What Makes a Good vs a Bad Tartan Design?

We HATE the US Bicentennial Tartan?!? No, not really. But when asked why we have a strong opinion about it, we got to thinking about what makes any given tartan look beautiful or look ugly.
Various estimates put the total number of tartans in the world at anywhere between 3,500 to 7,000. Something like 150 new designs appear every year, though only a tiny percentage of these ever get woven into cloth.
Rocky Roeger, owner of USA Kilts, Inc. has personally designed over 100 new custom tartans. The kilt makers at USA Kilts work with both traditional and new tartans every day as they craft custom kilts for our clientele across the USA. So.....YES we have some opinions on what makes a good or a bad tartan design!
The nutshell answer is that a tartan design will become ugly when the creator either tries too hard, or doesn't try hard enough. A simple design with no variety of line thickness (thread counts) and only a few colors may turn out "blah". The Rob Roy tartan - the "lumberjack plaid" is the classic example.
Conversely, a tartan design that has too many lines or too many colors, or colors that clash, will turn out garish and irritating to look at. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so a tartan you hate may be one someone else loves. However, we feel a well-designed tartan is one that achieves balance -- with areas on interest and color intensity combined with "empty" portions that allow the eye to rest. This contrast, along with pleasing color combinations, is what makes a good tartan "pop".
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WE HAVE A PASSION FOR HERITAGE
Located in Spring City PA, USA Kilts is a team of American kilt makers who have been making men’s kilts in authentic clan tartans since 2003.
We craft a full range of kilts right in our shop, from our budget casual kilt to our traditional machine sewn, hand-finished 8-Yard kilt. We specialize in all aspects of highland wear and Celtic clothing including Scottish, Irish and Welsh kilts and accessories.
If you want your kilt made by an experienced American Kilt Maker, you’ve come to the right place!
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