Makin' The Tartan

Weaving of The Declaration of Scottish Independence, Arbroath 1320 tartan

Apr 6

Tartan Day

Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day

Tartan Day

The Waggle of the Kilt

Tartan Day

Tartan Shawl

Tartan Day

Makin' The Tartan

Declaration of Scottish Independence

Arbroath Abbey

Today's Musings, History & Folklore

"The tartan, the tartan,
The wind-shaken plaid,
That wraps round the shoulders
Of lassie and lad;

It speaks of the mountains,
The glens, and the streams,
Of a people whose history
Lives on in its seams"

~ Traditional/author unknown

Happy Tartan Day! For many, tartan isn’t just something worn—it’s something carried. Across generations, across oceans, across time. A thread that connects glens and cities, past and present, memory and identity.

Celebrated most prominently in Canada and the United States Tartan Day honors Scottish heritage, identity, and cultural contributions around the world.

Of the many tartan inpired dances, this 40 bar strathspey for 4 couples devised by Geraldine Ferguson celebrates tartan weaving and weavers with elegant double figures of 8 and hands across, and then a full set stately progression down the middle and back, finishing with rights and lefts, putting one in mind of the shuttle action of the loom and the crossed threads!

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The story of tartan is, fittingly, a bit tangled—woven from tradition, myth, and a fair bit of reinvention.

Back in the day, Highland dress certainly included patterned cloth—but not the fixed “clan tartans” so familiar now. Before the 18th century, tartans were more regional and practical, shaped by local dyes, available wool, and the preferences of the weaver. A pattern might say more about place than ancestry.

After the Jacobite Risings and the ban on Highland dress (lifted in 1782), tartan made a comeback—but with a bit more romance attached.

In the early 1800s, Sir Walter Scott helped stage King George IV’s visit to Scotland, and tartan took center stage—proud, patriotic, and just a little theatrical.

Around that same time, the Sobieski Brothers, posing as Stuart descendants, published their famous (and somewhat questionable) guide assigning tartans to clans. Whether entirely accurate or not… it stuck.

Then came tartan’s most enthusiastic champions: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Their love of Highland style—especially at Balmoral—helped spread tartan far beyond Scotland. Once it had royal approval, it quickly became both fashion and identity around the world.

These days, tartan goes well beyond clans. Traditional patterns are still worn with pride, but alongside them are tartans for places, events, companies, fashion houses, animals, causes, and more! Do you have a favourite? 💗 💚 💙 💛 🤍 🖤 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🎉

Makin' The Tartan

Tartan Day marks the anniversary of the Declaration of Scottish Independence at Arbroath in 1320.

Canada estimates around 4.7 million Canadians claiming Scottish descent, while in the United States, it is estimated that there are 6 million people who claiming Scottish ancestry.

The English word "tartan" is most likely derived from the French tartarin meaning "Tartar cloth". It has also been suggested that "tartan" may be derived from modern Scottish Gaelic tarsainn, meaning "across".

There are an increasing number US states with their own official tartan while in Canada, almost all of Canada's provinces and territories have their own tartan. To view these tartans, visit Curious and Unusual Tartans, a sister website.

Tartan as a textile goes back much further than originally thought. American textile archaeologist Elizabeth Barber thoroughly investigated the Mummies of Ürümchi to find archaeological proof of tartan or plaid twill, dating this pattern back more than three thousand years ago!

And for more about the fascinating archaeology of plaid and tartan weaving, click the colourized picture of taran weaver Willie Meisle, taken circa 1930, colourized.

Happy Tartan Day to wearers and weavers alike!

Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!