A master kilt tailor is teaching people around the world how to make the famous garments - all with a unique online course.
Marion Foster, 66, first began kilt tailoring years ago for her uniform as a scout leader.
Craft-loving Marion, who already made most of her own clothes, became frustrated at the lack of information available about the process.
She was able to construct a kilt after studying the construction of one – but she couldn’t stop wondering how kilts were traditionally made.
Research led her to a school set up by a former military kilt tailor, where she studied the craft, tailoring and history of kilts and highland wear.
She quickly began creating her own - and says she's now 'probably one of the only people left who has the technical knowledge of creating kilts'.
Marion, of from Perthshire, then retired early from her management position with the NHS, deciding to devote herself full-time to her craft.
She then started the Askival of Strathearn Kilt College – a unique kilt tailoring mastery programme that can be carried out entirely online.
She teaches students from around the world the craft of kilt tailoring, with videos and tutorials breaking down each step and twice-weekly tutorials over Zoom.
She said: “In my childhood and adulthood, I’ve always had an aptitude for sewing and making things – I used to make all my own clothes.
“When I became a Cub Scout leader in the early seventies, I needed a kilt, and I could not find any guidance on how to make one.
“I eventually managed to look at one and make one for myself, but I was always left thinking, ‘what is the proper way of doing this?’
“In my late forties, I heard of a school that one of the military’s master kilt tailors had set up, because he recognized all of the knowledge and skill that had been created over a couple of centuries.
“The military started stitching the kilt, making kilts for ceremonial use, as well as active service. They weren’t driven by profit; it was their craft.
“There is a craft behind the kilt that is dying out, because the people who have known the craft haven’t had the experience and the knowledge to create training programmes.
“Often, they hold things back – I was told when I first started training to not give everything away.
“I recognized that information was disappearing. I’m sure things are being lost because nothing was written down.
“As I went on, I had the opportunity to have an experienced tailor come and visit me, who really enlightened me about the tailoring, the stitching, and the way you create a garment to fit the shape of the person.
“In my middle fifties, I felt that I wanted to give this its due attention. I didn’t want to try and fit this in with my full-time work and do it in my weekends and evenings.
“I had learned so much through the challenges I had during my training, and I knew it could be done better.
"I'm probably one of the only people left who has the technical knowledge of creating kilts.
Marion Foster, 66, first began kilt tailoring years ago for her uniform as a scout leader.
Craft-loving Marion, who already made most of her own clothes, became frustrated at the lack of information available about the process.
She was able to construct a kilt after studying the construction of one – but she couldn’t stop wondering how kilts were traditionally made.
Research led her to a school set up by a former military kilt tailor, where she studied the craft, tailoring and history of kilts and highland wear.
She quickly began creating her own - and says she's now 'probably one of the only people left who has the technical knowledge of creating kilts'.
Marion, of from Perthshire, then retired early from her management position with the NHS, deciding to devote herself full-time to her craft.
She then started the Askival of Strathearn Kilt College – a unique kilt tailoring mastery programme that can be carried out entirely online.
She teaches students from around the world the craft of kilt tailoring, with videos and tutorials breaking down each step and twice-weekly tutorials over Zoom.
She said: “In my childhood and adulthood, I’ve always had an aptitude for sewing and making things – I used to make all my own clothes.
“When I became a Cub Scout leader in the early seventies, I needed a kilt, and I could not find any guidance on how to make one.
“I eventually managed to look at one and make one for myself, but I was always left thinking, ‘what is the proper way of doing this?’
“In my late forties, I heard of a school that one of the military’s master kilt tailors had set up, because he recognized all of the knowledge and skill that had been created over a couple of centuries.
“The military started stitching the kilt, making kilts for ceremonial use, as well as active service. They weren’t driven by profit; it was their craft.
“There is a craft behind the kilt that is dying out, because the people who have known the craft haven’t had the experience and the knowledge to create training programmes.
“Often, they hold things back – I was told when I first started training to not give everything away.
“I recognized that information was disappearing. I’m sure things are being lost because nothing was written down.
“As I went on, I had the opportunity to have an experienced tailor come and visit me, who really enlightened me about the tailoring, the stitching, and the way you create a garment to fit the shape of the person.
“In my middle fifties, I felt that I wanted to give this its due attention. I didn’t want to try and fit this in with my full-time work and do it in my weekends and evenings.
“I had learned so much through the challenges I had during my training, and I knew it could be done better.
"I'm probably one of the only people left who has the technical knowledge of creating kilts.
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FunTranscript
00:00 I'm Marian Foster and my business is Ask of Alistair Thurn. I've been a
00:08 beastfold kilt tailor for quite a few years and I have taught kilt
00:15 tailoring to students as well.
00:19 The tartan is very bouncy.
00:21 In my later stage in life I heard about how kilt making was becoming a dying
00:32 craft. That's what's driven me is the fact that I had training knowledge and I
00:39 felt if we're going to keep this craft alive we've got to capture it. I also
00:43 wanted young people to have a livelihood coming from this sort of thing, start up
00:48 their own businesses and enjoy and have a good return for their effort.
00:53 So that's when I decided to try and get accreditation for the course.
00:59 I founded this College of Master Kilt Tailors and we now have accreditation
01:05 which means that the student who goes through 16 kilts, all rigorously
01:12 assessed and internally and externally, when having gone through that they will
01:19 then be able to call themselves a master kilt tailor.
01:24 That is on show so the pleat width is dictated by this and then self color at the back here.
01:30 The safeguarding group is going to look after this and for future generations
01:36 the training is there for perpetuity and that is what I feel is a great
01:42 legacy to leave.
01:46 [silence]