Convener Starter Kit now online

[Jim in NM]

Conveners are those volunteers that set up booths and tents at festivals all across North America. They are the life blood of the Society's education and recruiting efforts and do it all at their own expense. We need more, many more. Presently, we cover about 1/4 of all games and festivals. There are large and populous areas of the country where we don't have folks.

I've often heard folks express interest in doing a booth, but then say "I have no idea where I'd ever get the stuff to put in it".

CMSNA is developing a way to help potential Conveners get started. We have assembled a basic "Starter Kit" of things that can be downloaded and printed out. These include basic documents - visitor logs, applications, Clan history, brochures & pictures of the Chief. There are also many historical and Scottish related items - pictures from Lewis, of the Dun, of historical figures in the Clan, famous Clanspeople, etc. These have come from active Conveners and more are being added all the time, and all are downloadable. All the Convener has to do is print them out.

In the near future, we will also be able to loan out some physical items such as tent banners, tartan, decorations, books and other things you often see in a tent. We will also have lists of books and decorations with sources if folks want to acquire more (hint: keep an eye on eBay for such stuff - most of my stuff came from there). More on that later.

In the meantime, we have placed this "Convener's Starter Kit" on the web - in the "cloud". The link below will take you to it and you can download anything you'd like. New folks will be directed there if they need the stuff to set up. You don't have to be a new Convener - if you see anything you'd like a copy of, go for it.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id= ... sp=sharing

We would also encourage existing Conveners to send in stuff that can be converted to PDF or JPG format and added to the supply.

A very special thanks goes out to Rich Lovell, Region 10 Seneschal and to Andrew, Lord Dunrossil for their contributions to this project. Thanks as well to all our active Conveners and Seneschals & welcome to anyone wanting to give it a shot!

Jim Morrison
CMSNA High Seneschal

[D-Morrison]

Hi Jim,

How about a Convener who could provide comprehensive information about authentic Morrison clothing and dress AND perhaps the appropriate tartan(s) to go along with it? In other words, there are those of us out here who are aware of such traditional clothing, but we have no idea as to where to begin and how to get started.

Here in America, seeing a person in a Morrison kilt would be a very unusual sight, indeed!

Best,

Doug Morrison

[Jim in NM]

Hi Doug,
Highland clothing is a very individualistic statement. I'm not aware of anything that would be specific to Morrison or any individual clan other than the tartan and Clan Badge. Perhaps other can help here. There is a list in another topic in this section that will show where you can find Morrison tents at Games & Festivals http://www.clanmorrison.net/forum/downl ... e.php?id=1. Those folks are great sources, if there is one near you.

There are two basic Morrison tartans in use today - a red one and a green one. The red is based on a scrap of tartan believed to date to the mid 1740's and associated with a Morrison blackhouse on Lewis. The green was designed by or for the Clan Morrison Society in the UK around 1909. Both are available at many tartan/kilt retailers in several variations. The main variations you will see are ancient and modern. That doesn't refer to age but rather how the colors are presented. The pattern on the tartan is identical but the ancient tartan has brighter colors and modern tartan has darker colors (as a general rule). To see the basic two tartans, go to http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/qResul ... g=Morrison

There are many suppliers of kilts and other clothing. To get an idea, take a look at Celtic Croft: http://www.kilts-n-stuff.com/. I'm not endorsing or advertising for them. They are a vendor I've used and they have a decent web site and sell Morrison kilts in several weights (tartan thickness, basically). A google search will show up many others. Celtic Croft has a good, quick review of highland dress: http://www.kilts-n-stuff.com/scottish-h ... -wear.html

NOW, BEFORE YOU BUY - go to some Highland Games and take a look through the vendor area. You'll likely find all manner of kilt and clothing sellers. It will also give you an idea on costs (be prepared for sticker shock). And, I can't stress this strongly enough, if you intend to buy a kilt, do so from a reputable vendor. It is also a very good idea to get measured by someone who knows how. It is almost impossible to measure yourself for a kilt. Talk to folks at the festival or local Scottish societies to see where they got kilts or would recommend.

