Modifying and Registering a Tartan

[McElmurry]

There have been a few discussions about modifying the unofficial US Army tartan to better represent a specific sub-group within the US Army. I am considering doing this based on my position as a civilian in the US Army Corps of Engineers.

I propose to use the same approach Steve did with his Dress Blue tartan and register a fashion tartan with a name that evokes the Corps of Engineers without using words with official standing. My working name is “Let Us Try”, the English translation of Essayons. As far as I can tell “Let Us Try” is not used in an official capacity the same way Essayons or Building Strong are used.

A second hurdle to registration is establishing a unique tartan. I am proposing to replace the gold/green/gold over-stripe with red/white/red and replace the kaki border stripes with straw or tan. Also the thread count may be modified to facilitate various pleating options. I would likely have it rendered in WoB colors.

To begin with I have two questions for those in the tartan business. From your experience does the name seem appropriate based on my standing in the group but lack of authority to speak for the group and does the tartan seem sufficiently unique. For those associated with the US Army, all comments on proposed name and tartan design are welcome.

[Steve Ashton]

We had a rather long discussion on a re-design of the current Army Tartan. Quite a few alternatives to the current Tartan were proposed. Perhaps this can give you some ideas.

Please see this thread.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=83438

[unixken]

A second hurdle to registration is establishing a unique tartan. I am proposing to replace the gold/green/gold over-stripe with red/white/red and replace the kaki border stripes with straw or tan. Also the thread count may be modified to facilitate various pleating options. I would likely have it rendered in WoB colors.

Simply changing the colors wont be enough, and any changes in thread counts "to facilitate various pleating options" would need to yield patterns sufficiently different from the original tartan. If the original had a 2" square of a given color, and you modify the thread count to make it 1.5" to facilitate a pleat measurement, I doubt that would be a significant enough difference, over the course of a 7 to 10-inch typical sett, to qualify as "sufficiently unique." Additionally, simply weaving in one fabric weight, versus another, or achieving a greater threads-per-inch density on a given loom, will skew your plans if you rely on exacting thread counts, for pleating.

Here is the link to the SRT's guidelines for "sufficiently different" tartans: http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/suf...Different.aspx