Tartans

Tartan is a woven pattern of many colors, and while its roots reach back centuries, the rules governing its designs were not standardized until the late 1700s. Its image is tied to kilt-clad Highlanders and the drone of bagpipes, and it remains a central part of Scottish identity today. The saying that every Scot has a color code gives this volume its premise.

This is the third of three volumes arranged alphabetically, and it covers tartans from MacNichol through Yukon. It presents more than 400 striped designs, ranging from the simplest patterns to highly intricate ones. The selections were drawn from close to 5,000 tartans held in the database of the International Association of Tartan Studies and chosen by two leading experts. Each entry includes thread counts for weavers, and the book also offers a short historical overview and explanations of related terms.

The question most often put to the Association, "What are my colors?", is the book's main purpose, and it is aimed at families, clubs, historians, and designers.