The College of Master Kilt Tailors

The College of Master Kilt Tailors Askival of Strathearn – home of traditional, bespoke kilt tailoring and restoration.

It’s that time of year when many of us start looking forward to what we can plan to look forward to for next year. Perha...
10/09/2026

It’s that time of year when many of us start looking forward to what we can plan to look forward to for next year. Perhaps this is a way of ignoring the inevitable drawing in of the nights and the slide towards winter and all that it brings!

In any case, a date for next year’s diary is 1st May 2027, when Scotland’s Tartan Festival will be held at the historic market town of Crieff. As the Festival’s website explains, “this Festival is a premium, multi-zone cultural campus bringing together global visitors, regional artisans, and next-generation designers. From a spectacular town-centre Clan March led by the Comrie Pipe Band to cutting-edge contemporary fashion shows, expert-led ancestry hubs, and a high-energy evening Ceilidh, this is where tradition meets innovation.”

There will be a main stage featuring the best of modern Scottish music, a fashion and design showcase, a drinks pavilion alongside a hog roast and street food from award-winning makers, an interactive heritage campus where visitors can track their lineage, try their hand at a massive community loom and watch Highland dancing displays and finally, all day active family entertainment dedicated to the next generation of festival goers.

It’s highly likely that he College of Master Kilt Tailors will be taking part and we are looking forward to contributing to what promises to be a an exciting and inspiring day.

We will update you further when we know more, but in the meantime, put the date in your diary!



(Image credit: Scotland'sTartan Festival website)

As you know, here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors we love our history. Today, we thought we would write about much...
03/09/2026

As you know, here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors we love our history. Today, we thought we would write about much more recent history, which some of you may know, and some of you may not. Enter Alan Cu***ng, the renowned actor and writer, a portrait, a kilt and the Yes Scotland campaign!

Alan Cu***ng was born in Alberfeldy, Perthshire and studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. He was awarded an OBE in 2009 for his services to entertainment and his role as an LGBT campaigner and is one of Scotland’s leading actors, appearing in films, television programmes and plays in Scotland, London and New York.

The portrait by Christian Hook is the winning commission for the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2014 competition. It was created while Cu***ng was performing a leading role in a Broadway revival of Cabaret and shows the actor semi-naked, lying on a stage before a row of footlights, with a nearby top hat evoking his role. The kilt draped around his neck bears the tartan of the 'Yes' campaign, which Cu***ng supported during the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. The portrait was also included in the Tartan exhibition at the V&A Dundee in 2023/24.

The Yes Scotland campaign tartan was designed by Libby Young of Bare Knees Kilts for the 2014 Scottish independence referendum and is officially registered on the Scottish Register of Tartans. The tartan uses the following colours: blue and white representing the saltire woven into the pattern, grey symbolising Scotland's future in business and industry, green representing the nation's wealth of natural resources and green energy, and purple to represent the diverse blend of people native to Scotland or who call it home.

We hope you enjoyed this small step back in time!

Last week, we wrote about the newly reinstated Balmoral Highlanders, two members of which were standing guard to welcome...
27/08/2026

Last week, we wrote about the newly reinstated Balmoral Highlanders, two members of which were standing guard to welcome King Charles III as he arrived at Balmoral for his summer stay. This week, we are sharing more information about the Balmoral Highlanders’ new tartan itself.

Its official name is the Balmoral Glen Gelder tartan, in honour of the glen that sits at the heart of the Balmoral Estate. The glen’s lower slopes lie close to Balmoral Castle, whilst its upper reaches provide spectacular views to the north facing corries of Lochnagar. Since 1848, when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert first rented the property (before Prince Albert purchased it as a gift for Queen Victoria in 1852), successive Royal generations have enjoyed the splendour of the glen and the surrounding mountains, rivers and forests of Upper Deeside.

Following a request from King Charles III, The Scottish Tartans Authority designed this new tartan using the specific shades of the King Charles III tartan. The hues reflect the natural dyes of 18th century specimens that His Majesty admires so much.

The sett is based on a unique piece of rural Highland tartan, discovered in Glen Affric, and which now forms part of The Scottish Tartans Authority collection. This ‘Glen Affric tartan’ (the tattered piece of cloth in the picture below) dates from c1500-1600 AD and is the oldest surviving specimen of true tartan found in Scotland.

The Balmoral Glen Gelder design (which may only be woven with written permission from Balmoral Castle & Estate or The Scottish Tartans Authority, and may only be used at the discretion of King Charles III) provides a link to cloth that most likely originated in the reign of King James V, Mary Queen of Scots, or possibly King James VI and I.

As King Charles III arrives at Balmoral for his summer stay, anyone watching may have noticed two finely dressed gentlem...
20/08/2026

As King Charles III arrives at Balmoral for his summer stay, anyone watching may have noticed two finely dressed gentlemen standing guard, sporting a lovely tartan, black jacket with silver buttons, a plaid and a fearsome pole axe (known as a Lochaber axe). These guards haven’t been in attendance at any of King Charles’ previous summer stays, and in fact most people alive today will never have seen them in evidence before.

