A question for the kiltmakers: What would you do with this tartan?

[M. A. C. Newsome]

If you are getting the thread count from the Scottish Tartans Authority, the count has actually be halved for display purposes, which explains the odd numbers. So that 17 thread pivot should actually be 34 threads. This means that the total thread sequence (according to the STA info) would have 664 threads.

I'm assuming you don't have a ready source for this tartan and would be having it custom woven. If that is the case you can easily specify whatever size sett repeat you'd like and the mill will adjust the thread count accordingly.

On the other hand, if you want to be historically accurate and keep the original thread count (this is a nineteenth century tartan), you will be dealing with a large sett. Not the end of the world, though. Kiltmakers often have to deal with larger than average setts and there are all sorts of tricks and work arounds.

It's those little challenges that are fun. :-)

[Pleater]

The white bands might not be so striking on the kilt as on the screen.

I get requests for custom designed knitware, and often find that the colours are considered duller than required. This is simply because on the monitor the colours are those of the light emitted from the screen, but as yarn the colours are the light reflected from the dyes.

I now pre-warn customers of this fact, rather than wait for the comment.

If the tartan is to be custom woven it might be possible to ensure they use a natural white - as in sheep coloured - rather than a bleached white, which is a lot less strident and blends in more.

If creating a costume with overly white or bright colours then the fabric would simple get several baths in very diluted tea, until the colours were as required. Not that I am advocating this for this particular fabric - just mentioning that options are available to subdue ill judged colours.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[KD Burke]

Having had it pointed out to me, I admit to some concern over the "lawn chair effect" if pleated to the stripe.

I'm a substantial guy (45" waist, 47" hips), and the idea of masquerading as a barber pole is not appealing. On the other hand, I really like the look of kilts pleated to the line.

Am I correct in assuming that tartans with less contrast in the larger bands and narrow, high contrast stripes are preferred for pleating to the line?

[ChattanCat]

Am I correct in assuming that tartans with less contrast in the larger bands and narrow, high contrast stripes are preferred for pleating to the line?

I do like to pleat to the stripe if the dominant stripe has a little color showing along with the stripe. So, yes it is better to have a narrower stripe than the pleat width.

[Barb T]

Yes - this is definitely symmetrical. The number of threads in a stripe isn't the determining factor - it's the fact that you can find a place in the tartan (a pivot) where you can fold the tartan in half and it's a mirror image on the two sides. You can do that with this tartan, so it's symmetrical.

The large # of small stripes only becomes an issue for pleating to the sett if the pleats need to taper dramatically between the hips and waist. Lots of taper makes it tricky to place the pleats so that you don't lose prominent stripes between the hips and waist. Since you don't have that much waist-hip differential, though, it's a far easier job.

Some tartan just doesn't pleat well to the stripe. And, frankly, it typically isn't clear until you have tartan in hand, pin up a test pleating, and stand back about 20 feet. That's what I always do.

[KD Burke]

Some tartan just doesn't pleat well to the stripe. And, frankly, it typically isn't clear until you have tartan in hand, pin up a test pleating, and stand back about 20 feet. That's what I always do.

Hmmmmm....that sounds like a plan! I think when I'm ready, I'll order the fabric myself, pin it up pleated to the blue stripe and take a hard look. I can even ask opinions of trusted friends (and then ignore them! ).

When I've made a decision, I'll just ship my box of cloth off to the kiltmaker and wait.

I may incur a bit more expense this way, but I think it may be worth it to be sure that I know what I'm actually asking for. Now to choose a kiltmaker .

On a different note, my thanks to everyone who has chimed in with sage advice. I've learned a good deal!

[ChattanCat]

20 feet Barb? I don't have a room long enough to stand that far away!-)

[figheadair]

20 feet Barb? I don't have a room long enough to stand that far away!-)

The alternative to finding a 20 foot long room is to view material in a mirror as doing so has an effect on the eye that I cannot explain but seems to give a much better impression of what a sett will look like on. Possibly something to do with focal length?

Oh and this sett is definitely a symmetrical pattern and in a 16oz cloth could be woven in about a 7.5 sett.

[Rex_Tremende]

The alternative to finding a 20 foot long room is to view material in a mirror as doing so has an effect on the eye that I cannot explain but seems to give a much better impression of what a sett will look like on. Possibly something to do with focal length?

That is because a mirror always doubles the distance between it and the viewer. No matter where you stand, you will always appear half as big as you think you are, and this may also explain why you always look twice as big in photographs as you think you should be.

New York Times: Mirrors Don’t Lie. Mislead? Oh, Yes.

Regards,
Rex.

[figheadair]

That is because a mirror always doubles the distance between it and the viewer. No matter where you stand, you will always appear half as big as you think you are, and this may also explain why you always look twice as big in photographs as you think you should be.

Regards,
Rex.

That explains it then. What's interesting is the way looking in a mirror seems to affect the way colours are perceived or maybe that's my eyes.