Kilt Flashs pattern

**Silent Raven** · 8th January 12, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by Highlander31

Tartan flashes make an excellent sample swatch. Take a flash with you when purchasing ties, shirts, sweaters, etc. for wear with your kilt. Some colors/patterns just shouldn't be worn with some tartans. Better to find out in the store than to take it home and discover you are going to have to make another trip to the store to return the item.

*** to this

be happy they at leasst match each other, i have some that are just made of scraps, not matching to them at all

**WolfmanJack** · 8th January 12, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by Highlander31

Tartan flashes make an excellent sample swatch. Take a flash with you when purchasing ties, shirts, sweaters, etc. for wear with your kilt. Some colors/patterns just shouldn't be worn with some tartans. Better to find out in the store than to take it home and discover you are going to have to make another trip to the store to return the item.

Excellent idea...and a far better use than wearing them.

**The Wizard of BC** · 9th January 12, 12:15 AM

Whenever I make flashes for a customer I always try to make them on the bias.

It uses a bit more fabric to do it this way but I like the look.

I have made one set of Tartan flashes for myself. I've never worn them. I tied them to the handle of my suitcases. It works better for identifying my bag than the length of red yarn that everyone else uses.

**pascs** · 9th January 12, 12:32 AM

I like to have a large turn over to my hose so that only about an inch of the flashes are showing. Most of the time I prefer a plain colour and seldom use my tartan ones. I normally pick ones which dont match too closely with the hose but highlight either a stripe in the kilt or some other colour that I'm wearing, not that this really matters its just something I like to do

I do like those bias flashes though

**Mr.Charles Anthony** · 9th January 12, 07:27 AM

Readers; I dislike, also, the 'fad' of kilt flashes. I wear the wrap style{and am putting together an Inkle Loom to make my own garters} The wraps look better & hold better,IMHO.
I do use the fabrick from the flashes as a diversion. I have often had folks talk to me about the kilt &tc. and when I mention it is a 13 oz wool-behold- an outsretched hand{covered in WalMart Hand Goo}-just has to 'feel the fabrick'! So I find the flashes fabrick a much cheaper sacrifirce!
As ever
CSA

**piperdown** · 9th January 12, 09:08 AM

I tried garter ties and really like the look and ease in which they go on but I also like tartan flashes when dressing up. Wear what YOU like!!

**piperdbh** · 9th January 12, 10:41 AM

Jock is right. Tartan flashes are made from the leftovers of kilt construction, often from the cut-away portion in the fell.

**AFS1970** · 9th January 12, 10:42 AM

I like tartan flashes sometimes, although I rarely wear them any more. This is because I have had two sets (from different makers) over the years and they just seem to not be that durable. The ends fray, and they seem to attract moth holes much faster than anything else I own.

I have a few pairs of the grossgrain ribbon ones, in a couple of variations. They are OK, but seem to always be in very bright colors. I have a couple of pairs in various fabric one of which has a very stiff backing to keep them in shape. I have a couple of pairs on order right now, as I realized I had no flashes that went well with my new Kilt. I also had to order hose.

As for color choices, I personally like to go for a minor color in the kilt. As an example I just ordered a set of yellow flashes for my XMTS kilt. I did also order some navy blue ones but they will go with lighter color hose. If I wear the tartan ones, as my tartan is fairly light colored, they look much better with dark hose. I have worn them with black hose and with the oft maligned white hose and find they look better with the black hose.

**Barb T** · 10th January 12, 08:57 AM

I always make flashes for a customer and include them with a kilt, but I commonly don't have a lot of choice in what stripe to pick. If you want all four flashes to match, it can take a surprising amount of material, particularly when the sett is smaller than the length of the piece needed for the flash (in which case you actually need as much as two setts per flash).

I typically try to put a prominent stripe or pair of stripes down the length of a flash, but that's not always possible. It might be that the only piece available is the strip left over from the top band, and that might constrain me to only one part of the tartan.