Before they were formed and titled the Balmoral Highlanders, they were Queen Victoria's staff on the Balmoral estate and their uniform consisted of a jacket and Royal Stewart tartan kilt. It was King Edward VII’s idea to officially form the Balmoral Highlanders in 1903, when he commissioned a complete Highland attire for his pipers and twenty-four men-at-arms.

The original uniform was based around the Royal Stewart tartan, with a glengarry badge crafted from silver including the crest of the King in Scotland within a garter bearing the motto “Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" (No-one provokes me with impunity). The jacket buttons were also in silver with the Royal crest. In addition to the jacket accoutrements the Balmoral Highlanders wore a goat's hair sporran with a belt buckle and shoe buckles to match the cantle.

King George V discontinued the historic ceremonial unit of estate staff and men-at-arms shortly before his death in January 1936 and it wasn’t until this year, ninety years later, that they were in evidence again. King Charles III has re-established the Balmoral Highlanders, putting members back on duty at the estate gates and for events such as the Braemar Gathering.

Next week, we will share some more information about the Balmoral Highlanders’ new tartan, so please look out for our upcoming post!

(extract from original photo: credit Jane Barlow/PA)

We love exploring history here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors, but we also love finding out what is happening now...
13/08/2026

We love exploring history here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors, but we also love finding out what is happening now. One of the most eye catching ways to find out about what is going on in the world of tartan specifically, is to head over to the Scottish Register of Tartans and finding out what tartans have recently been registered.

Many of these new registrations are tartans that have been designed to commemorate personal events for individuals or families, others are for business, and still more are for societies or organisations who are dedicated to preserving and celebrating Scottish culture.

The tartan shared today is the Scottish American Society of Dunedin, Florida tartan, which takes its colours from the Society's logo. The society is based in the Scottish Cultural Center (see photo), which was designated the City of Dunedin’s first Historic Landmark and its membership proceeds go towards assisting students of the Scottish arts. The society hosts Celtic music concerts, traditional Scottish events, and has a robust education programme for people of all ages.

It’s fair to say that the passion for all things Scottish is alive and well, and now they have a tartan that celebrates the strength of their community.



(Image of Scottish Cultural Center from Scottish American Society of Dunedin, Florida website).

Here at the College of Master Kilt Tailors, we love our tartan, be it woven from wonderful wool or sublime silk! Nestled...
06/08/2026

Here at the College of Master Kilt Tailors, we love our tartan, be it woven from wonderful wool or sublime silk!

Nestled on the edge of the Peak District is the town of Macclesfield, known as Silk Town in honour of its rich textile history, which included once being the world’s largest producer of finished silk. Macclesfield's first silk mill was founded by Charles Roe in 1743/4 and by 1832, 71 silk mills were in operation.

As with many trades, the industrial revolution completely transformed the way silk was made. New trading routes with Asia, along with the accompanying colonial activities by European kingdoms, intersected with the invention of new technologies, making the production of high-quality cloth easier than ever. The opportunities to make both fabric and money were huge.

Silk’s popularity and success in Britain, however, owed a lot to protectionist policies and a ban on imported silk goods. When this was removed in 1860, many silk weavers suffered from the lower prices and went out of business, with the cheaper imports preferred. Despite this, silk’s popularity remained well into the next century, with the demand for imported silk never falling.

Following the outbreak of World War II, all silk threads were commandeered for making parachutes. The light and strong silk, with a higher tensile strength than steel, was the perfect material for making parachutes, which needed to be both feather-light and capable of taking the weight of a pilot bailing out. While this purpose has been replaced by man-made nylon fibre today, the exact properties of silk are still replicated in their manufacture, with strength and lightness prized.

Today, silk is still highly regarded as a luxurious material and we can think of nothing better than creating or owning a plaid or dress made from this wonderful textile. If you want to know more about Macclesfield’s silk weaving history, do visit the Silk Museum at Paradise Mill - there is lots to explore!

(Image from Macclesfield Silk Museum)

Earlier this year, an archive of almost 800 historic tartan samples was donated to National Museums Scotland. The textil...
30/07/2026

Earlier this year, an archive of almost 800 historic tartan samples was donated to National Museums Scotland. The textiles were produced by J&D Paton which was one of the largest tartan manufacturers of the 19th and 20th centuries, and they have been gifted to the nation by Stuart Paton, the two times great grandson of the firm’s founder.

The samples record the firm’s production from its foundation in the 1820s to its closure in the 1960s, including rare examples of tartans woven for women's fashion, textiles created for Queen Victoria and the Royal Family during the Highland revival, military fabrics supplied to the Scottish regiments and previously unrecorded clan tartans. This unique archive has the scope to rewrite our understanding of tartan and its history.

Each sample in the archive is unique, serving as a working record for the identification of clans, patterns and colours essential to the weaving process. This rich library provides a rare detailed picture of the history of mass manufacturing at a time when tartans were expanding into new fashions and global marketplaces. Meticulously cared for by the Paton family for over two hundred years, the collection will now be catalogued and made available for research at the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh.

