A New Tartan Design - Comments?

[Morgan of Seattle]

Hi Morgan,

I like the muted colours; a cool refreshing look. Maybe I am just being stupid but I can't see how the design is asymmetrical - it looks symmetrical to me.

Hey Chas,

You are quite right in the general sense of symmetry. In tartan, though, a sett that is called "symmetrical" repeats itself in reverse order at the end of the pattern. This one simply repeats in the same order and thus, in the special sense of tartan setts, is called "asymmetrical." The term tells the weaver not to repeat in reverse order after each sett. This is necessary to make the red and blue stripes alternate, otherwise, you'd get 2 red, 2 blue.