Clan Tartan Thread Count

[figheadair]

Could someone clarify a bit? I can see three ways of doing this:

1. What I think is called full-count at the pivot, meaning the color given is given in its entire width, and is not be repeated even in part after the pivot.
2. What I think is called half-count at the pivot, meaning the color given is 50% of its width, and the color is repeated upon mirroring to give the full width of it.
3. What I don't have any idea of the name of, in which the color given would be repeated in its entirety upon mirroring; I have no idea if that's even used by anyone.

I'm used to seeing thread counts in formats like this:

LB12 K4 DN48 K4 DN4 K8 DN4 K24 W48 K4 MY4

to indicate that nothing of the pivot colors is repeated. I.e., after a pivot on the medium-yellow, and another on the light-blue, it would look like:

LB12 K4 DN48 K4 DN4 K8 DN4 K24 W48 K4 MY4 K4 W48 K24 DN4 K8 DN4 K4 DN48 K4 LB12 K4 DN48 ...

So, I'm not sure what markup to use to ensure it doesn't get woven wrong. Mostly concerned with how it is represented in the tartan registries so others don't get it woven wrong, since I already have my kilt, done right. :-)

1. This is the method introduced by D.C. Stewart in his Sett of the Scottish Tartans, 1950. It's completely unnecessary and has lead to all sorts of errors and confusion over the years. Some tartan databases require this format for the pattern to show correctly but why, I have absolutely no idea. It makes no sense.

2. This method has been around since at least te late 18th century. It is the form that a weaver needs to recreate a given design, it is also the simplest and most economical method of recording a tartan. If it ain't broke.................

3. This is what's known in the military, or in the British military at least, as a 'cluster'. What an absolute mess! There is nothing to recommend this form which does little beyond over complicate things.

In a nutshell, stick with No2. Just remember to specify 'Half Pivot counts'.

[SMcCandlish]

In a nutshell, stick with No2. Just remember to specify 'Half Pivot counts'.

Okay. So, that would correspond to the LB/6 K4 DN48 K4 DN4 K8 DN4 K24 W48 K4 MY/2 markup style, while the full-count one would be /LB12 K4 DN48 K4 DN4 K8 DN4 K24 W48 K4 MY4/ ? As for the third form, I think there's a word that starts with "f" that comes after "cluster".

[figheadair]

Okay. So, that would correspond to the LB/6 K4 DN48 K4 DN4 K8 DN4 K24 W48 K4 MY/2 markup style, while the full-count one would be /LB12 K4 DN48 K4 DN4 K8 DN4 K24 W48 K4 MY4/ ? As for the third form, I think there's a word that starts with "f" that comes after "cluster".

Yes and yes.