Making a day plaid (aka laird's plaid)

[Chas]

A long time ago, I read a quote that roughly said that "the plaid should be big enough for a man and his beloved to sit comfortably and have a picnic".

You will have to carry it all day, so I would go for the biggest size that you can comfortably carry around on your shoulder for any length of time. If you work out the length/weight and carry that weight around in a pillowslip, on your shoulder for a couple of hours, you will probably get a good indication of how well it will work.

The other thing is that if it turns out to be too long it can always be shortened, but not the other way round.

Would be nice to see pictures when it is done.

Regards

Chas

[Cygnus]

I just read a section from Adam Frank's The Clans, Septs, and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands about day plaids and remember him giving dimensions. If somebody else doesn't beat me to it, I'll look it up when I get home.

[Harold Cannon]

Here you will see the description and diagrams for folding and wearing it so it can be used as a cloak if needed.

My Laird's plaids are about 5 yards long. A smaller man could get away with less. I would say 4 yards would be plenty for you.

[Tobus]

My Laird's plaids are about 5 yards long. A smaller man could get away with less. I would say 4 yards would be plenty for you.

I did a double-take when I saw that, but it might make sense. Using 4 yards and folded in half length-wise, it would be 6 feet long, which would be about 3 feet of drape in front and behind (when worn over the shoulder). I guess I'll just have to play with it and see how that looks if I unfold the length and wrap it around my chest. 12 feet seems awfully long for that, but maybe it's not.

Are those images for a full (belted) plaid, or a day plaid? Using 4 yards of double-width cloth seems like it would be enough for a belted plaid, and I was under the impression that a day plaid was much smaller... like the size of a blanket, as Chas pointed out.

[Harold Cannon]

It is for a day plaid. in the upper pictures you can see how it is unfolded off of the shoulder (while wearing it ) to make a cloak.

[Harold Cannon]

I am sorry I put the wrong text. Let me see if I can find the correct instructions.

[Harold Cannon]

Here is the correct text.