I have been PMed for a “real world” example for clarification…

Our XMTS tartan is registered with the tread count:
W12 DB64 N6 DB6 N2 DB6 N4 B8 DB2 Y4 DB2 B8 N4 DB6 N2 DB6 N6 DB64 (asymmetrical)

According to what I’ve read, that is EXACTLY the same thing as:
W12 DB64 N6 DB6 N2 DB6 N4 B8 DB2 Y4 (symmetrical)

Since the great majority of tartans are listed as symmetrical; is there a reason that an otherwise symmetrical tartan would be registered as if it were asymmetrical? I feel I must be missing something.