Weaving Tartan

[ChromeScholar]

I have the great good fortune to be living with a woman who is an accomplished weaver. She is currently weaving a length of tartan fabric for a friend of the family. When that is done, she intends to start weaving tartan fabric for me!

My question is this...

Where would we go to find the specific thread patterns for tartans? To set up the loom for one she is doing now, she had to take a swatch of the tartan apart to see how it was put together. Is there a book or a website that lists the actual patterns for tartans?

Oh, while I am on the subject of books, what is the best book on kilt-making? I am a librarian, and intend to buy one (or more) to put on the shelf for checkout to the public.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I think you may find all you look for here!
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/books.htm

You'll find The Art of Kiltmaking, which is the best book on that subject. Also various books that will give the tartan thread counts.

If you are just needing a specific thread count, you can always email us at the Scottish Tartans Museum at tartans@scottishtartans.org

[ChromeScholar]

Thanks, I'll take a look.

[ChromeScholar]

I did run across this on the web...

PDF file of Scotch Tartan Setts by Harriet C. Douglas

It is a PDF file, so you'll need a reader to view it. It's "A Guide For Weaving 132 Traditional Plaids", published in 1949. It can be reproduced for personal or educational use, but not for resale. It looks like it will be useful.

[Mr. MacDougall]

Also, if you become a member of the Scottish Tartans Authority, they have a database of thread counts for setts. Not so valuable, if you're just going to do one or two tartans, but if you're going to get into weaving for others, in many tartans, it might be worth it.

http://www.tartansauthority.com/web/site/home/home.asp

[Wompet]

ChromeScholar,
Thanks for the link to the PDF. Weaving tartan is one of those things that's been knocking around the back of my head for awhile.
Now all I need is a loom ... and someplace to put it ...

[ChattanCat]

Weaving, hmmm.... all I need is thread, and loom. Already have a room picked out for it. Now where to get a loom... Oh yeah, my mom is delivering hers to me this fall.

[Demonnic]

Not to unnecessarily bump this, but I ran across this site a few days ago when doing a bit of tartan searching.

http://www.weddslist.com/cgi-bin/tar...rce=sts#result

Gives the thread counts in the warp and the weft (if the weft is different). Also generates a computer image of what it looks like (vaguely, as best as the poor thing can do)

Can give thread counts for straight and diagional (bias) weaves.

Might be helpful. I'm not a weaver, so I can't say for sure.

[Barb T]

Gives the thread counts in the warp and the weft (if the weft is different). Also generates a computer image of what it looks like (vaguely, as best as the poor thing can do)

Tartan has the same thread count in warp and weft. Otherwise it isn't tartan.

B

[cloves]

Tartan has the same thread count in warp and weft. Otherwise it isn't tartan.

B

does that hold true for asymetrical tartans as well? *so confused*