Is this an asymmetric tartan?

[TheOfficialBren]

Should I order single- or double-width?

Thank you.

[Chas]

It does not look asymmetric to me.

[TheOfficialBren]

Excellent. Thanks, Chas.

I'm surprised that a kiltmaker hasn't jumped on this one.

[Mikilt]

Symmetric.

What tartan is it? I like it.

[ctbuchanan]

This is an asymmetrical tartan - the stripes don't mirror each other - they alternate. So red/yellow, red/yellow is asymmetrical. To be symmetrical it would have to be red/yellow, yellow/red a mirror image of itself. That's the best I can do to demonstrate the difference.

[TheOfficialBren]

Symmetric.

What tartan is it? I like it.

Shaw (Modern, 16oz) by Lochcarron

Technically, I should be wearing this one (paternal) rather than Robertson (which is a maternal tartan in my family).


Kiltmakers:
I should order double width, correct?

[Nathan]

Shaw (Modern, 16oz) by Lochcarron

Technically, I should be wearing this one (paternal) rather than Robertson (which is a maternal tartan in my family).


Kiltmakers:
I should order double width, correct?

I thought your paternal name was French!

(4 yards double width or 8 yards single width as I understand it! )

[TheOfficialBren]

I thought your paternal name was French!

(4 yards double width or 8 yards single width as I understand it! )

Thanks, Nathan. Yardage noted.

My father's mother was a Shaw. They were from the area around Inverness.

There is no Colbert tartan since Colberts were largely outside the clan system and were Lowlanders. I don't feel drawn to the Galloway tartan. I defer to the Shaws and Donnachaids in my family tree for tartan inspiration.

Certainly not French. We pronounce it ColberT (say the "T"). First found in Galloway when it was part of the Kingdom of Northumbria, an old story says that we derrive our name from St Cuthbert (dubious, in my opinion). Colbert's (silent 't') from France are largely of Scottish descent (as per Jean Baptiste Colbert, finance minister to Louis XIV who replaced Fouquet. Jean Baptiste Colbert claimed Scottish descent, as well).

Today Colberts (prounounced 't') are found in Scotland, Ireland (including Ulster), and England. The largest migration came to the US and Canada around the time of the Clearances.

The name is an uncommon one. Comedian Stephen Colbert is Irish (and in his personal life pronounces it the way we do).

We have an amusing test in our family: when someone calls and mispronounces our name we peg them as a telemarketer. Lol.

[MacMillans son]

This is an asymmetrical tartan - the stripes don't mirror each other - they alternate. So red/yellow, red/yellow is asymmetrical. To be symmetrical it would have to be red/yellow, yellow/red a mirror image of itself. That's the best I can do to demonstrate the difference.

Another way to visualize it: "Does the sett look the same if turned 90 degrees?" Your Buchanan does not, my MacMillan Old Sett does not. If you turn the sett of the tartan provided by Bren 90 degrees it looks the same both ways, it is therefore symmetrical.

[Ron Abbott]

Hunting Stewart is another well known tartan that is asymmetric.