New Tartan

[Skipper1]

Thinking seriously about designing a tartan for my family. I have heard there is a program for designing tartans. Have any of you a lead for where to obtain it?

[R.S.L. Kiltwearer]

up on the top right of your screen with the advertisers click on scotweb, there is one that site, that is what i use.
i have never had a tartan i made woven though.
but it dose give you the option of getting it wove after you save it when done.
i am sure there is a program out there that would allow you to do it on your own computer, but I don't know what it is. sorry i can help more

[M. A. C. Newsome]

You can also use the free tartan design program at www.tartansauthority.com.

Of course an alternative is to commission a professional to design one for you. Feel free to PM me for further details if interested.

[Séamus Ua Proinsias]

I can't recommend the Tartans Authority Croft Weaver highly enough. I've drawn dozens if not hundreds of setts on it, and it's simply the best program I've used. There's one out for the iPhone, but it crashes a lot and the interface doesn't compare to the Croft Weaver.

I would recommend reading Mr Newsome's always-insightful article here, in his blog (written in his capacity as kiltmaker and tartan historian and scholar), which warns against using the Scotweb service.

And on a personal note, I can't speak highly enough of the value of putting in to the program various setts that already exist (specifically, tartans you like), then changing colors, adding lines, changing the number of threads, and so on until you've really got the feel of what tartan is in you; and all before designing one from scratch. For what that's worth.

Jake

[Downunder Kilt]

I would recommend reading Mr Newsome's always-insightful article here, in his blog (written in his capacity as kiltmaker and tartan historian and scholar), which warns against using the Scotweb service.

Jake

Far be it from me to say that there is anything incorrect in Matts Blogs, but I believe the point referring to Scotweb basically owning your design if you use their design system has since been thrashed out on this forum, with the owner Nick Fiddes relequishing any mandatory use of Scotweb as the sole supplier of the tartan and subsequent items made from that tartan.

I stand to be corrected but I believe this to be the case

[The Wizard of BC]

Tim,

You said you were going to stop into the shop. When you do I'll show you the program I used to design the Victoria, City of Gardens Tartan and walk you through how to use it.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I would recommend reading Mr Newsome's always-insightful article here, in his blog (written in his capacity as kiltmaker and tartan historian and scholar), which warns against using the Scotweb service.

Jake

Thanks for the link to my blog, Jake. However, that blog post was written April 6, 2010. And while everything written in it was accurate at that time, Scotweb has since changed its policy (due in large part, no doubt, to feedback such as this) to remove all copyright restrictions for any tartan created on their web site.

So those who like that company's tartan design interface can now feel free to use it and then have their tartan woven through any company of their choosing.

~M

[Séamus Ua Proinsias]

Ah, thank you. Good to know.

Jake

[Skipper1]

Many thanks to all. As it turns out I have reason to drop by Steves's shop this weekend (I only lve about 10 blocks from it) and I will take him up on his offer to look at the program he has. Given that I would have him make up the resultant kilts anyway it seems like I could achieve some operatonal efficiencies here.