Stupid Question for the day...

[davedove]

My understaning is that a tartan pattern has to be the same when rotated 90 degrees.

::waiting to be soundly spanked::

That would be true of the symetrical tartans, but what about the asymetric ones?:confused:

[Southern Breeze]

The only dumb questions are the ones that are'nt asked.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartan

[UmAnOnion]

The only dumb questions are the ones that are'nt asked.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartan

so, using the description given in the wikipedia link

A tartan is a specific woven pattern that often signifies a particular Scottish clan in the modern era. The pattern is made with alternating bands of coloured (pre-dyed) threads woven as both warp and weft at right angles to each other. The resulting blocks of colour repeat vertically and horizontally in a distinctive pattern of squares and lines known as a sett.

the fabric in the beautiful kilt shown in this thread does NOT qualify as a tartan.... (Which does is not meant in any way shape or form meant to denigrate the kilt or the wearer or the kiltmakar or the fabric weaver or the sheep who gave the wool to make said kilt or the parents of any of the above mentioned individuals, or their parents ad infinitum)

hence my confusion...

[Southern Breeze]

If it's not a tartan then it's a plaid and therefore a skirt instead of a kilt.

JUST KIDDING!!! I'm still learning about this myself.

[Barb T]

True - the plaid fabric you show is not tartan. In tartan, the same stripes appear in the same order in both warp and weft. In a true tartan, you shouldn't be able to distinguish the warp direction from the weft direction in a small piece, regardless of whether the tartan is symmetric or asymmetric (if that's confusing, please holler, and I'll explain further - but basically, if it's ABCDABCD in the warp, it needs to be ABCDABCD in the weft or ABCBA in both for a symmetric tartan). If different colors or orders of stripes are used in the warp and the weft, it's just plaid fabric, not tartan. So something that's not tartan could have ABCBA in the warp and ABDBA in the weft. The deep teal stripe in the tartan pictured appears only in one direction.

Barb

[Nick]

As I understand it, a tartan is a plaid that has a specific meaning attached to it.

[UmAnOnion]

True - the plaid fabric you show is not tartan. In tartan, the same stripes appear in the same order in both warp and weft. In a true tartan, you shouldn't be able to distinguish the warp direction from the weft direction in a small piece. Could be either symmetric or asymmetric (if that's confusing, please holler, and I'll explain further - but basically, if it's ABCDABCD in the warp, it needs to be ABCDABCD in the weft or ABCBA in both for a symmetric tartan). If different colors or orders of stripes are used in the warp and the weft, it's just plaid fabric, not tartan. So something that's not tartan could have ABCBA in the warp and ABDBA in the weft. The deep teal stripe in the tartan pictured appears only in one direction.

Barb

GOTCHA!!! Thanks Barb!!!

now you wanna run the 'weft to right' thing by me again please - its cold here in NYC & I think i froze my brain....

[Ruanaidh]

now you wanna run the 'weft to right' thing by me again please - its cold here in NYC & I think i froze my brain....

The weft runs right to "weft". The warp is the lengthwise threads, under and over which the side to side threads, the weft, are woven.

[MacSimoin]

...hence my confusion...

UmAnOnion,

Please don't 'lift' my photos: I don't need the extra bandwidth on my image folders, so please remove it from your post.

FYI, you could have asked me directly about this particular photo: There was an obvious dye error when this bit of material was run. Whoever makes this material (it's the "All Ireland Green" tartan) for Sport Kilt looks to have messed-up the dark green in the weft (it IS there but it's way too light and almost blends into the background color) of the design and unfortunately I'm now the one who's wearing the mistake.

The "All Ireland" tartans (Green, Blue and Red) ARE symmetrical regardless of what you read here; no offense intended but I would have expected Barb to know that:

True - the plaid fabric you show is not tartan.

Barb

Just thought I'd pass the information along. Next time, please ask me if you have any questions on anything I post. Thank you.

[mudd]

The "All Ireland" tartans (Green, Blue and Red) ARE symmetrical regardless of what you read here; no offense intended but I would have expected Barb to know that:

She didn’t say it wasn’t symmetrical. She said it wasn’t a Tartan.