Modern weathered tartans

**Jock Scot** · 24th March 11, 04:46 AM

One for the experts. Alright how long is a piece of string? So on a purely theoretical point; how close,for example, are Lochcarron modern day weathered colours to genuine old tartans. I realise it depends on the natural dyes that were used, how tartans were stored, amount of daylight it was exposed to and no doubt other things. So how does green, blue, yellow,red really end up after 200 years?

**artificer** · 24th March 11, 05:00 AM

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...rs-fade-62075/

figheadair's wonderfully informative posting on colours fading and replicating old tartans.

See also

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-patern-61986/

It's just a pity his images don't seem to be working at the moment.

**Jock Scot** · 24th March 11, 05:11 AM

Thank you for that. Facinating input there.

Is there anything that this website has not covered regarding kilts,tartans and kilt attire matters?

**artificer** · 24th March 11, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

Thank you for that. Facinating input there.

Is there anything that this website has not covered regarding kilts,tartans and kilt attire matters?

If there is, I'd be terrified to plumb it's depths.

ith:

**xman** · 24th March 11, 08:41 PM

We need a Wiki for this.

**AKScott** · 25th March 11, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

Is there anything that this website has not covered regarding kilts,tartans and kilt attire matters?

Well if you are stuck in some sunshine, come on over for a walk in the rain. We got snow melting off the rooftops, off the treelimbs, off the power lines, off the traffic lights, you won't be able to stay dry ;-)

**MacBean** · 25th March 11, 02:16 AM

Unfortunately, the pictures in the linked pages are no longer there, which is a shame. I'd have liked to have sen them!

**figheadair** · 4th April 11, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by artificer

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...rs-fade-62075/

figheadair's wonderfully informative posting on colours fading and replicating old tartans.

See also

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-patern-61986/

It's just a pity his images don't seem to be working at the moment.

Sorry guys but I'm away from home for a couple of weeks and don't seem to be able to correct them via this connection

**RockyR** · 25th March 11, 05:27 AM

On a recent trip to House of Edgar, Kelly and I were shown a pattern book from Wilsons (NOT WOB, but another old mill named "Wilsons") from 100 - 150 years ago. The paper was fragile and yellowing. The binding was all but torn apart. The tartans inside were vibrant as the day they were woven. Colors were very similar to the colors used now.

The MAIN factors in how a piece of cloth will wear over time are weather / sunlight / abuse. If the cloth is kept in a safe dry place, it will stay (for the most part) exactly how it was woven for quite a while. If it's worn often and cleaned often (wet washed) and laid out in the sun to dry, it will definitely fade. I've seen kilts from the early 1900's - 1940's where the pleats are faded, but when you open them up, the material underneath is the same color it usede to be.

**auld argonian** · 25th March 11, 05:35 AM

Haven't I seen the line that the weathered tartans are what the regular tartan would look like if it had been buried in a peat bog for some period of time?

...and I agree...that would be one slimy kilt...eeeeeyoooo!

So Rocky is distinguishing the difference between actual weathered kilts and the ones that are designed to look weathered?

Best

AA