Quote Originally Posted by davidlpope View Post
Matt,

isn't this the exact opposite of what Lochcarron did a couple years back? (i.e. switch from single/double width to all double width) Any idea if the selvedge will be the tuck-in variety or the Dalgleish style?

Cordially,
David
Yup, pretty much. Most modern looms that the various tartan mills are using are rapier looms, which produce a tucked selvedge. It's a nice closed selvedge, good for kilting, but you'll notice it is "thicker" at the selvedge than the rest of the cloth. This is because each and every thread is tucked into the cloth and then cut before the next thread is woven.

When Lochcarron had to replace their older looms a few years back, the new looms were this kind of rapier loom.

There are a few mills that are using old looms which still have the cleaner selvedge wherein each color is woven using a continuous thread that is not cut until the color is changed. D. C. Dalgliesh is one of them. So is House of Edgar. Their looms are something like 100 years old or thereabouts and in need of replacing.

This is speculation on my part, but I gather that House of Edgar wanted to keep their traditional selvedge on their kilting cloth, as they are one of the only large tartan producers that were still producing cloth this way. Their letter indicated that they had their new looms custom made to spec to allow for this kind of selvedge. So good for them!

So yes, the selvedge will be the same as that you see on Dalgleish's cloth.
M