New Robert Burns Special Tartan

Strathleven Artizans received an email from Richard Quinn of the 1820 Society regarding the Special Robert Burn’s Tartan that is being weaved at the historic Weavers Cottage in Kilbarchan for the new Burns museum in Ayr.
He had been in contact with Christine MacLeod who had designed and weaved this Special and historic tartan and is giving as many groups, schools and societies the unique opportunity to thread the spindle (pirn) of a particular thread of tartan.

Christine explained about the various colours of threads and what they represent (i.e. Rabbie Burns, earth, mother, father and children each one representing a specific thread) and about this special tartan which will be presented to the new Burns museum at the end of September.

It was indeed a very great privilege for each of us present to thread the spindle (pirn) of our particular thread of tartan which then goes into the shuttle which then  feeds the loom.

It was amazing to watch how they weaved things in a bygone era how much work goes into weaving, how a lot of houses in a small village like Kilbarchan would have been producing looms of material it was indeed a living history lesion.

We also had a go at making rag rugs which was interesting a simple piece of hessian and some small off cuts of material were used to produce beautiful rugs again his was the way they would have been made in the olden  days.

On behalf of 1820 Society and Strathleven Artizans I would like to thanks Christine MacLeod and all the staff/volunteer…… David and Evelyn of the Historic Weavers Cottage for letting us have the great privilege of being part of some new Scottish history and we look forward to seeing the finished article in it’s new home of the Robert Burns  museum in Ayr.

Thanks also to Richard Quinn and Peter Macarthur of 1820 Society and to David and Christine Murdoch (40 Bowmen of St.Sebastian) and Jim Tannock Strathleven Artizans.

Yours in Living History     Jim Tannock