The College of Master Kilt Tailors

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

Weavers Lochcarron of Scotland have recently collaborated with Dyslexia Scotland to create an official new tartan formin...
30/05/2026

Weavers Lochcarron of Scotland have recently collaborated with Dyslexia Scotland to create an official new tartan forming part of a campaign to promote the rights of people with dyslexia, and to create a more inclusive society.

Around ten per cent of the population is thought to be dyslexic, a condition which can present in many forms which in turn means many face prejudice and stigma around difficulties with memory, learning to read and spell, and processing difficulties.

Branch Chairperson of Dyslexia Scotland Caithness said that ”Although one tenth of our community is dyslexic, too many are still lost in the margins of society. There is a global community of people with dyslexia who long for a sense of belonging and representation. As Dyslexia Scotland, we’re inviting the whole world to be part of Clan Dyslexia – to be part of our community, making dyslexia more visible, respected and included, the whole world over.”

The six colour tartan is based on the colours forming part of Dyslexia Scotland’s brand, and the charity is now raising money to fund the first official weave of the new tartan. In the meantime, a cardboard kilt is on display to show the new design in all its glory.

Fingers crossed that they can get the new tartan woven soon, so that this new “Dyslexia-Friendly Scotland” tartan (its official name), can be seen out and about, representing the charity’s pursuit for a dyslexia-friendly Scotland!

(Photo from Dyslexia Scotland)

High Life Highland Youth Pipe Band recently won first prize in the Junior B category at the Scottish Schools Pipe Band C...
21/05/2026

High Life Highland Youth Pipe Band recently won first prize in the Junior B category at the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships - the world’s largest schools piping event. This is no mean feat given that they were the only band entered in the competition that is unable to meet in person every week to practice as a group, unlike all the individual school entries. What a testament to the hard work and commitment of the young musicians as well as the tutors and organisers who help create such opportunities.

The Championships are organised by the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust, a charity committed to make piping and drumming accessible to more young people across Scotland. The Trust currently supports pupils and schools in 27 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, helping ensure that traditional music continues to thrive in communities across the country.

As for the High Life Highland Youth Pipe Band, they have been kilt-less for the last six months, but will soon be marching out in the Inverness Castle tartan, which was designed to celebrate the 2025 opening of the Inverness Castle Experience. The colours and thread count were chosen to celebrate the long history of the castle and its position in Inverness.

The grey and brown sections are intended to reflect the physical materials used to construct the castle over centuries, the grey stone and rocky base paired with the deep timber colours used latterly within the former courthouse. The thread count 105 and 35 has been used, representing the latitude and longitude position of the castle. The dark blue section of 43 threads reflects the nearby River Ness and 43 was chosen as the castle is 43 feet above sea level. The 9 light blue threads represent a new chapter of the castle for 2025. The 13 sandstone threads represents the first recorded year of a castle being present, 1057, 1+0+5+7 = 13.

Here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors, we sometimes like to blow our own trumpet. We know that people often find us...
14/05/2026

Here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors, we sometimes like to blow our own trumpet. We know that people often find us here on Facebook or Instagram through unexpected ways, and might not really know much about us. So this week, we're going to share some of what makes us unique.

Our kilt tailoring course doesn't just teach you how to make a generic kilt, a one size fits all, if you like. We teach you how to make bespoke kilts, every time, for men, for women and for children. We teach you how to accommodate different builds and different activity requirements. We teach you how to create a kilt that can grow (or shrink!) as your body changes shape. We teach you how to future proof your kilt so that it can be passed down from generation to generation. We stitch the love of the heritage craft into every kilt we possible can.

Our teaching methods mean that through live tutorials, training videos and comprehensive written course materials, our courses are accessible to students across the world. Our course is regularly reviewed to make sure that each of the elements provide the right instruction and support to help our students tailor beautiful, bespoke kilts for friends, family, customers or themselves.

Our training programme, created by our wonderful founder Marion Foster MBE, is endorsed by the Skills and Education Group Awards’ Quality Licence Scheme and approved by the UK Fashion and Textiles Association. Whether you wish to establish a creative and fulfilling livelihood, or to create a kilt (or several!) just for the joy and achievement of it, our course is for you!

Please do visit our website at www.master-kilt-tailor.com for more information.

Travellers to Scotland over the past several hundred years have noted the tartan worn by its inhabitants. These written ...
07/05/2026

Travellers to Scotland over the past several hundred years have noted the tartan worn by its inhabitants. These written records refer to it as ‘mottled’, ‘marled’ and ‘sundrie coloured’, but perhaps the best description comes from the Gaelic word ‘breacan’, meaning chequered.

For several centuries, tartan remained part of the everyday garb of the Highlander. Whilst tartan was worn in other parts of Scotland, it was in the Highlands that its development continued, and so it became synonymous with the symbol of clan kinship.

Tartan was used to make the kilt which would today considered traditional Scottish dress. It would be worn with shoes of untanned hide or the ‘cuaran’, a knee length boot, also made from hide. The leather sporran worn in front of the kilt which served as a purse completed the ensemble.

