky and pulling on the rest of the clothing.

9o"e and are of the

GREAT KILTWEARING THE GREAT KILT

THE LARGE KILT

THE BREACAN FREILETHE FHEILE BREACANTHE FHEILE MORETHE BELTED PLAIDTHE PLAIDIETHE BREACANTHE OLDE KILT;r any of the other namesyou may ha"e heard

http://www.theweebsite.com/greatkilt/cover.html


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PUTTING THE KILT ON

Wearing the Great KitPutting the Kit on

!7a"e a ram of


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"7a"e another ram of


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$leat the fabric so there are three sections %>* hip of pleats with %>* hip of apron on each side.

%9ay down on pleated part with knees at edge of bed. 1hilst thinking of how badly your going to

whip your 2hilli for being late and forcing you to dress yourself. alm yourself with a ram of


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&=pread the under apron (right side) and smooth o"er body. =ome fellows get carried away here.


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(8asten the belt at the waist. 7iccup?

)@ow the tough bit for =cotsman.=tand up. 1o there @ellie the sea she's a risen.


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!*The kilt will disappar under the plaid which hangs o"er the kilt to about the middle of the shins.


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!!$s seen from the back.

$nd now 1earing the ilt and an in depth description of the traditional under garments.

$ch @essie away with ya prehistoric worm like reature.


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!"$t a mirror obser"e the form of the kilt with its plaid. =ee if you can see that bottle of :arley :ree

-isea 2ea while your at it because in my way of dressing in twenty minutes you'll be ha"ing

trouble seeing.


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!"+A+!A ,ir-t .etho/ o, a/0u-ting 1it

Take the two ends of the apron plaid in the right hand and the center of the plaid in the right

!"+A+"A ,ir-t .etho/ o, a/0u-ting 1it

bring these together o"er the left shoulder.


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!"+A+#A ,ir-t .etho/ o, a/0u-ting 1it

and pin together with a plaid brooch. $nd a fetching cut of a man you make 1o @essie back to the

bottom of the 9och with ya riled :eastie?

note This (12) is probably the most comfortable way to wear the great kilt. It does hide the sporran

but does not pull on the clothing.


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!#

Take the plaid end of the underapron which is on top and tuck it under the belt as far around the leftside as it will reach. 9eft is the hand with out the -isea 2ea in it ort on the other hand is another

case entirely.

!$Take the plaid end of the o"er apron


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!%tuck it under the belt. The laid that is .... at this stage things for me get a little blurry.

!&The kilt is now "isible from the front but not the back.


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!&+AA -e2on/ .etho/- o, a/0u-ting 1it

:ring the center of the plaid o"er the head. This is good for inclement weather. 1hich hardly e"er

occurs in =cotland.

!&+BA thir/ .etho/- o, a/0u-ting 1itrop the head loop from %6!$ around neck and fasten with a brooch.


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!&+C+!A ,ourth .etho/- o, a/0u-ting 1it

ick up the plaid with both hands at arms length on each side.


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!&+C+"A ,ourth .etho/- o, a/0u-ting 1it

:ring the two together o"er the left shoulder and


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!&+C+#A ,ourth .etho/- o, a/0u-ting 1it

pin with a brooch at shoulder.

!&+C+$A ,ourth .etho/- o, a/0u-ting 1it

Thi- .etho/ i- 2o.,orta3e an/ -ho4- the 1it 4e5


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!&+DA ,i,th .etho/- o, a/0u-ting 1it

Tuck the entire plaid under the belt at the back. Thi- i- 3u16 3ut i- the 2ooe-t 4a6 to 4ear the

1it5


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!&+E+!A -i7th .etho/- o, a/0u-ting 1it

Take one or se"eral pleats from the middle of the plaid

!&+E+"A -i7th .etho/- o, a/0u-ting 1it

bring to the left shoulder and pin in place.


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!&+E+#A -i7th .etho/- o, a/0u-ting 1it

Thi- 4a- the 4a6 the 1it 4a- 4orn 36 -2itti-h ree.ent- in the !' 8 !( th 2enturie-5 #t works

well for 4 or r yards of fabric. 8or longer fabrics there may be a low place in the back of the

plaid.


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,o/ing an/ -toring the Kit

!'9ay out the can"as protecti"e co"er on the bed.

!(8lip the plaid o"er the head and lie down on the can"as co"er.


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,o/ing an/ -toring the Kit 9Re.e.3er:

!)leat the kilt as if to put it on. arefully position the pleats where you want them when you next

wear the kilt. $berdeen is my choice A)

"*Take the upper apron and fold it o"er the pleated part.


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"!Take the under apron and fold it o"er the pleated part.

""=mooth out carefully to remo"e all rinkles and folds. ;n the ilt.....


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"#Take the plaid end of this assembly plaid end of this assembly

"$and fold it to the hem edge of kilt.


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"%8old the protecti"e co"er o"er the kilt and fasten ties.

"&


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"'Tie the kilt closed. Kni,e e/ge peat- 4i pre-- into the ,a3ri2 ,or the ne7t ti.e 6ou 4ear thi-

,ine gar.ent5

the great kilt

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