Set size set?

[MACKAY]

I have been browsing a number of kilt sites trying to decide on where to purchase my next wool kilt, as well as narrowing down my tartan selection. While I am aware that subtle to significant color variations of the same tartan exists between mills, I was wondering if Sett size varied as well?

The reason I ask is that it appears that some vendors sett sizes look differently than others. This of course could be just be the difference in distance, etc., of the sample photo. But I figured it would do no harm to ask.


Brian Mackay

[Riverkilt]

Good Question Brian,

Wondered the same thing myself. Think (guess) we're pretty okay with traditional woolen mill's tartans.

Once we're off into polyviscose that's used for bedspreads and table cloth covers gotta be careful.

Here's the tartans available from a site that sells the Polyviscose fabrics for those sort of things and you can see their many tartans.

http://scotwebstore.com/sr_tarho_bedspread

The Black Watch is available in a large and small tartan. Always asked the size of the sett when ordering a poly kilt. Never frettted when ordering a wool kilt.

Ron

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Brian,

Sett size can vary from mill to mill. Also, sett size typically varies depending on the weight of the cloth. Lighter weight cloth, in general, has a smaller sett repeat than the heavier weights.

If there is any doubt, it's always best to get a sample swatch before ordering. Or you could just call them up and ask for the sett size.

Aye,
Matt

[Barb T.]

Yup - remember that sett (which has two "t's", not one) is the precise _proportions_ and sequence of colors in a tartan. Another way of thinking about it is that it is the minimum number of threads of each color that completely defines the tartan.

If you weave the tartan with the minimum number of threads (e.g., 2 black, 16 red, 16 black, 2 yellow, 16 black, and 16 red for the Red Wallace, a very simple tartan), it's easy to see how the weight of each thread would make the size of the sett bigger with the heavier threads. (Oh - and remember that the minimum number of threads in a color block is two.) But! Because sett refers to proportions, rather than absolute numbers of threads, you could imagine having a lightweight tartan with 8 threads of black, 64 threads of red, etc. that would have the same proportions but a bigger sett than one woven with heavier threads.

I have a couple of samples of tartans at home where the 13 oz version has a bigger sett than the 16 oz version of the same tartan. As Matt says, you need to ask (all mills that I've dealt with are very good about providing sett size, if you ask) or get a sample. I often ask so that I can judge how much tartan to order.

Cheers,

B