MacCallum tartan flashes on the bias

[Jon Lilley]

Hey there, Everyone!,

I got busy and tried my hand at a pair of tartan flashes and they turned out pretty well. I didn't have all the proper materials, but they turned out well in spite of the shortcomings.

I'm sorry the colors aren't true in this foto, but the MacCallum is a Blackwatch cousin with a light blue over check. The hose are US Coast Guard bluish gray, but here they look almost the same. I know to use better lighting for my next pictures.



I think they took about an hour from start to finish, but it actually took a lot longer hunting for the material. I had an old bag cover that volunteered for the job. The fabric was so old that I was afraid it'd fall apart so I used a lot of glue on the back. I didn't have any iron-on ribbon so I used some old Mod Podge. Remember that stuff? Well, it still works! I just painted a thin strip down the back and along the swallow tail to stop any fraying. And presto, new tartan flashes!

The garter/elastic parts are just stapled together and covered with a thin stip of Duct-tape to prevent snagging. I could've spent a lot more time on them, but don't really think I'll be using them much. If I do, I'll just put more time into them and I'm golden.

I'm very pleased with the size and general appearance so I may try a different pair if I can find a match for my MacLeod. Thanks to Barb T. and X Marks for the instructions! I couldn't be happier with the results.

Mòran, mòran taing!,

Jon