Kilt making

Rachel Hammerton with a selection of kilts infront associated with 1920s Armstrong Loom

Since recently as many years ago, it absolutely was feared that kilt-making was at crisis. A Sunday Herald tale also estimated that “there are perhaps only 10 genuine kilt-makers in Scotland”.

But two of these professionals are actually located in the Borders, and are usually intending to make kiltmaking a favorite pastime once more.

Kilt Making at Mount Pleasant

Border Kilt Craft, the creation of Rachel Hammerton, exposed recently at Mount Pleasant, near Duns.

In her workshop, Rachel intends to provide kiltmaking programs to those interested – and she stresses that no earlier knowledge is necessary.

“There isn't any need to be proficient at knitting or stitching or something like this, ” Rachel said.

“In fact, taking care of the loom that individuals have actually, it’s far more like engineering, however with smooth materials. Anybody can do it, it is perhaps not feminine anyway.”

Master kilt maker Ann Campbell with 'Vestiarium Scoticum'

Director Rachel made a lot more than 100 kilts as a professionally trained and competent kilt-maker.

She's offered presentations from the reputation for Scottish kilts in Italy, the USA in addition to Czech Republic. As a spinner and weaver, she consistently research her enthusiasm, the history and techniques of textile production.

Rachel said: “Our fascination with the research and study of kilt, our desire to protect a dying traditional craft, and our skills and expertise in education have impressed us to create a training course in old-fashioned kilt-making, the only person of the sort in southern Scotland.”

The unique nature of the workshop is clear when you see the loom that Rachel utilizes, which was considered to have-been built almost 200 years ago.

“Our Armstrong loom is our many prized ownership, ” states Rachel.

“We think that it very first saw the light of time back in the 1820s when it was set up once the really most advanced technology during the Alva Mill near Stirling. There has been a few improvements, but few. It’s basically just tree trunks, still, however some of this frames tend to be material, which were included in, i believe, the 1970s, and you can find a few heavy iron components which should have already been bolted on in belated nineteenth century.”

The Armstrong loom made your way south to the Borders with Rachel after the woman spouse retired last year.

“It had been taken down and put up collectively again during my workshop, that is amazing, ” she states, “given it has actually just already been relocated 3 times in its life. We were extremely lucky aswell given that it had been inherited by the great-grandson associated with the guy whom initially owned it, in which he gave it to us because he wanted that it is used.

“Another thing we’ve been lucky for are typical these shuttles, ” she went on, “because because of the way they bang about pulling the yarn over the device, they have truly battered. We had been provided a lot of shuttles besides, which was dead handy, because usually, together with them not-being made any longer, we’d have experienced to visit the next world locate all of them.

“After significantly more than 100 years on Loch Lomondside, ” she stated, “the loom features discovered its way to the Borders and it is today installed inside our workshop.

“Over many years it has woven lots of the Scottish tartans, so we are now undergoing creating the Mount pleasing Tweed.

“She is recognized as the Old woman, ” says Rachel of the loom, “and she shows you precisely how old she's occasionally. She had been demonstrably cutting edge technology when she had been built in the past. Using the lady aided by the pedals together with frames, it is quite like a cross between a bicycle and a church organ!”

That includesn’t ended Rachel from getting very dextrous in the loom. “i could get a complete kilt done in about 24 straight hours, ” she says. “So that is about three times’ work, if I’m not interrupted. Naturally, when she had been built, folks used small children to fetch and carry things, making the procedure also faster.”

Potential attendees on eight concept training course won’t be anticipated to work as quickly as Rachel, with the concept becoming that each individual takes so long as is necessary to accomplish each step of the process.

Rachel is joined in her own brand-new venture by the woman guide, master kilt-maker Ann Campbell, who's above 1, 000 kilts to her credit. Ann may be the Scottish Keeper of this Bergen Scottish tartan, has a Hollywood star among the woman customers, and now specialises in her own very own Campbell tartan.