Black Isle Tartans
1 variationsEach tartan can have multiple variations, the most common of which are Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress
About tartan variations
- Ancient
- Modern
- Weathered
- Hunting
- One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if
Ancient Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans, mossy greens and sky blues, a more orangey red and some would say showing off the pattern to much greater effect as as the contrasts are much brighter than the Modern tartans. The pattern or sett remains the same across all variations of a single tartan, and only the shades or tones vary.
Helpful Advice
Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
Modern Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans. Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
Helpful Advice
The Modern tartans are often the more subtle combinations such as the classic Black Watch Modern
Weathered Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer, more earthy colours typical of the Weathered tartans, reminiscent of bolder colours subjected to wind, rain and sunshine producing beautiful faded tones, olive greens and browns, and very light blues with reds that are more pink than red.
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Some mills refer to the Weathered tartans as Muted.
Hunting Tartan
The Hunting Tartans are the camouflage tartans and some clans don't have these variations because they are already predominantly green or brown and don't need amendment to blend in with nature's colours. The Black Watch or Gunn tartans are examples of these, whereas a tartan such as the Fraser is predominantly red and would not provide much cover for men out hunting.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if Tartan
The Dress Tartans were designed as the name suggests for celebrations and highland dance. The sett or pattern of the tartan remains the same and the main colour is changed to white, or extra white is added to the pattern to give it a brighter, more "fancy" appearance. The Scots do like to bend the rules and occasionally instead of white thread, yellow is used and this is where the rather wild MacLeod Dress Modern and Barclay Dress Modern came from.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
From the Start
Black Isle Tartan Origins & History
Explore the History
How it all started
The Black Isle, contrary to the name, is a peninsula within Ross and Cromarty in the Scottish Highlands and is located just north of Inverness and is surrounded on three sides by expanses of water. It includes the towns of Cromarty and Fortrose as well as numerous smaller villages and settlements and it’s reachable by crossing the Kessock Bridge from Inverness. The area is famous for its affluent farmland and it's annual Black Isle Show, as well as it's rich wildlife - from deer to dolphins, osprey to orcas, and swallows to Scots Pine. It's also steeped in history, with castles, cairns and a cathedral and numerous museums to visit. The Black Isle was one of the earliest parts of the Highlands to experience the clearances and was settled with many Lowland shepherds and farmers from the north east. The region’s greatest draw is its world famous dolphin spotting possibilities. Chanonry Point is one of the best places in the country to see the Bottlenose dolphin, and if you're lucky enough to spot them you'll often be incredibly close and only a matter of metres away!
What's in the tartan?
The Black Isle tartan is mainly black with various stripes of grey running throughout.
Groam House Museum
Groam House Museum is found in the seaside village of Rosemarkie, and is an award winning museum dedicated to the Picts and displays and interprets stunning examples of their sculptural art, including the magnificent Rosemarkie cross-slab. The Picts were a group of Celtic-speaking peoples who lived during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages and were located in what is now northern and eastern Scotland. Their residences and cultures can be inferred from their Pictish stone.
The Black Isle translates to 'Eilean Dubh' in Gaelic and comes from the dark, fertile soils that make the peninsula a successful agricultural region.
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