Something About the Tartan Day

Forever plaid.

Today is Tartan Day here in the states, almost celebrated here at the Mitchell’s by trying a Scotch egg recipe. These are hard-boiled eggs wrapped in meat, breadcrumbs, and then baked or fried. I say almost because I wanted to try it, but I don’t care much for hard-boiled eggs. Maybe a lox scramble instead.

Traditionally, a tartan was a patterned cloth consisting of crisscrossed, horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colors, particularly associated with Scotland. Tartans originated in woven wool but are made from other materials now, and the word is a name for the pattern itself. Sett is the proper name of the design of colored threads or yarns. I suppose I could have worn a kilt, but I don’t own one of those, either. It is nice to know there is a Mitchell tartan, according to the Scottish Register of Tartans.

Here’s the kicker: did you know the state of Michigan has a tartan, too?

The register mentioned above identifies Kati Meek as the designer, and Meek’s blog denotes some of her color choices:

Blue green for the Great Lakes and many inland lakes; deep green for Michigan’s forests, rolling hills and meadows; tan for the sand dunes, Petoskey stones, and roads for the model T; white for our snow, fruit blossoms, lake ice, and summer clouds; deep red for the autumn maples, cherries, apples, and red-top grass.

Meek also said back in 2010:

"I am very pleased that our beautiful state of Michigan finally has its own official tartan. I am honored that I was involved in the design. Now the tartan mills of Scotland and handweavers everywhere can weave their own copies. I hope that handweavers in states still without their own tartans will learn the joys of tartan weaving and design a plaid to represent them, then find citizen support to have it made official."

Very cool.  Now to find a Bellairs tartan. But not tartar sauce for the lox.