Paul Henry Kilts

 I give illustrated talks to many local groups about kilts and tartan and wool related subjects, each talk can be tailored to the audience, and I am very happy to adjust the content to suit more specialised groups.
I don't work from a set script, it's more of a conversation and I am happy with questions at any time, so no two talks are exactly the same, I come armed with lots of samples and often some work in progress and am very happy for people to have a look, and a touch of course.
Please contact me if you are interested in obtaining further details.

The two most popular talks are:

From fleece to pleats

An introduction to the word of wool, spinning, weaving,dyeing, tartan, and  kilt making.
I discuss the history of wool, demonstrate spinning, talk about the development of weaving and the history of tartan, finishing with a “show and tell” of how a kilt is made.

This talk  is an excellent overview of wool and tartan, covering a lot of ground very quickly, but it has proved to be one of my most popular bookings.

It can be easily adapted to spend more time on the history and development of tartans and kilts.

Natural Dyeing

An introduction to the world of natural dyeing,  from early mud dyeing of 5000 BC right through to the discovery of the first synthetic dye in 1856.

With lots of samples of dyed wools, grouped by the history and development of colourants , and samples of many of the various dyestuffs and chemicals used,I discuss the history and manufacture of coloured textiles.