Weaving tartan (pics)

[turpin]

As soon as I saw this thread and your location I knew Brad would be all over it. That's some nice-looking work.

[Phil]

Great looking tartan but then I'm prejudiced, some of my in-laws are Morrisons. I always envy people who have the skill for these crafts. Keep it up.

[Barb T]

Well, 25" should be wide enough to allow for most fellow's kilt length...

It's pretty tough to do kilting fabric on a hand loom. Even 16 oz tartan is 48 picks per inch, and weaving fine wool that densely is difficult. Hard to get a clean shed, easy to break threads.

Barb

[Pleater]

Its hard enough just getting the materials.

I weave a little, and I took one look at the logistics of weaving a tartan and decided that it was not for me.

Even when you have the right colours the fineness is difficult, and you have to get the warp all the same tension, and then weave so it is balanced, and straight on the grain too. Once it is off the loom it has to be worked and fulled

The more I learn about weaving the more I look at ebay fabrics.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

It's pretty tough to do kilting fabric on a hand loom. Even 16 oz tartan is 48 picks per inch, and weaving fine wool that densely is difficult. Hard to get a clean shed, easy to break threads.

Barb

My Mull tartan kilt is made from hand woven cloth.


It was woven by Marjorie Warren, and she used yarns from Lochcarron's strome (heavy weight) range. Even then, this has a different character entirely from the usual machine milled cloth.

Last I talked to her about it, I beleive she was charging $100 per yard (single width) for kilt quality material.

~Matt

[ChromeScholar]

Well, it's still early days yet. This loom is a little on the small side. Once we have the larger loom completed, we'll see how things go.

[Mr. MacDougall]

It's pretty tough to do kilting fabric on a hand loom.

I imagine it would be fine for a belted plaid, or phillabeg. After all, our ancestors hand-wove their wool.

[ChromeScholar]

I'm learning how to weave, and finding it fascinating.

[Mr. MacDougall]

I'm learning how to weave, and finding it fascinating.

I'm jealous. I want to learn to weave, but I haven't yet found anyone in Flagstaff to teach me. (Isn't it surprising how many 'zonars are here on X-Marks?)

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I imagine it would be fine for a belted plaid, or phillabeg. After all, our ancestors hand-wove their wool.

And the cloth that went into making the early tailored kilts was all hand woven, as well.

Barb wasn't saying it cannot be done, just that it is not easy to do! But if you ever get the opportunity to have a kilt made from hand woven cloth from a weaver who really knows how to do kilt cloth, take advantage of it!

By the way, it just occurred to me as I was replying that all my Harris Tweed kilts are also hand woven (as is all Harris Tweed). Though that is a different type of material, it is also very suitable for kilting.