Quote Originally Posted by Smayniac View Post
I would guess, based on your pictures and on other threads I've read, that the tartan is some sort of asymmetrical and to save material and still pleat to the red stripe, the pleats are to the red stripe of half setts. The color across the rear is not consistent and some setts have varying distances between somewhat similar elements. Someone who knows tartans better may be able to comment more intelligently.

(edit)Okay, I just looked again and it's obviously asymmetrical from the front view, but that doesn't seem to explain the color variation completely.

Bob-
No this is a typical symmetrical tartan. It is actually a Black Watch variant. It is pleated to stripe, but to different stripes, as Steve pointed out. Very unusual!