When a quilter picks fabric for a quilt, she will look at different parts of a print to select the parts that work best. A well-made striped shirt, or slipcover, is cut so that the pattern matches at the seams. Choosing the best parts of a tartan so that the pattern will look its best [...]

If you spend much time around tartans, as I have, you begin to recognize that the scale of the pattern differs greatly. Some, like Rob Roy, are small, some, like Royal Stewart are quite large. This can be a real challenge in selecting a tartan to stitch. Since it’s the relative size of the stripes [...]

A tartan is defined by the width and sequence of stripes, called the sett. They are defined and registered through a threadcount, which is the formula for weaving the plaid. The fabric you see is the result of applying the formula to weaving. Threadcounts are never used to create the needlework charts. I look at [...]

PLAID HAPPENS! As we learned in the article about tartans, a plaid is just stripe made in two directions. We use this aspect of plaids to stitch them as well. As long as you know the colors, the stripes’ widths, and the sequence, you can stitch any plaid. They are all stitched exactly the same [...]

I offer classes in stitched plaids in three formats. Birthday Plaid Cyberclass – $20. This class will be offered as an email class in February 2011. The three lesson class covers both needlepoint and cross stitch. It creates a birthday plaid square that can be used for a tote bag or box insert. The class [...]