Yes swatches are a must, and swatches in the weight you intend to purchase.
Because some weavers have visible differences in colouring between their 13oz and 16oz fabrics.
The most obvious, and inexplicable, that I've seen is with House Of Edgar's 13oz and 16oz Drummond Of Perth.
HOE has a unique and lovely "muted" colour range.
I used to work at a Highland Outfitter, we had swatch-books from all the big mills.
In their 13oz "muted range" swatch-book was Drummond Of Perth.
One day we noticed that the same tartan in the same muted colourings appeared in their 16oz "modern range" swatch-book. It wasn't a misplaced swatch, the swatch was clearly labelled "Drummond Of Perth Modern" and if you wanted Drummond Of Perth in their muted colourings in 16oz fabric that's what you ordered.
The organisation I used to play in, The Los Angeles Scottish, had a mix of the 13oz "muted" kilts and 16oz "modern" kilts and they all matched in well, though there were slight colour variations between the 13 and 16oz as is typical with many mills.
Last edited by OC Richard; 13th September 20 at 10:28 AM.
Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte
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