Tartan flashes: bias or straight?

[Tarheel]

When I made my first flashes, I added a liner to thinner material within the sleeve of the flashes. I had a curling effect at the tips, thus made my other flashes without a liner. I used a heavier material on the later flashes and have had to press them once in several outings.

[Graeme H]

Update: I tried Googling "bias-cut tartan flashes", in the hopes of finding suggestions on how to make them. But all that came up were regular tartan flashes, and bias-cut tartan skirts and waistcoats. Turns out bias-cut flashes aren't remotely common. In fact, it would seem there's only one company offering them, and from my personal experience of owning one, I'd consider flashes with a Sport Kilt not unlike getting a matching tie for your gym shorts.

That's interesting, it was my assumption that cutting flashes on the bias was the norm? Our kiltmaker always supplies a set of flashes with every kilt and they are always cut on the bias. I always assumed (probably wrongly so) that this stops them from twisting, the same reason a tie is cut on the bias. I never really thought about it though!

Great discussion, until now I wasn't aware that tartan flashes were taboo in the community!

[Father Bill]

Not “taboo” just un-nrecessarily over-tartaned and clearly and obviously not the real thing.

I never wear them - I’ve several colouirs of self-tie garters and love them for both the “flash” and the function.

[Graeme H]

Not “taboo” just un-nrecessarily over-tartaned and clearly and obviously not the real thing.

I never wear them - I’ve several colouirs of self-tie garters and love them for both the “flash” and the function.

Thank you for the clarification! I shall do a little more research.

[OC Richard]

it was my assumption that cutting flashes on the bias was the norm... until now I wasn't aware that tartan flashes were taboo...

I don't know about "taboo" but the "cutting of flashes" is quite modern and not part of traditional Highland Dress.

Ditto with the tartan ribbons that are often worn on the bagpipe drones.

Both flashes and drone ribbons have always been made of special dedicated material woven to the correct width.

Recently both have started to be made by cutting out their shapes from woven fabric yardage.

Not only is it not traditional, but it also strikes me as somewhat make-do, as something to be done in time of need when the real thing can't be got. They never look quite right to the traditional eye, and there are all the edges which must be turned over and hemmed.

In like manner traditional kilts have no hem, rather, just as with traditional flashes and drone ribbons the selvedge of the material is all the edge that is required.

Tartan flashes aren't often seen in the old days, but when seen they, like the drone ribbons, are made from specially-made silk ribbon woven to the correct width.

One issue with cutting "ribbon" out of woven tartan fabric is that the sett-size does not correlate to the finished item.

Note here how the ribbon of the drone-ribbons, the ribbon of the kilt-bows/rosettes, and the fabric of the kilt itself have been woven to three different sett-sizes, each appropriate to the size of the thing. Tartan flashes traditionally would be likewise.



Here you can see modern drone "ribbons" cut from tartan fabric, how the sett size is far too large for the narrow width of the "ribbon"



BTW traditional flashes are usually worsted wool woven in a herringbone pattern; here's a vintage Gordon Highlanders garter with attached flashes, as you can see both are woven in a herringbone pattern



And in the old days, both with civilian and military Highland Dress, flashes (when visible) are usually scarlet.

[Dollander]

Gee, why am I not surprised that this thread has been hijacked by people who feel compelled to point out that tartan flashes are not traditional and therefore I'm wrong for liking them...?

There's a lot more I could say, but instead, I will kindly ask the admins to please close this thread. Thank you.

[FossilHunter]

Not “taboo” just un-nrecessarily over-tartaned and clearly and obviously not the real thing.

I never wear them - I’ve several colouirs of self-tie garters and love them for both the “flash” and the function.

I just got a set of self tie garters. In addition to what you said about how they look, I find them more comfortable as well.

Someone could do something similar with a strip of woolen tartan though.

Edit: @ Dollander, if I was part of derailing your thread, I apologize as it wasn’t my intent.

[Dollander]

Dollander, if I was part of derailing your thread, I apologize as it wasn’t my intent.

No, it wasn't you.

Y'know, I'm not particularly fond of PC jackets, but you don't see me commenting how silly I think they look on every thread about them. And this notion that hand-tied garters are somehow superior to elastic garters with flashes...do we feel the same way about hand-pleated philabegs versus tailored kilts?

So again, as OP I am asking that this thread be closed, and I promise I will never again ask questions about things that, however common, the rabble has deemed unacceptable.

[tokareva]

Please don't close it, it was just starting to get interesting... and I want to see the finished product.

[Terry Searl]

There are many different ways to answer questions and offer suggestions. Some of the folk's here do not offer suggestions in a polite fashion ....they are stating rules, that they think are fit ......please keep asking questions; sometimes a question will be asked that others haven't considered..all questions are valuable to us all....you can always ignore those remarks that are not stated politely. Lord knows you will get plenty to choose from in various "shades " so to speak. You will soon learn which fellows think their opinions are the ones that matter most,.... regardless of how they are phrased ......again this is just my opinion......... Personally I enjoy the questions most people ask and the suggestions and answers that are replied.....but in the end it is MY opinion that matters most to me ...up until the moment I choose to change it.....it is all a learning curve, and individual situations and finances play a big part in it