For those of you who are celebrating Tartan Day on April 6, a little primer on tartans. Tartans began in Scotland as woven wool patterns used as district identifiers, created using locally popular patterns and, originally, different natural wool colors. The word tartan originally just meant the style of weaving -- take the yarn over two cross strands, then under two, then repeat. Eventually the meaning changed to what we now accept, the patterns of colors in the weave, also called the sett. [more inside]
posted by Shotgun Shakespeare on Apr 5, 2008 - 31 comments

Today is a Very Special Day. Be free, O Dangly Manbits. (Of course, no respectable day such as this would be without a teeny bit of kilt origin controversy.)
posted by DeepFriedTwinkies on Oct 18, 2007 - 27 comments

Note the officer seated to the Queen's right. found on DrudgeReport; accompanying story.
posted by alumshubby on Nov 10, 2004 - 15 comments