Tartan of the Month - Jun 12: What do you see?

**MacGumerait** · 8th June 12, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by figheadair

More thoughts/observations anyone? More about the threads, sett and colours perhaps.

I'll go out on a limb here and give a guess ( usually when I do this the limb breaks

) I'm not sure about the tartan identity but does the piece have an association with wedding practices / customs of the time period ?

**figheadair** · 9th June 12, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by MacGumerait

I'll go out on a limb here and give a guess ( usually when I do this the limb breaks

) I'm not sure about the tartan identity but does the piece have an association with wedding practices / customs of the time period ?

There's nothing to indicate that that is the case and even if there were such a claim would have to be treated with a certain amount of scepticism. It's very unlikely that any such textile would have had a solely ceremonial type use.

**MacGumerait** · 9th June 12, 12:58 AM

Thanks figheadair . just an observation .

**figheadair** · 9th June 12, 12:22 PM

Where's Dixiecat when we need her? There's still an outstanding observation about the yarn, not to mention more on the actual cloth

.

**Dixiecat** · 11th June 12, 07:45 AM

Now I know why my ears were burning on my flight home yesterday. When I'm out on the road, I don't often have a chance to check in.

Ummm, I can add that the yarns seem to be single worsted and the weaving is not particularly fine. Peter's already said that that piece is about 200 years old and made 'at home' and that the warp is the along the long length and the weft is the short length. Isn't this piece more check than plaid/tartan? And, as such, would it be more 'fashion' than kilt fabric?

**figheadair** · 12th June 12, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by Dixiecat

Ummm, I can add that the yarns seem to be single worsted and the weaving is not particularly fine. Peter's already said that that piece is about 200 years old and made 'at home' and that the warp is the along the long length and the weft is the short length. Isn't this piece more check than plaid/tartan? And, as such, would it be more 'fashion' than kilt fabric?

Single worsted - well done, that's what I was after. It's wrong to say that the cloth is not particularly fine; it is, but it's not particularly finely (i.e. tightly) woven.

So what's the difference between check and tartan? I have my own views but....? I'd say it's definitely not a fashion piece which is a term I attribute to commercial cloth. Not all historic fabric was for kilts. Thoughts?

**Dixiecat** · 12th June 12, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by figheadair

Single worsted - well done, that's what I was after. It's wrong to say that the cloth is not particularly fine; it is, but it's not particularly finely (i.e. tightly) woven.

So what's the difference between check and tartan? I have my own views but....? I'd say it's definitely not a fashion piece which is a term I attribute to commercial cloth. Not all historic fabric was for kilts. Thoughts?

It's definitely not as fine as the previous month's which practically glowed with the fineness of the weave and the yarns. That's not to say that this month's article isn't a great of example of it's kind, taking your word for it of course as I definitely don't have the experience with historical fabric that you do.

And, as I don't know historical terms in regards to your field of study, 'fashion' tartan seemed a more appropriate and shorter term to use, than saying what you did about commercial cloth.

As for the difference in check and tartan, well, generally check is all solids, and tartans blend. This fabric seems to fall into the check category. Perhaps an early estate tweed?

**figheadair** · 14th June 12, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by Dixiecat

It's definitely not as fine as the previous month's which practically glowed with the fineness of the weave and the yarns. That's not to say that this month's article isn't a great of example of it's kind, taking your word for it of course as I definitely don't have the experience with historical fabric that you do.

And, as I don't know historical terms in regards to your field of study, 'fashion' tartan seemed a more appropriate and shorter term to use, than saying what you did about commercial cloth.

As for the difference in check and tartan, well, generally check is all solids, and tartans blend. This fabric seems to fall into the check category. Perhaps an early estate tweed?

You're right about the quality not being as fine as last month's specimen but it's still fine nonetheless.

Your definition of a check, i.e. solid colours next to each other (and by definition in each direction), like a chess board cannot be be woven on a traditional loom. Look again and you will see that there are half-tones that are the hall mark of how you define tartan. Don't confuse tartan and tweed. The latter's principal difference is that it's made with a mixtured rather than solid colour yarn.