Asymmetric Clark Tartan, plus a mystery tartan (to me anyway)

**NYClark** · 3rd August 15, 08:18 AM

So I've had my Clark tartan kilt (Sport Kilt PV) since December (x-mas present).
It only now occurs to me that my kilt is asymmetric where from what I've seen Clark, and Clergy, tartans should be symmetric. I am not expecting authenticity from a Sport Kilt, I'm just curious. Why would they use an asymmetric pattern if in fact it should be symmetric? Not paying attention? Historically (I know, its a Sport Kilt, not a museum piece) are there examples of tartans that have both a symmetric and asymmetric pattern?

And a bonus question: Does anyone recognize this asymmetric tartan? And can you name it?
It is a ladies kilt made in Scotland and is made of wool. I picked it up at Savers for $5. It looks great on my wife but would like to know if the tartan has a name.

**unixken** · 3rd August 15, 06:40 PM

Unless I'm missing something, it looks symmetrical to me. Granted, the vertical stripes don't appear to be the same shades as the horizontal, but the pattern appears the same in both directions, to me.

**figheadair** · 3rd August 15, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by NYClark

So I've had my Clark tartan kilt (Sport Kilt PV) since December (x-mas present).
It only now occurs to me that my kilt is asymmetric where from what I've seen Clark, and Clergy, tartans should be symmetric. I am not expecting authenticity from a Sport Kilt, I'm just curious. Why would they use an asymmetric pattern if in fact it should be symmetric? Not paying attention? Historically (I know, its a Sport Kilt, not a museum piece) are there examples of tartans that have both a symmetric and asymmetric pattern?

And a bonus question: Does anyone recognize this asymmetric tartan? And can you name it?
It is a ladies kilt made in Scotland and is made of wool. I picked it up at Savers for $5. It looks great on my wife but would like to know if the tartan has a name.

First thing first, can I suggest that this thread is moved to The Tartan Place where ity naturally belongs.

I can't comment on your Clark kilt as you didn't post a picture but the Royal Stewart tartan youdid post is, as Ken says, symmetrical. If you enlarge the image the blue stripe is wuite obvious in both warp and weft.

**Katia** · 4th August 15, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by unixken

Granted, the vertical stripes don't appear to be the same shades as the horizontal

This is actually a feature of the weaving... they are the same shades, but it tends to happen that the warp fades more into the background, even on a balanced weave.

**NYClark** · 5th August 15, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by figheadair

First thing first, can I suggest that this thread is moved to The Tartan Place where it naturally belongs.

I can't comment on your Clark kilt as you didn't post a picture but the Royal Stewart tartan you did post is, as Ken says, symmetrical. If you enlarge the image the blue stripe is quite obvious in both warp and weft.

The clark tartan is in my avatar.

I see the symmetry of the Royal Stewart now. The difference in shade is quite dramatic. Thanks!

My apologies for posting in the wrong place.

**figheadair** · 5th August 15, 05:26 AM

Your Clark tartan looks to be symmetrical too. What makes you think it isn't?

**NYClark** · 5th August 15, 05:55 AM

Aren't there wide black stripes running horizontally that are missing in the vertical? I really should look at it closely to see if the black is just hidden. But if it is hidden in one direction isn't that asymmetrical? I suppose being an engineer I think of symmetry as being absolute and I should be able to rotate the material 90º and have the same pattern, which I don't with the Clark (not really with the Royal Stewart either due to the value of the colors). I may need to be less literal. I was merely curious to begin with and I remain perplexed. I shall stop thinking about it, if I can.
To recap, symmetry is not about how the tartan looks, it's about how it was woven. Symmetric weaves can look asymmetric. That I can accept.