Tartan width? Sett? Repeat? Stripe to Stripe?

[MacWage]

Having a random collection of tartan fabrics, I was curious of two things:

How wide are most kilting tartans? I know, it varies widely by tartan to tartan and material to material. Yet, what is a "normal" range that "looks good for kilting"?


Also, how do you measure that?

What is sett measure-what point to what point?
What does repeat to repeat actually measure?

The best (most consistantly applied and understood) is of a major center stripe from one appearance to it's next. (Which would make Cambell of Argyle exactly twice as wide as Gordon from yellow to yellow, assuming all else is the same).

I ask because I thought I once knew, BUT I have seen the terms used and abused that I now want to see if I was right.

This thread is spruned on by some fabric just recieved in mail from a Clan group buy that is only three inches center to center! I will use it as a boxpleat with three inch wide boxes to set. I was told it was a 3 inch sett once and repeat once. Is that the correct? Are they all three the same or is one HALF of center to center (sett and reverse as I think it is)?

[Southern Breeze]

Help!! I know the answers only my minds gone blank. It's like forgetting your own phone number.

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Sett is measured from one stripe to the next matching stripe that begins the repeat. That being said, 3 inches seems very small. Are you sure it is kilt fabric you have and not something with a smaller set designed to be used for a fly plaid, shawl, table cloth, etc.?

And I think that a sett of 5-6 inches is a minimum for a nice looking tartan. With a 1 inch reveal, the pleats would still be 2 inches deep (slightly shallow) and you could make the reveal 3/4" or even a little less to get a deeper pleat.

[MacWage]

It was supposed to be a kilt tartan (in cotton) for a clan group. I was SHOCKED when I saw its size today!!

I WILL still use it (it'll be good practice, just not what I expected!!!)

The terminology lead me to expect a 6 inch stripe to stripe. Yet, it could make a decent box pleat. So, I will. It will STILL look better than some of the absolute CRAP I see at games!

This lead me to wonder if I understood the terminology correctly and so others could hear/read a SOLID explaination. Thereby, all the websites and users can be on the same page, especially us ametuer kiltmakers. If I could help ONE of us from making this same mistake, it is a tread well served!

[arrogcow]

A while back I made comparisons with a Tank, a 5 yard and a SWK. The SWK (nightstalker) has a sett of 3 1/2" . However, my tank has a sett (montgomery) that is only 4 1/2", yet still has over 5" pleat depth. How, put more than one repeat in the pleat.

Adam

[MacWage]

Sett is measured from one stripe to the next matching stripe that begins the repeat. That being said, 3 inches seems very small. Are you sure it is kilt fabric you have and not something with a smaller set designed to be used for a fly plaid, shawl, table cloth, etc.?

And I think that a sett of 5-6 inches is a minimum for a nice looking tartan. With a 1 inch reveal, the pleats would still be 2 inches deep (slightly shallow) and you could make the reveal 3/4" or even a little less to get a deeper pleat.

In such case, most kilt makers use multiple setts. 1.5-3 center to center per pleat.

[MacWage]

What I think sett means:
Using Wallace, because it is so simple and easy to use as demo.

Sett-> black stripe on red to yellow stripe on black

Is that the Sett OR is sett from yellow to yellow? :confused:

What is the repeat on Wallace? :confused:
-Black on red to yellow?
-Yellow to yellow?

When THAT is answered I will be satisfied.

[MacWage]

OK -> None of the experts bit!
I'll go ahead

Using Wallace as the example:

Sett- 1/2 yellow to yellow-> black on red to yellow on black

Repeat-> Sett PLUS the reverse-> What is repeated in full
(This is the stripe to stripe)

Yes, it was the Wallace that I bought (Great-Great Grandmother was a Wallace-> married a Neel and their daughter married a Wilson, whose daughter was my mother).

I was told a 3 inch sett (which it is not) When it was recieved, I though-> "That don't look right!" I measured a 1.5 inch sett and the full repeat of 3 inches.

This particular sett will work in a box pleat of a 3 inch box pleat-> sett for a full repeat. I plan to use 3 repeats to make it work. Not what I would advise, but it is good practice, I have no other use for the fabric, and it will look good in the end. Actually, not to far off historic portraits.

On almost ANY other tartan, this would not work. On all of my other tartan fabrics and ANY Black Watch based pattern (inc. my own MacNeil) it wouldn't be usable! Yet, on Wallace it will.

All readers-> Members and Lurkers:

Beware of the terms used by fabric merchants! The ones that specialize in tartan SHOULD know their correct meaning. Others, however, use them incorrectly at times. Make sure you ASK for a measurement of center stripe to the SAME center stripe accross a FULL repeat.