Buchanan Tartan and pleats

[ctbuchanan]

OK - thanks for all the information. Now that I have confused myself. This is the back of my Strathmore 13oz 8yard+ Buchanan modern. It's about 30 years old and holding up just great. My question: is this pleated to the sett or the stripe ?
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[piperdbh]

That kilt is pleated to the sett, since you can "read" the pattern evenly across the pleats. If it were pleated to the stripe, you'd see just a bunch of vertical (or horizontal) stripes in whichever color the kiltmaker had pleated it.

[ctbuchanan]

Thanks - I took it out for the photo and I sat staring at it. The more I looked I kept seeing stripes and setts.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Ok, I found my old pictures of the Buchanan kilts I made. I almost hesitate to post them as these are among some of the first kilts I made -- looking back at them now it's amazing to see the difference that 500+ kilts will make! lol...

However, they are a wonderful example of how pleating to a different stripe can drastically change the look of the kilt.

These are all four yard box pleated kilts. First, pleated to the black line on the yellow.


Second, to the blue line on the green.


Third, to the white line on the red.


Again, I want to emphasize that these three kilts were made from the same cloth, Buchanan modern 16 oz from Lochcarron.

I also found these other pictures I thought I would share. This is the Buchanan weathered from Lochcarron.


And this is the Old Buchanan weathered by Lochcarron.


Same kilt as above being worn by my customer, taken in natural light. (I think it shows the colors better).

[ctbuchanan]

Thanks Matt - great photos. They really show off the variety available with tartan and kilts. The kilt with the blue line on the green is very handsome.

[creagdhubh]

What a fantastic looking tartan! Very smart!

[FatherWilliam57]

Just stumbled on this thread (after being redirected from another thread). Thank you, Matt, for the pictures you posted. As a "noob," I would never have guessed that so many different variations could be derived from the same tartan. Quite the education. Thanks again!

[KenB]

Thanks for asking the question. And thanks to those posting pics. This has been a great thread. Very informative.

[Kate]

Is there a right side up to the Buchanan tartan?
I have seen it both ways with the yellow horizontal stripe on top or the red one on top.
It seems that mostly it is the yellow stripe on top.

I want to order a toddler kilt from sportkilt.
But here is how they show the ladies kilt:


I will request the direction when I order but I don't want to order it upside down.

[RockyR]

There's no right side up or down. Since it's an Asymmetrical tartan, kilts from the top half the bolt will have 1 stripe on top (let's say Red) and kilts from the bottom half of the bolt will have the other stripe on top (yellow). Neither is right or wrong and the split of which is on top will likely be 50 / 50.