Dr Mhairi Maxwell, Curator of Modern & Contemporary History at National Museums Scotland said: “Tartan is one of the most recognisable symbols of Scotland and the exceptional J&D Paton collection is of immense importance to ongoing research into the history of the iconic textile. We have only just begun to uncover of the stories woven through this remarkable archive and I’ve no doubt there are many discoveries waiting to be made, all thanks the generosity of Stuart Paton and his family.”

National Museums Scotland holds one of the largest and most diverse tartan collections in the world spanning over three centuries of production history. What an exciting addition to the archive!

(Photo from National Museums Scotland)

Here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors, we love, love, love high quality wool cloth. Together with the kilt tailorin...
23/07/2026

Here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors, we love, love, love high quality wool cloth. Together with the kilt tailoring skills we learn throughout our stitching journey, the quality of the cloth ensures a beautiful, heritage fit that will last for generations.

Harris Tweed Hebrides is located at Shawbost Mill on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, and they revitalised the mill where there yarn is spun and the cloth is finished. They are a world class leader in British luxury cloth and they protect and support key parts of the British textile industry. Their cloth is still handwoven today using generations-old indigenous crafts which have been passed down through the Hebridean islander community since 1840.

Even better, the cloth comes from a unique, single country of origin supply chain which is certified and independently authenticated to exceed modern standards of sustainability and offer unparalleled peace of mind.

In today’s fast fashion world, Harris Tweed Hebrides plays an important part in the move to slow this break-neck trend down, and this aligns with the vision of our wonderful founder, Marion Foster MBE, who has durability and longevity at the heart of her ethos for the College and the skills she wishes to pass on to each of our students.

A tailored piece of clothing is for life, and for future generations. As is the cloth produce by Harris Tweed Hebrides and everyone else who produces Harris Tweed in the Outer Hebrides - the only place in the world that this beautful cloth can be legall made.

(Image from Harris Tweed Hebrides website)

Have you heard of waulking the cloth?Before we go any further, no, there is no spelling mistake! Waulking (in Gaelic lua...
16/07/2026

Have you heard of waulking the cloth?

Before we go any further, no, there is no spelling mistake! Waulking (in Gaelic luadh) is the technique of finishing newly-woven cloth by soaking it and thumping it rhythmically to shrink and soften it, a process that all used to be done by hand in times gone by. Waulking was the final stage in the long, laborious process of producing homespun woollen cloth.

Waulking was a widespread practice, but it seems that only in Scottish Gaelic culture was it accompanied by singing. Or, at least, it is only here that the songs have survived. This was a very ancient tradition, and some of the songs are centuries old. Being passed on orally, they have been transformed into many differing versions, which adds to the interest.

Many of the songs are loosely structured, since in order to make a song last long enough for the work, lines might be imported from another song, or perhaps a few lines of improvisation could be thrown in. One woman sings the verse of one or two lines. It seems effortless, but takes a lot of skill and practice to get the timing exactly right! The rest join in the chorus, which in the oldest songs are composed of meaningless vocables. Later songs may have some words in the chorus as well.

The waulking would begin with a slow song, increasing in speed as the cloth dried, and the women got warmed up. In Uist and Barra, after being waulked, cloth was rolled up and patted to smooth it out to the accompaniment of a clapping song (oran basaidh) which was a fast, cheerful song, sometimes an improvised "pairing off" song, when the names of those present would be linked with local young men.

Singing is a joyful experience, and waulking is hard, physical work - woollen cloth becomes heavy and takes on a life of its own when it’s soaking wet! How best to deal with the strenuous nature of the task? Gather your friends, share the workload and sing some songs. Plus, of course, if you’re having a bad day when waulking time arrives, there’s nothing like thumping wet cloth on a table to release your tension!

Here’s a wonderful short film from the Outer Hebrides, showing women waulking the cloth. We hope you enjoy it!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeSrkZfpAjc

In honour of our much-loved American students here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors, we are delighted to share the ...
09/07/2026

In honour of our much-loved American students here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors, we are delighted to share the design of the America 250 tartan, which was recently registered with The Scottish Register of Tartans.

The tartan was designed to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America and the history of the relationship Scotland and the USA have had for centuries. The colours are intended to reflect a combination of both the American and Scottish flags, with accent colours incorporated to represent James Wilson and John Witherspoon, the two Scottish signers of the Declaration of Independence.

The design was inspired by significant dates that led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence including 1607, when the first colony settled in Jamestown, the 13 colonies and the 4th of July, which marks the date on which the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Together, these elements create a tartan that celebrates not only America's founding, but also the Scottish influence woven into its history.

For those interested, the tartan cannot be woven or otherwise reproduced without permission from America 250 and the design rights have been transferred to America250.org by the designer Kaci McEwan, as per agreement with the Scottish Government (USA) and Heriot Watt University. The U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission was established by Congress in 2016 to plan and orchestrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. The nonpartisan Commission, chaired by former Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios, has worked with America250.org, Inc. to engage Americans across the country in designing the largest anniversary observance in the history of the USA.

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