POLL-Do you want this tartan?

[biblemonkey]

Disclaimer: This thread is not meant to suppress or detract from any religion, belief system, or person. This thread is meant to inquire as to the interest in getting a custom tartan created and woven and not foster a religious discussion.

During a recent thread the idea for a "Christian Tartan" came up. I know that there are numerous religious tartans based on saints, charites, etc but it occurred to me that unless you feel an affiliation wih those particular movements or figures, there really isn't a tartan that simply states, "I am born again." After a little chatting back and forth on that thread here is what I have decided.

I am willing, if there is enough interest, to move forward with helping to design a custom tartan based upon the "Apostolic Creed" which, along with the "Nicene Creed", is held to be a basic statement of Christian belief across the vast majority of denominations. The question I put to you is not whether you think this is a good idea or if you have any design ideas, but if it was created and it looked good would you commit to buying the custom tartan and having a kilt made as our fellow xmarkers did with the cthulu tartan? Or is this a neat idea but you would not invest in it?

Depending on the responses I get I will decide whether we have enough interest to move forward with the next phase. Just as a little heads up, here is what Matt Newsome sent me on getting custom tartan made.

“The basics of my tartan design and recording service are laid out here:
http://albanach.org/design.html

In brief, I charge $1500 if you want me to create the design for you, and that price also include the production of 5 yards of woolen material from Dalgliesh, and recording your tartan with both the Scottish Tartans Authority and the National Tartan Register.

That fee is adjustable if you want something other than what is laid out on my web site. For example, if you want/need additional cloth, that would cost more (though I strongly recommend having a small amount woven so you can see it "in the flesh" before you invest in a large run). If you don't want it registered with the National Register, that would lower the cost. If you want me to also make a kilt for you from the cloth, that would add to the cost, etc.

The other option is if you create the tartan design yourself. In that case I would still be happy to have the cloth woven for you, even to help with the registration process, etc., but you would only be paying for those specific services. Currently the cost per yard for custom weaves is $85/yd for the heavy weight 15 oz cloth. Minimum order is only 4 yards. For the shorter runs, the cloth is woven 29" wide, but if you order 30+ yards I can provide it at 54" wide at the same per yard price (so you are essentially getting twice the material for the same cost).”

Let the voting begin!

Again, THIS IS NOT A COMMITMENT TO BUY. This is just asking IF it was made and IF you liked the finished product would you want to contribute to the cause and get some tartan? If I get enough positive votes I will be posting further threads for the design to be held by "committee" so to speak among participating Xmarkers.

[Nighthawk]

For the Christians on this board, I think this is a really great idea. I would not wear it myself, being that I'm pagan and would be falsely representing myself, but I think it's a good idea.

[Java]

I does sound like a neat idea. Unfortunately, being a poor pastor I have to save for well over a year to buy a custom woven kilt, and my denomination has both standard and hunting tartans that I would like to have first. So I would be of no use to you for a loooong time.

[O'Searcaigh]

The two choices for voting amount to the same thing: "I'm in" and: "I would buy it" -- Perhaps you meant to say:"but I would not buy it"???

[McClef]

I have corrected the second choice to "would not buy it" as biblemonkey indicated it should have read.

[Zardoz]

As someone who is not religious, I have to commend y'all on the 'leap of faith' required to commit to buying a tartan without seeing it first!

[mookien]

As someone who is not religious, I have to commend y'all on the 'leap of faith' required to commit to buying a tartan without seeing it first!

Of all the thoughtful comments, this was my favorite - succinct and funny. But, if I understand what is being proposed, then we are not actually committed to buying tartan cloth, but only committed to the design, registration (including submission of a tartan sample, I presume), and weaving of a minimal amount of cloth. If in error, please correct me.

The worst-case "cost" scenario would occur if, after the minimal weaving, no one decided to purchase additional cloth. Then, the (as yet unnamed) "Christian" tartan would at least be "official" and available for possible future use. Even the worst case doesn't seem preclusive to me.

So, I am favorably disposed towards the proposal, and intend to vote for it, but with one proviso for continued support - that enough folks participate to amortize the total cost over a reasonably large integer, say on the order of 10, so that the cost to each participant isn't too burdensome.

[Paul Henry]

...snip But, if I understand what is being proposed, then we are not actually committed to buying tartan cloth, but only committed to the design, registration (including submission of a tartan sample, I presume), and weaving of a minimal amount of cloth. If in error, please correct me..........snip

Whilst the idea is interesting ( but in my view misguided), it really would never get through the registration criteria as their is no"authority" to register it under, if it was the Xmarks Christian tartan" then the Tartan Register might be inclined to allow it, but in the same way that a "national or corporate" tartan isn't registered without a great deal of discussion and paperwork and agreement, there simply isn't any Christian body who can make those decisions.
a quote from the SRT "Where a tartan is named for a formal company or organisation, giving the impression of an association with it, by use of the official title or commonly used nickname, then the application must be accompanied by a letter of authority from a prominent office-bearer in the appropriate body e.g. the Chief Executive. "
Sorry but I don't think , as with the overwhelming majority of the posters so far, that this idea will get very far.

[figheadair]

A simple crucifix has been more than enough for 2000 years, is there, therefore, a need for a tartan which will be recognised by no one? I voted no.

Regards

Chas

Whilst the idea is interesting ( but in my view misguided), it really would never get through the registration criteria as their is no"authority" to register it under, if it was the Xmarks Christian tartan" then the Tartan Register might be inclined to allow it, but in the same way that a "national or corporate" tartan isn't registered without a great deal of discussion and paperwork and agreement, there simply isn't any Christian body who can make those decisions.
a quote from the SRT "Where a tartan is named for a formal company or organisation, giving the impression of an association with it, by use of the official title or commonly used nickname, then the application must be accompanied by a letter of authority from a prominent office-bearer in the appropriate body e.g. the Chief Executive. "
Sorry but I don't think , as with the overwhelming majority of the posters so far, that this idea will get very far.

I'm totally in agreement with my UK colleges on this one. I bet that if one did a poll over here most people's reaction would be 'why?'.

I know I'm getting on my hobby horse but the tartan for everything and every occasion drives me mad but I guess it's a feature of the need to belong rather than wearing something truly old and original simply because it's a beautiful design.

[mookien]

... it really would never get through the registration criteria as their is no"authority" to register it under, if it was the Xmarks Christian tartan" then the Tartan Register might be inclined to allow it, but in the same way that a "national or corporate" tartan isn't registered without a great deal of discussion and paperwork and agreement, there simply isn't any Christian body who can make those decisions.
a quote from the SRT "Where a tartan is named for a formal company or organisation, giving the impression of an association with it, by use of the official title or commonly used nickname, then the application must be accompanied by a letter of authority from a prominent office-bearer in the appropriate body e.g. the Chief Executive. "...

If I infer correctly from the OP's original post, the above statement from the SRT does not apply. The submission for registration would not come from a company or organization. Instead, it would come from what the SRT refers to as "an informal group of individuals". Or, perhaps, it might be registered as a Commemorative tartan.

Clearly, the name of the tartan would have to be carefully chosen. I can understand "The Christian" or "Christian" having difficulty passing muster for obvious reasons, but perhaps a name like "Nicene", "Apostle", "Born Again", etc. would be acceptable. I really don't know, but others more familiar with the registration process might give us some ideas.