"Hard" tartan

[tulloch]

Matt, how does this relate to waulking the cloth? I was under the impression that waulking was necessary in the process making wool cloth. Without it the cloth would still change size and would not have the tightness of weave that we are accustomed to. I once worked in a wool mill and I cut a piece of fabric off the end of a run. I worked it a little on a washing board to tighten it up but it remained pretty loose weave. Thoughts and wisdom please.

[Paul Henry]

Matt, how does this relate to waulking the cloth? I was under the impression that waulking was necessary in the process making wool cloth. Without it the cloth would still change size and would not have the tightness of weave that we are accustomed to. I once worked in a wool mill and I cut a piece of fabric off the end of a run. I worked it a little on a washing board to tighten it up but it remained pretty loose weave. Thoughts and wisdom please.

Waulking is generally for tweed type cloth rather than worsted cloth, such as a typical woollen tartan cloth
Waulking isn't the same as simply washing/finishing the cloth which might slighly shrink the cloth , but the finishing of the worsted does usually help to make the cloth a little more even and perfect, and of course removing some manufacturing dirt and grease.
Waulking tweed style cloth does actually causes the fibres to bind together and helps to fill the interstices which help to make a firmer final product.