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Great Kilt (Feileadh-Mhor)
It is hard to beat a traditional
great kilt, also known as the "breacan an fheilidh" or "feile
mor". The great kilt dates back to at least the 16th century. Traditionally,
It could take up to a year to shear and spin enough wool, grown on one's
own sheep, to make one kilt. Fortunately, you don't need to wait that
long! (or grow the sheep, or do all that work).
The great kilt is made from double-width fabric, 54-60 inches wide. When
you belt it on, more than half of the fabric is above the belt. In warm
weather this extra fabric can be bustled up behind you or pinned over
the shoulder (pictured). In cool or rainy weather the extra fabric can
be worn over both shoulders like a cloak, or (depending on how tall you
are) up over the head like a hooded cloak.
A 4 yard greatkilt will fit up to about a 34 inch waist, a 5 yard greatkilt
will fit up to about a 44 inch waist, and a 6 yard greatkilt will fit
up to about a 50 inch waist. If you are larger than this please contact
us for pricing on larger kilts. Also, If your waist size is close to one
of these limits, consider the next size larger if you want deeper pleats
or pleats closer together. For example:
If you have a 34 inch waist, a 4yd greatkilt will have pleats 1.5 - 2
inches wide and 3-4 inches deep. A 5yd greatkilt will have pleats approximately
1 inch wide and 3-4 inches deep or 1.5 - 2 inches wide and 6-8 inches
deep. In this example a 6yd greatkilt would be overkill with a 34 inch
waist, but it would have pleats about 1 inch wide and 6-8 inches deep.
Normally, you pleat the kilt each time you wear it, and the only thing
that holds it together is your belt. Each kilt comes with instructions
on how to pleat and wear your kilt. You can also download them here: How
to Wear the Great Kilt (Adobe PDF format).
As a convenient option, we can sew the pleats in place for you - see Cheater
Pleats™ below.
See our Great
Kilt history page for more interesting information.
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Homespun Great Kilts
Our Homespun tartan is made from a 55/45 blend of polyester and
wool. It is woven by hand on old-world looms, and looks very authentic
to what would have been woven historically. The yarn is worsted,
but not spun as tightly as modern machine-made tartan. The cloth
is also not as tightly woven. Homespun tartan will pleat by hand
easily, but will not develop a sharp edge. Small snags, pulls, holes
and other assorted blemishes are common. Because it is hand woven,
these flaws are a natural part of it's character. Homespun is approximately
a 9/11oz. fabric, but feels thicker due to it's looser weave.
Homespun
Great Kilt
(catalog tartan
list O)
Homespun tartan, 54 inches wide. Pleating instructions are included
with each kilt. Traditionally these kilts are pleated each time
you wear them. If you would like us to pleat the kilt for you, please
select Cheater Pleats™ as an
additional option. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.
View
our selection of in-stock homespun tartans
KGHS – 4 yds, $139 (fits up to a 34in waist)
KGHS – 5 yds, $169 (fits up to a 44in waist)
KGHS – 6 yds, $199 (fits up to a 50in waist)
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Braveheart
Great Kilts
The same 100% wool tartan, woven in Scotland by the same weaver,
as the kilts used in the filming of the movie! The Braveheart tartan
is very rustic, woven in natural wool and earthtones believed to
be authentic to that period.
Braveheart
Great Kilt
Braveheart Tartan,
60 inches wide. Pleating instructions are included with each kilt.
Traditionally these kilts are pleated each time you wear them. If
you would like us to pleat the kilt for you, please select Cheater
Pleats™ as an additional option. Please allow 2-3 weeks for
delivery. See our Braveheart Kilt
page for more information.
KGBH – 4 yds, $249 (fits up to a 34in waist)
KGBH – 5 yds, $299 (fits up to a 44in waist)
KGBH – 6 yds, $359 (fits up to a 50in waist)
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Synthetic
Blend Great Kilts
Whether you are allergic to wool, or just want a great looking tartan
for less, a synthetic blend is a great way to go! Hard wearing,
washable, and cool to wear, to the untrained eye it is nearly indistinguishable
from expensive 100% wool tartan. While the weave is not as authentic
as Homespun tartan, many people appreciate the crisp look of the
modern tartan fabrics in a Great Kilt. With about about 60 tartans
available to choose from, it's the most affordable option for many
tartans.
Poly/Viscose
Great Kilt
(catalog tartan list P)
Light weight
11oz tartan, woven from a 65/35 blend of polyester and viscose.
NOTE – poly/viscose tartans are not woven with a kilting selvage,
so the bottom edge of the kilt will be hemmed and the top edge will
be fringed. Approximately 58 inches finished width. Pleating instructions
are included with each kilt. Traditionally these kilts are pleated
each time you wear them. If you would like us to pleat the kilt
for you, please select Cheater Pleats™
as an additional option. Special-order. Please allow 6-8 weeks for
delivery.
KGPV – 4 yds, $159 (fits up to a 34in waist)
KGPV – 5 yds, $199 (fits up to a 44in waist)
KGPV – 6 yds, $239 (fits up to a 50in waist)
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Premium
Wool Great
Kilts
Made from 100% pure new wool, woven in Scotland. This is the tartan
most of you are familiar with, and used in modern, tailored, formal
kilts. This is your best option if you are looking for a specific
tartan. With over 1000 tartans available it makes a great looking
Great Kilt! Because we work with 8 different woolen mills to bring
you the largest possible selection, the kilts below are divided
based on each suppliers price and availability.