The women of the clan wore a ‘curraichd’ of linen over their heads which fastened under their chin. The ‘tonnag’ was a small square of tartan worn over the shoulders, and the ‘arasaid’ was a long self-coloured or tartan garment, which reached from the head to the ankles, pleated all round and fastened at the breast with a brooch and at the waist by a belt.

Early tartans were simple checks of perhaps only two or three colours. The colours were extracted mainly from dye-producing plants, roots, berries and trees local to a specific geographic area.

It is said that the weavers took great pain to give exact patterns of tartan by identifying each colour of every thread. An account from 1572 records how a housewife gave coloured wool to a weaver to make into cloth. When the cloth was returned to her, failing to meet her requirements, she sued the weaver, accusing him of making the cloth to his ‘awin fasoun’ (own fashion), and not according to her instructions. She won her case.

This is a much-abbreviated, older history of tartan, pre-dating the Battle of Culloden, the ensuing government crackdown on the Highland clans and the wearing of tartan, and the later tartan revival initiated by George IV’s visit to Edinburgh.

We hope you enjoyed this little romp through time - and the forthright character of the woman who took a man to court - and won!

Have you heard of the Kiltwalk?Kiltwalk is Scotland’s largest mass participation walking event with over 216,000 people ...
30/04/2026

Have you heard of the Kiltwalk?

Kiltwalk is Scotland’s largest mass participation walking event with over 216,000 people taking part since 2016. The Kiltwalk community, together with The Hunter Foundation (the charity founded by Sir Tom Hunter, Scottish businessman and philanthropist), have managed to raise £58 million for over 4,000 Scottish charities to date.

There are four Kiltwalks each year, taking place in and around Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh, and the Glasgow Kiltwalk for 2026 took place this past weekend. More than £4m was raised for dozens of charities from those taking part in the full 23 mile (37km) Mighty Stride, the 14.5 mile (23.3km) Big Stroll and the three mile (4.8km) Wee Wander on Saturday and Sunday. Like many charitable walking events, these are distances that can cater to many levels of fitness and endurance, and luckily, this year, the April weather treated everyone kindly!

The Aberdeen Kiltwalk will be held on Sunday 7 June, St Andrews to Dundee on Sunday 16 August and Edinburgh on Sunday 13 September. Hopefully the weather will smile on these events, but if it doesn't, while the participants might get wet, their spirits certainly won't be dampened.

Well done to all who participated in the Glasgow events and good luck to those taking part later this year!



(Photo: Kiltwalk website - Tom Hunter setting out on the Glasgow Kiltwalk 2026 Mighty Stride from Glasgow Green).

The terms ‘plaid’ and ‘tartan’ are often used interchangeably, especially outside Scotland. So, what is the difference b...
23/04/2026

The terms ‘plaid’ and ‘tartan’ are often used interchangeably, especially outside Scotland. So, what is the difference between them? Let’s find out!

All tartans are plaid, but not all plaids are tartan. Tartan is a distinct woven pattern that has been part of Scottish heritage for centuries, consisting of horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Each tartan is unique to a specific Scottish clan, district, military regiment, or organisation.

Scottish tartans date back as far as the 16th century and became a powerful symbol of Scottish identity. Following the Jacobite uprisings of the 18th century, most notably the Battle of Culloden in 1745, tartan and Highland dress was banned for men and boys for a time under the Dress Act of 1746. Today, tartan remains an important emblem of Scotland and is recognised globally for its iconic design and legacy.

In Scotland, a “plaid” (pronounced “played”) does not refer to a pattern but rather to a large piece of tartan fabric worn over the shoulder or as a blanket - in fact, the word ‘plaid’ originates from the Gaelic word for blanket. The most well-known and common example is the fly plaid, a piece of tartan cloth traditionally worn over the shoulder with a kilt. There are many more though, sas the, belted plaid, arisaid plaid, shepherd’s plaid, straight plaid, piper’s plaid and drummer’s plaid.

And one more thing - confusion also arises because, particularly in North America, the word ‘plaid’ has come to mean any checkered fabric, no matter its cultural or historical background. In theory, gingham fabric could be referred to as plaid, because it consists of two criss-crossing colours.

We hope that this helps answer any questions you might have had!



(Photo by Melody Ayres-Griffiths on Unsplash)

Here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors, we not only welcome students from all around the world, but also students wh...
16/04/2026

Here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors, we not only welcome students from all around the world, but also students who have different learning styles.

Our training programme is delivered using a combination of methods, including videography, the written word and twice weekly, face-to-face group tutorials. Using these approaches, we aim to cater to many types of learning styles:

Linguistic learners - we have the the written word, which marries with the step-by-step videos delivered by our wonderful founder, Marion Foster MBE.

Visual learners - students who learns best when they can watch instructional videos and listen to the detailed explanations, showing complete demonstration of the skill they wish to master.

Auditory learners - those who can listen to explanations on their own while they work away on their own kilt.