I hope this gives you a start. If you need more info, let me know. Many of us proudly wear the Morrison colors all over the US and Canada. We hope you will join us!!!

Jim in NM

[D-Morrison]

Hi Jim,

Thank you, that is just the sort of information that I was looking for! Basically, I am a t-shirt and blue jeans kind of guy, and I have absolutely no idea as to how to wear a kilt, but for at least once in my lifetime I think it would be fun to try. I have no interest in going "full formal" and the plain, basic casual dress would do just fine, even if I do wear it with a t-shirt!

But now what should I do about these heavy boots that I am wearing in wintertime, hmm?

;-)

Best,

Doug

[Jim in NM]

Doug,
You will fit right in at any festival! T-shirts and kilts are all over the place. Let me suggest something to try. Next time you go to a festival, find a vendor selling kilts. Often they have many stock kilts in dozens of tartans (but usually not Morrison), solid colors, canvas, etc. The nice thing about these is they are usually somewhere around $100+/-. Find one you like and buy it. Use it as your "training kilt". If you decide kilts aren't for you, you haven't spent $5-800 on a full tartan kilt. If you like the first one, you can get a quality kilt later and keep the other one for casual wear at dusty outdoor events (I do festivals in New Mexico & Texas). I've got a solid black Kommando brand kilt that I often wear in those conditions.

Here is another option if you don't have any festivals near you - Sportkilts; http://sportkilt.com/

They have a wide range of lightweight kilts that are very popular with the Highland Games athletes who don't want to mess up a good kilt. My first kilt was a Sportkilt. Their versions of particular clan tartans are not always exact. They used to have a Morrison - had all the right colors, just not in the right places.

Purists may not care for these lightweight kilts, but they do make great "starters" for folks wanting to get into the swing of things!

Oh, about those boots -- in Texas, it's not uncommon to see t-shirt, kilt and cowboy boots. So go for it!

Jim in NM

[D-Morrison]

Hi Jim,

The boots I wear really could add an authentic touch, 8" lace-up construction type boots. I live in a really old wood-framed house which has been repaired and worked on many times, and wearing any sort of soft-soled shoe could be dangerous as anywhere near the house there could be random, old iron nails in the ground to penetrate such shoes and the foot in them, so that I have long used hard-soled boots in my yard, year 'round.

OK, so picture a t-shirt, a kilt and work boots which come about halfway up one's lower leg.

The sporran seems to be the one essential accessory item, as a kilt has no pockets.

I thank you for introducing me to a new world of possibilities!

Best,

Doug

[Jim in NM]

Or, maybe a kilt that fits in with the "rustic" look and has pockets...http://www.utilikilts.com/shop/

or a Kommando...http://www.kommandokilts.com/ez-catalog ... Kom%20Kilt

I guess the main thing to take away is that there is no "one" right way. You can go from traditional to modern. Morrisons have a long history of going our own way, so make your own statement!

Be sure and get a pic posted on our Facebook group when you get decked out!

Jim

[morrisondna]

Jim,

This convener's starter kit is a wonderful and much needed resource for everyone who puts up a Morrison tent. I know we'll continue to add to it as time goes by, but it's great as it is. Thanks for an impressive job.

Edwin

[AlizaKhan]

Hi Jim,

How about a Convener who could provide comprehensive information about authentic Morrison clothing and dress AND perhaps the appropriate tartan(s) to go along with it? In other words, there are those of us out here who are aware of such traditional clothing, but we have no idea as to where to begin and how to get started.

Here in America, seeing a person in a Morrison kilt would be a very unusual sight, indeed!

Best,

Doug Morrison

Hi Doug Morrison..!
But I think their are a lot kits Styles which are very trendy in USA like kilts for men Seattle and utility kilts for working men. And it's look nice too.

[rlovell22]

Seattle WA games in Enumclaw WA this weekend 28,29 July. I have 7 Morrison tartans at the Morrison tent and can give you a few ideas. I only own two kilts (so far).

Rich Lovell