Light
Weight Premium Wool Great Kilt
(catalog tartan lists A&B)
Made from light
weight 10/11oz premium wool tartan, woven in Scotland, 60"
wide. This is the most commonly available tartan fabric. Makes a
great looking Great Kilt, and the light weight is especially nice
for hot weather wear. Pleating instructions are included with each
kilt. Traditionally these kilts are pleated each time you wear them.
If you would like us to pleat the kilt for you, please select Cheater
Pleats™ as an additional option. Special-order. Please
allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.
KG011 –
4 yds, $339 (fits up to a 34in waist)
KG011 – 5 yds, $399 (fits up to a 44in waist)
KG011 – 6 yds, $499 (fits up to a 50in waist)
Light
Weight Premium Wool Great Kilt
(catalog tartan
lists C)
Made from light weight 10/11oz premium wool tartan, woven in Scotland,
60" wide. This tartan selection does not have a selvedge edge
so the bottom will be hemmed and the top will be fringed. Pleating
instructions are included with each kilt. Traditionally these kilts
are pleated each time you wear them. If you would like us to pleat
the kilt for you, please select Cheater
Pleats™ as an additional option. Special-order. Please
allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.
KG11C– 4 yds, $379 (fits up to a 34in waist)
KG11C– 5 yds, $449 (fits up to a 44in waist)
KG11C– 6 yds, $549
(fits up to a 50in waist)
Medium
Weight Premium Wool Great Kilt
(catalog tartan
list D)
Made from medium weight 12/13oz premium wool tartan, woven in Scotland,
54" wide. Medium weight tartan will hang better and take a
crisper pleat than light weight tartan, and many tartans are only
available in medium weight. Because it's heavier, It my not be as
light and comfortable to wear as homespun, synthetic blend, or 11oz
tartan. Pleating instructions are included with each kilt. Traditionally
these kilts are pleated each time you wear them. If you would like
us to pleat the kilt for you, please select Cheater
Pleats™ as an additional option. Special-order. Please
allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.
KG013 – 4 yds, $379 (fits up to a 34in waist)
KG013 – 5 yds, $469 (fits up to a 44in waist)
KG013 – 6 yds, $559
(fits up to a 50in waist)
Welsh
Light Weight Premium Wool Great Kilt (Cilt)
(catalog tartan
list N)
Made from light weight 10/11oz premium wool tartan, woven in Wales,
59" wide. Welsh tartan is not woven with a selvage edge so
the bottom will be hemmed and the top will be fringed Pleating instructions
are included with each kilt. Traditionally these kilts are pleated
each time you wear them. If you would like us to pleat the kilt
for you, please select Cheater Pleats™
as an additional option. Special-order. Please allow 6-8 weeks for
delivery.
KG11W– 4 yds, $479 (fits up to a 34in waist)
KG11W– 5 yds, $595 (fits up to a 44in waist)
KG11W– 6 yds, $695
(fits up to a 50in waist)
Welsh
Medium Weight Premium Wool Great Kilt (Cilt)
(catalog tartan
list N)
Made from light weight 12/13 oz premium wool tartan, woven in Wales,
54" wide. Welsh tartan is not woven with a selvage edge so
the bottom will be hemmed and the top will be fringed Pleating instructions
are included with each kilt. Traditionally these kilts are pleated
each time you wear them. If you would like us to pleat the kilt
for you, please select Cheater Pleats™
as an additional option. Special-order. Please allow 6-8 weeks for
delivery.
KG13W– 4 yds, $550 (fits up to a 34in waist)
KG13W– 5 yds, $675 (fits up to a 44in waist)
KG13W– 6 yds, $850
(fits up to a 50in waist)
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Cheater
Pleats™ (Optional) ($50 extra)
This is a nice
convenience option. Your kilt will still look like you pleated it
yourself, but you can take it off and put it back on any time you
want to without re-doing your pleats. (Depending on how concerned
you are about the appearance, pleating your kilt can take you anywhere
from a few minutes to a half hour each time you wear it.)
We'll pleat the kilt for you and stitch a waistband inside to hold
it all together. There will be a row of stitches visible on the outside
of the kilt, but these will be covered by your belt (a belt will still
be necessary to hold your kilt on).
Pleat
to sett – each pleat is positioned so that the pattern
(sett) appears to continue through the pleated portion of the kilt.
Pleat to stripe – we choose a prominent stripe in the
pattern and center the stripe down the middle of each pleat. This
is a traditional military style, and can look very nice. Some tartans
just don't look good pleated to stripe however. If you choose this
option we will let you know if it can't (or shouldn't) be done.
Box pleats – another traditional military style. Every
other pleat is reversed. This creates pleats twice as wide (3 to
4 inches wide depending on the sett width of the tartan you choose)
with tartan folded under both edges of each pleat. Incidentally,
box pleating uses less tartan, so you can actually get by with a
4 yard kilt all the way up to about a 50 inch waist. NOTE –
We will only use as much tartan as we need to, so if your waist
size is less than 50, and you select box pleats, your kilt will
most likely be constructed of less than 4 yards of fabric. The other
pleating methods will use approximately the whole 4, 5, or 6 yards
accordingly. If your waist size is larger than 50 inches, and you
would like box pleats, select a 5 yard kilt.
How To
Measure
1) Measure the waist size at your actual waist, where you
usually wear your pants.
2) Measure your hip at the fullest point, usually 6-8 inches
below the waist.
3) Measure the length from your waist to about the middle
of the knee. Have someone help you. If you bend even a little while
trying to do it yourself, the measurement will change.
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