Physical learners - students who learn while doing, benefiting from formative feedback, reviewing and, if necessary, redoing.

Logical learners - kilt tailoring is a technical challenge, and the written word is logical and concise. Since every bespoke kilt is different, it requires the problem-solving mind of the logical learner.

Social learners - twice weekly group live online tutorials, a WhatsApp group to inspire and share ideas and regular and informative Gatherings provide social learners with plenty of community to meet their learning needs.

Solitary learners - for students who prefer to learn on their own, the videography and written word can support someone who needs quiet and space to learn. Individual support is also available to meet these learning needs.

Whatever type of learner you are (and you may have different needs at different times) we welcome you!

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will be taking place in Glasgow from 23rd July to 2nd August, with more than 3,000 athletes ...
09/04/2026

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will be taking place in Glasgow from 23rd July to 2nd August, with more than 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories competing across 10 sports and six Para sports.

This week, Team Scotland unveiled its official tartan for the Games. With its deep navy blue base, mixed with purples, pinks, greens and metallic gold thread, it symbolises both Scotland’s ambitions and also draws on the colours of the Team Scotland thistle.

The tartan has been designed by award winning designer Siobhan Mackenzie, who designed Team Scotland’s womenswear for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018, and the full design for the tartan and opening ceremony outfits for Team Scotland at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.

The 2026 tartan will feature across Team Scotland’s official kit, including the ceremony outfits worn by the team and the officials.

What a vibrant tartan! Team Scotland will certainly stand out - especially if the men are wearing kilts…

In Canada, National Tartan Day has been celebrated in every province on 6th April every year since 2003, when the last a...
02/04/2026

In Canada, National Tartan Day has been celebrated in every province on 6th April every year since 2003, when the last approval was granted in Québéc on 18th December in that year.

The origins of the day are firmly rooted in Nova Scotia (the province's name is Latin for ‘New Scotland’), a region where the significance of Scottish culture and heritage provided the ideal setting for the celebration to begin. The strong presence of Scottish descendants and their enduring traditions in Nova Scotia made it the natural birthplace for a day dedicated to honouring their ancestral legacy.

In Nova Scotia, on 9 March 1986, at a Federation of Scottish Clans meeting, William Crowell and Jean Watson proposed "Tartan Day," aiming to promote Scottish heritage by encouraging the wearing of Scottish attire, particularly the kilt, in everyday life. �

This proposal, born in a province where the significance of Scottish culture is deeply rooted and among a Canadian population where approximately 4.7 million (15.1%) claim Scottish descent, marked the inception of what would become National Tartan Day.

Jean Watson approached every provincial Legislative Assembly in Canada, as well as other Scottish-cultural societies across the country, to help get such a date established. The first such proclamation was by Nova Scotia on the 6th April 1987. This was a crucial step in formalising the celebration.

In 1991, inspired by Nova Scotia's initiative, and through the efforts of the Clans & Scottish Societies of Canada, the Ontario Legislature passed a resolution proclaiming April 6th as Tartan Day. From 1992 onwards, until the final approval in 2003, formal celebrations were held in one province after another, until what began as ‘Tartan Day in Nova Scotia’ finally became a true ‘National Tartan Day’.

By the way, this year many celebrations are being held on 12 April, in order to avoid a clash with Easter! We wish our Canadian friends and fellow students a wonderful day. Wear that kilt with pride!

As the USA prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence, students from Heriot-Watt Uni...
26/03/2026

As the USA prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence, students from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh have been offered the opportunity to design the commemorative America-250th tartan, which will be presented in Washington D.C. this summer.

Heriot-Watt University was invited by the Scottish Government’s USA office to create a tartan symbolising the enduring historical and cultural ties between the two countries, and the chosen tartan will be revealed in the summer.

Professor Fiona Grant, Executive Dean of the School of Textiles and Design, said: “We were delighted to be chosen for this special assignment to mark the America250 celebrations. It’s a remarkable opportunity to contribute to a project of real cultural - and lasting – importance, while showcasing the breadth of skill, creativity and innovation that define Heriot-Watt's School of Textiles and Design.”

The initiative gives international exposure to Scotland’s emerging textile designers, linking their work to a globally recognised commemoration. It also provides an opportunity for Scottish Government USA to promote Scotland’s strengths in creativity, heritage, higher education and design to audiences across the USA.

The chosen design will be registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans as the official commemorative tartan for the America-250th organisation. An initial commemorative run will be produced at Lovat Mill, with the winning student then travelling to Washington D.C. to formally present the tartan from Scotland to the USA.

Each submission had to meet specific evaluation criteria, including the historical and cultural relevance of the tartan design, the creativity and originality of the pattern and supporting narrative, as well as the design’s public appeal and potential for ceremonial and commercial use. Colour palette, warp and weft all contribute to the narrative conveyed, combining tradition with contemporary storytelling.

Here at The College of Master Kilt Tailors, we love our tartan, and are looking forward to finding out which of the five shortlisted designs will be chosen!

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