weird tartans...

[Jock Scot]

This may not help, my very personal and traditional view that is not a commonly held view here on this website.I honestly think that we on this website, worry too much about tartans. For me and many in the Highlands here in Scotland, we wear the family tartan and care little about what other tartans look like, even our own tartan is not given much thought, it is what it is. Besides, few in Scotland want to wear tartans of other Clans or other non Clan patterns. YES! We could wear other Clan tartans that we have a connections to, but we choose not to.

Why this very obvious and not inexpensive need for some of those outwith these shores to collect assorted tartans in kilt form is a mystery to many of us and this rather unnecessary expense is lost to most of us over here.

Our culture probably has much to do with this , which seemingly and not surprisingly, is watered down by the large distances and inevitable dilution of other cultures. Nevertheless, there is really much to recommend the traditional thinking here. We prefer to concentrate on how the kilt, our kilt, is worn rather than worrying about patterns, combinations and shades of colours and that is made so much easier with the one tartan.

On the other hand, I suppose those in the weaving and kilt construction industry must be rubbing their hands with glee at the New World’s seemingly endless need to spend their money unnecessarily. But still, each to their own.

[Silmakhor]

Many kilters I know in the States wear them as daily clothing, and don't have strong connections to one clan. We simply like the look of the garment as fashion, and choose to wear kilts for situations other than weddings and graduations. So it makes sense to own multiple kilts, and to vary what they look like.

And no matter how many kilts a person has - one to twenty-one - a tartan can be appreciated as beautiful art without necessarily owning a kilt in it. I have a strong interest in heraldry. Though I lack a Scottish coat of arms, I still have many books on the subject and enjoy looking at heraldic art. Same with tartans.

And to those who would say "that's inauthentic!," inwardly or openly, I would reply "culture is not static, and authenticity is subjective."

[Father Bill]

This may not help, my very personal and traditional view that is not a commonly held view here on this website.I honestly think that we on this website, worry too much about tartans. For me and many in the Highlands here in Scotland, we wear the family tartan and care little about what other tartans look like, even our own tartan is not given much thought, it is what it is. Besides, few in Scotland want to wear tartans of other Clans or other non Clan patterns. YES! We could wear other Clan tartans that we have a connections to, but we choose not to.

Why this very obvious and not inexpensive need for some of those outwith these shores to collect assorted tartans in kilt form is a mystery to many of us and this rather unnecessary expense is lost to most of us over here.

Our culture probably has much to do with this , which seemingly and not surprisingly, is watered down by the large distances and inevitable dilution of other cultures. Nevertheless, there is really much to recommend the traditional thinking here. We prefer to concentrate on how the kilt, our kilt, is worn rather than worrying about patterns, combinations and shades of colours and that is made so much easier with the one tartan.

On the other hand, I suppose those in the weaving and kilt construction industry must be rubbing their hands with glee at the New World’s seemingly endless need to spend their money unnecessarily. But still, each to their own.

I've always seen tartan as a name tag. Why would anyone want to wear someone else's name unless it was part of a uniform?

[Silmakhor]

I've always seen tartan as a name tag. Why would anyone want to wear someone else's name unless it was part of a uniform?

Because the "anyone" you refer to isn't everyone - just people who happen to share your opinion . Tartan existed as clothing for hundreds of years before it became associated with clans. As part of a marketing gimmick.

Many of us don't trace our ancestry from a Scottish "clan." Or, by the time tartans-as-nametags were developed, romanticized clan-like institutions. Should we not enjoy wearing kilts? That's not a very sturdy gate you're trying to keep.

[Father Bill]

Because the "anyone" you refer to isn't everyone - just people who happen to share your opinion . Tartan existed as clothing for hundreds of years before it became associated with clans. As part of a marketing gimmick.

Many of us don't trace our ancestry from a Scottish "clan." Or, by the time tartans-as-nametags were developed, romanticized clan-like institutions. Should we not enjoy wearing kilts? That's not a very sturdy gate you're trying to keep.

While the core of what you're saying is in facts, your tone sounds rather aggressive to me, and the smily face doesn't soften that.

My point is that to ask why anyone associated with 'Clan McTurnip' would wear the tartan of 'Clan McOnion' or a regional tartan from a region with no association? On the other hand, for those with no clan (the majority) regional tartans make some sense. The collection of tartans with no association or conflicting association seems odd.

I acknowledge that 'anyone' isn't 'everyone', but that is exactly my point, and the syntax of that comment, while obvious, communicates little meaning.

Since your post feels abrasive to me, having answered your question I shall not participate in further debate.

[Silmakhor]

Ignore this.

[Silmakhor]

Anyhoo,

USA Kilts just released a "Nordic Heritage" tartan. It's a modern fashion tartan that (in my opinion) looks great. The interesting thing about it is the spacing of the white and yellow lines. In this particular arrangement, it appears that the sett size is quite large - Those two lines effectively double the sett size. If my visual math is correct?

I'm wondering how one would pleat this if pleating to the stripe.

https://www.usakilts.com/kilts-and-p...-heritage.html

[Tobus]

The interesting thing about it is the spacing of the white and yellow lines. In this particular arrangement, it appears that the sett size is quite large - Those two lines effectively double the sett size. If my visual math is correct?

I'm wondering how one would pleat this if pleating to the stripe.

My first thought would be that it's not too different, in terms of sett logistics, as the Stewart Hunting tartan used in military kilts. It has alternating yellow and red stripes which make the sett huge. But in practical terms, for pleating in military kilts, it is (or was) pleated to each of these lines so that they alternate. The pleats are presented as red, yellow, red, yellow, and so on. I suppose you could do the same with the tartan you're looking at.

[Patty Logan]

has anybody seen the Shrek Tartan?

[Tomo]

Two I can think of off-hand are:

• MacDuck Tartan (strictly speaking MacDuck #2) designed in the 1940s by Walt Disney (STA ref: 1121) Ancient MacDuck, old colours, as worn by Scrooge MacDuck, uncle to the famous cartoon character Donald Duck and Great Uncle to Huey, Duey and Luey. Said to have been used by the US Government during World War II to promote the sale of war bonds.

I first spotted this over 20 years ago and it has always tickled me that it exists.

• easyJet Tartan (officially Highland Aircraft) created by Geoffrey (Tailor) for the budget airline to promote the opening of their new route between Inverness and Gatwick in 2014.

I ID'ed this for someone on another forum - after they 'won' a kilt on eBay.