January Tartan of the Month - What do you see?

[figheadair]

Bliadhna Mhath Ur one and all.

Here's something to get the brain going. A piece from PEI. What do you see?

[Standard]

Are part of the dark blue wefts replaced by light blue, and light blue replaced by white??

[YoungMan]

Just at first glance I would say it's higher a gigantic sett, or the white line in the middle is being used to mirror the sett. The thick dark blue/black stripes are on opposite sides of their respective light blue stripes.

The answer to that riddle is probably the same for why there's only one thick dark stripe near the end of the piece horizontally. The thin stripes repeat like a sett, but the thick striped seems to once again be forming a border of sorts.

Finally, I dont know if it's just my eyes, the shading difference or what, but several of the thin blue stripes to the right of center seem to smaller thread count than their partners to the left.

[figheadair]

Are part of the dark blue wefts replaced by light blue, and light blue replaced by white??

Nope.

[figheadair]

Just at first glance I would say it's higher a gigantic sett, or the white line in the middle is being used to mirror the sett. The thick dark blue/black stripes are on opposite sides of their respective light blue stripes.

The answer to that riddle is probably the same for why there's only one thick dark stripe near the end of the piece horizontally. The thin stripes repeat like a sett, but the thick striped seems to once again be forming a border of sorts.

Finally, I dont know if it's just my eyes, the shading difference or what, but several of the thin blue stripes to the right of center seem to smaller thread count than their partners to the left.

Those in the UK will probably understand if I said Vicky Pollard (UK TV character whose catch phrase is Yer but, no but!)

Keep going.

[ForresterModern]

The whole width of the tartan appears to be the sett or maybe not even the whole sett, but only part of it. The sett appears absolutely huge. I do not see the broadest dark blue strip across near the end of the run ever repeated in the rest of the fabric, except at the other end, although it is possibly hidden by the tape measure or in the folded portion of the fabric.

[figheadair]

The whole width of the tartan appears to be the sett or maybe not even the whole sett, but only part of it. The sett appears absolutely huge. I do not see the broadest dark blue strip across near the end of the run ever repeated in the rest of the fabric, except at the other end, although it is possibly hidden by the tape measure or in the folded portion of the fabric.

Half right. But which half?

[figheadair]

One of the things about tartan research is that one often has to work from imperfect information, such as incomplete pieces, poor quality images etc.

The aim of these monthly threads is to get those interested in old pieces/any history to see and not just look. So for example these images are not detailed enough to read the tape with ease but if one applies what one knows about tape measures then it's possible to work out the width.

Similarly, because of the length of the material and the setting one's eye is naturally drawn to the warp but the weft will often add detail, confirm or negate a theory.

I look forward to further comments.

[xman]

Actually I had already counted and found that it is about a yard wide, a curious width by today's standard. That would make it 3-4 yards long which is really too long to be a stole, which was my first thought, but maybe a sash of some kind or even table cloth.

The warp doesn't match the weft well so it might not even be tartan properly.

The colours are curious too which makes me think it has faded. Perhaps the green was darker, the pale blue too, and the dark blue we see might even have been black. The red is still pretty vibrant though so I don't know about that.

Some worn areas might be moth chews so, wool?

[figheadair]

Actually I had already counted and found that it is about a yard wide, a curious width by today's standard. That would make it 3-4 yards long which is really too long to be a stole, which was my first thought, but maybe a sash of some kind or even table cloth.

33.5" to be precise.

The warp doesn't match the weft well so it might not even be tartan properly.

Oh but it does but there are some features that complicate things.

The colours are curious too which makes me think it has faded. Perhaps the green was darker, the pale blue too, and the dark blue we see might even have been black. The red is still pretty vibrant though so I don't know about that.

Yes, faded in places, only one blue/green, black not dark blue.

Some worn areas might be moth chews so, wool?

Probably.