Tartan of the month - September: What do yo see?

[SlackerDrummer]

[Hail Mary]
The hem on the bottom edge is for a cord to go through. It's a belted plaid.
[/Hail Mary]

(For those of you outside the United States, that's an American football term. )

[xman]

Oh dear . Look at the OP. A picture tells a thousand words and the answer is there to see.

Well whatever it is it is eluding me?

One thing I do notice is that the 'far' edge is also hemmed, but more interestingly is that the 'outer' edge has a herringbone weave whereas the 'inner' edge where the cloth is joined at the seam does not. I think this cloth was woven specifically to be joined in this manner so that there would not be a herringbone switch down the middle of the cloth. This was likely purpose woven whatever that purpose is.

[figheadair]

[Hail Mary]
The hem on the bottom edge is for a cord to go through. It's a belted plaid.
[/Hail Mary]

Look again at the details in post #31. The turned edge is too narrow and roughly sewn to have been used for any type of cord. More importantly, a herringbone selvedge cannot run top to bottom on eitherside of a plaid as the proportions are wrong.

Well whatever it is it is eluding me?

One thing I do notice is that the 'far' edge is also hemmed, but more interestingly is that the 'outer' edge has a herringbone weave whereas the 'inner' edge where the cloth is joined at the seam does not. I think this cloth was woven specifically to be joined in this manner so that there would not be a herringbone switch down the middle of the cloth. This was likely purpose woven whatever that purpose is.

Getting much warmer. A herringbone only ever appears on the outer edge of a piece of joined cloth. So.....?

The far/top edge is indeed hemmed. So.....?

Look again. It's staring you in the face.

[xman]

The piece really is in remarkable shape for its age which makes me think it wasn't heavily used. I wonder if it might have been an unfringed day plaid, but perhaps I am allowing myself to be mislead by the creases which look to be from folding.

[figheadair]

The piece really is in remarkable shape for its age which makes me think it wasn't heavily used. I wonder if it might have been an unfringed day plaid, but perhaps I am allowing myself to be mislead by the creases which look to be from folding.

Mislead. I very much doubt that a crease would last 250+ years. Besides, a day plaid is generally post 1800 wear.

Back to my last - The far/top edge is indeed hemmed. So.....?

[SlackerDrummer]

So...

• it was woven for the purpose of being joined together to make a wider piece
• the close and far ends are hemmed and the edges are selvedge

So this is a complete unit and not a piece of something else, and not intended to be cut up for something else (e.g. clothing). If this was not used as a curtain, it is possible it was a table cloth. Perhaps a child's blanket.

[xman]

... a day plaid is generally post 1800 wear.

Oops, yes of course.

... The far/top edge is indeed hemmed. So.....?

So it will look nicer and unravel less easily. Obvious as well is that we are looking at the 'wrong' side of this piece. Beyond that I'm ta a loss to what it all might mean.

Maybe another wee hint?

[figheadair]

So...

• it was woven for the purpose of being joined together to make a wider piece
• the close and far ends are hemmed and the edges are selvedge

So this is a complete unit and not a piece of something else, and not intended to be cut up for something else (e.g. clothing). If this was not used as a curtain, it is possible it was a table cloth. Perhaps a child's blanket.

Well done.

Yes

Yes

and definitely no.

Oops, yes of course.

So it will look nicer and unravel less easily. Obvious as well is that we are looking at the 'wrong' side of this piece. Beyond that I'm ta a loss to what it all might mean.

Maybe another wee hint?

There is no such thing as a right or wrong side in an C18th piece so discount that.

Here's a bit more than a wee hint . Look at the colour arrangements at each end. And so...?

[figheadair]

Keep at it....

[xman]

The sett is massive, 20"?!

Something is missing. AT least 4" of red fabric.

Double the long side and you get nearly 3 yrds exactly. This piece isn't long enough to be a kilt, but that one would be. There might be a perfect match for this one out there someone. Could we have an actual example of a former belted plaid cut in half during Proscription?

Do we know how much the piece weighs?