🌀 Tartan Envy? Read On!

​

Hello, fellow tartan enthusiasts! 👋

I’m often asked about specific tartan designs by those eager to see them brought to life in a kilt, sash, or other fabric form.

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn a digital tartan into real woven cloth — this guide is for you! 🎨🧵

​

About These Tartans

​

The tartans featured here are for entertainment and inspiration, created out of a deep love for tartan design.

This site and associated facebook page should be considered a curated virtual gallery - it is not affiliated with any retailer or weaving house.

However, if you’re interested in acquiring fabric based on these designs, here’s what you should know about the featured tartans which fall into different categories which affect how easily it may be to obtain yardage in the pattern:

​

💎 Categories of Tartans Displayed

​

• Registered Tartans – Officially recorded in the Scottish Register of Tartans. Some are in active production, others require designer permission before weaving.  Please click on the tartan to see if you are directed to the official register which can give you information about the permissions, designer, and other possible restrictions.  Note: registered tartans are not necessarily in production.

• Artistic & Concept Tartans – Purely imaginative designs that may or may not pleat well for kilts but look stunning in sashes, scarves, or home textiles.  The designer or weaving house can evaluate designs for these aspects. 🎨

• Permission-Restricted Tartans – Some tartans require the designer’s approval for any weaving or printing. 

• Commercially Available Designs – Produced by specific weaving houses for corporate, regional, or film heritage purposes. 🎬

• Artisan-Created Tartans – Works by independent designers and weavers who may offer custom weaving options. 🧶

• Commissioned Small-Batch Weaving – Custom runs (typically 10 yards/meters minimum) produced by specialist mills such as Clan.com, Lochcarron, or small-batch weavers listed below. Sometimes groups share costs for limited weaves — a great way to bring niche tartans to life!  See below for more information on how to make this happen! 🤝

​

⚠️ Important Considerations for Weaving

​

If you pursue weaving, please note that colours on the screen may be different in actuality.  Consider the following:

​

• 💻 Screen colors ≠ real yarn colors. Always confirm with a physical swatch.

• 🌈 Specialty yarns may increase cost or require custom dyeing.

• 📜 Registered tartans include official threadcounts and color codes for accurate reproduction.

​

🪡 Alternative Fabric Options

​

If you’d like a printed version instead of woven fabric, some services such as Spoonflower can print tartan designs on fabric for decor or sewing projects. 🪄

This is ideal for small projects — table linens, cushions, or art pieces.

However:

​

• Permissions may still apply.

• Color depth varies by fabric.

• Printing on velvet often produces the richest results! ✨

 

📝 Editor’s Note

​

• Many of these tartans originated on Scotweb (now Clan.com).

• Not all designs were migrated to the former Scotweb's new site, which led to the loss of designer data previously referenced by the Curious and Unusual Tartans archive which referenced designer and design data.  This data is now lost except for this pictorial archive.  It is possible that communication with clan.com could be fruitful if you are interested in a particular tartan illustrated here.

• If you are the original designer of a tartan shown here, please reach out so I can credit you properly and direct inquiries your way. 🙏

​

==========================

​

If you do want to pursue one of the referenced tartans and have verified permissions with the designer who would give you the appropriate threadcount for the tartan sett, the next step is to find a weaving house and/or collect a group of like-minded people who might be interested in sharing the cost of a larger weave.

​

There have been several facebook groups that have been created over the years for this purpose.

​

🧶 HOW TO GET A NEW TARTAN WOVEN (Small-Batch or Artisan Weaver)

If you already have a tartan design approved, here’s how to get it woven into real cloth.

​

🧾 1. Prepare Your Technical Packet

​

Include:

​

• Tartan name and registry number (if applicable)

• Threadcount chart (color order and stripe widths)

• Weave type (e.g. 2/2 twill)

• Color specifications (Pantone, yarn card, or swatch)

• Fiber and weight (e.g. wool, cotton, blend)

• Width desired (single or double width)

• Yardage required (+10% for setup loss)

• Finishing needs (washed, pressed, fulling, etc.)

• ​

📬 2. Contact Weavers or Mills

​

Ask:

​

• “Can you weave a 2/2 twill, multi-color tartan to these specs?”

• What is your minimum yardage and cost per yard/meter?

• What’s your lead time and finishing process?

• Can you provide a sample swatch before full weaving?

​

🎨 3. Approve a Woven Sample

​

Before production, get a 1-yard sample to check:

​

• Color accuracy in real light

• Sett proportion and scale

• Fabric hand and finish

​

⚙️ 4. Production & Finishing

​

Once approved:

​

• The loom is warped and weaving begins 🪡

• Fabric is washed, pressed, and finished

• The full roll is shipped or turned into garments

• ​

Keep:

• A labeled swatch with tartan name and date

• Your threadcount file and documentation

​

🧥 5. Garment Coordination

​

If you plan to make kilts, jackets, or scarves:

​

• Ask your kiltmaker or tailor for yardage estimates

• Some weavers can fringe, hem, or label smaller items

​

💰 6. Typical Costs & Timeline

​

Small-Batch Estimate (prices may vary, estimate only)

​

• Loom setup $150 – $500

• Yarn dyeing $15 – $25 per lb

• Weaving $45 – $120 per yard

• Finishing $5 – $15 per yard

• Total per yard $50 – $130

• Minimum order 10–30 meters

• Lead time 8–16 weeks

​

📦 7. Delivery & Documentation

​

• Receive your finished cloth or product

• Keep swatches and certificates for records

• Label rolls clearly for future reorders

​

🏛️ 8. Optional: Register Your Tartan

​

If this is your own design and your tartan is not already registered, you can record it with the
Scottish Register of Tartans → www.tartanregister.gov.uk

​

Provide:

​

• Tartan name

• Designer or commissioner

• Threadcount and color data

• Description and purpose

​

​

🇨🇦🇺🇸 SUPPLEMENT: SMALL-BATCH & ARTISAN WEAVERS (NORTH AMERICA)

​

🧵 Weaver Directory 

​

• Small Dog Weaving Mill
  📍 Cumberland, Wisconsin, USA
  💬 Local-fiber yard goods, flexible small runs
  🔗 smalldogweavingmill.com

• Thistle Hill Weavers
  📍 New York, USA
  💬 Historical looms, luxury short runs
  🔗 thistlehillweavers.com

• The Weaving Mill
  📍 Chicago, Illinois, USA
  💬 Artist-run studio for designer collaborations
  🔗 theweavingmill.com

• Deanna Lynch Textiles
  📍 Western North Carolina, USA
  💬 Custom handwoven yardage (min. 10 yards)
  🔗 deannalynchtextiles.com

• Upper Canada Weaving
  📍 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  💬 Custom weaving in natural fibers
  🔗 uppercanadaweaving.com

• Custom Woolen Mills
  📍 Alberta, Canada
  💬 Wool processing and weaving
  🔗 customwoolenmills.com

• Hummingbird Weaving Studio
  📍 Barry’s Bay, Ontario, Canada
  💬 Handwoven linens and garments
  🔗 hummingbirdweaving.com

• BA Weaving Studio
  📍 British Columbia, Canada
  💬 Natural-fiber, off-grid artisan weaving
  🔗 baweavingstudio.com

​