Weaving tartan (pics)

**ChromeScholar** · 29th July 07, 04:02 PM

Here is my girlfriend's small loom, with a sample of Morrison tartan she is weaving, for a friend.

We're currently drafting plans for a larger loom that will allow us to do wider fabric.

**Tattoo Bradley** · 29th July 07, 04:38 PM

WOW! That's really neat. How wide will that loom produce?

**ChromeScholar** · 29th July 07, 04:44 PM

About 25 inches. That's why we're planning a wider one.

**McMurdo** · 29th July 07, 05:20 PM

That is too cool, wow excellent.

**Arlen** · 29th July 07, 05:46 PM

Seriously cool. That tartan looks fantastic.
P.S.
One of my fiance's parents lives in Prescott.
I loved it when I visited.

**ChromeScholar** · 29th July 07, 05:56 PM

I like living in the Prescott area.

**Tattoo Bradley** · 29th July 07, 06:17 PM

Well, 25" should be wide enough to allow for most fellow's kilt length...

**Barb T** · 30th July 07, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by Tattoobradley

Well, 25" should be wide enough to allow for most fellow's kilt length...

It's pretty tough to do kilting fabric on a hand loom. Even 16 oz tartan is 48 picks per inch, and weaving fine wool that densely is difficult. Hard to get a clean shed, easy to break threads.

Barb

**Pleater** · 30th July 07, 02:27 PM

Its hard enough just getting the materials.

I weave a little, and I took one look at the logistics of weaving a tartan and decided that it was not for me.

Even when you have the right colours the fineness is difficult, and you have to get the warp all the same tension, and then weave so it is balanced, and straight on the grain too. Once it is off the loom it has to be worked and fulled

The more I learn about weaving the more I look at ebay fabrics.

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 30th July 07, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Barb T.

It's pretty tough to do kilting fabric on a hand loom. Even 16 oz tartan is 48 picks per inch, and weaving fine wool that densely is difficult. Hard to get a clean shed, easy to break threads.

Barb

My Mull tartan kilt is made from hand woven cloth.

It was woven by Marjorie Warren, and she used yarns from Lochcarron's strome (heavy weight) range. Even then, this has a different character entirely from the usual machine milled cloth.

Last I talked to her about it, I beleive she was charging $100 per yard (single width) for kilt quality material.

~Matt