Rhode Island State Tartan

Rhode Island State Tartan: STA No. 2659
The Scottish Register of Tartans

The adoption of an official tartan by the State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations was approached indirectly, though arguably quite efficiently.

Instead of going through the process of naming a specific tartan, the Rhode Island General Assembly handed the responsibility of selection off to the St. Andrews Society of Rhode Island, Inc. In addition to making the selection, the St. Andrews Society was tasked with authenticating and registering the tartan, all at its own expense.

When Senate Bill No. 2909 was signed by Governor Lincoln C. Almond on July 20, 2000, a specific tartan was not made official, rather, the St. Andrews Society of RI was authorized to choose an official tartan for the state. [ See below ]

The St. Andrews Society of RI handed design of a tartan to the House of Edgar, where Claire Donaldson created what is today known as "The State of Rhode Island Tartan."

The tartan is copyrighted by House of Edgar - Macnaughton Holdings Ltd. Distribution is provided by the St. Andrews Society. All sales enquiries should be made to the St. Andrews Society of Rhode Island Inc., PO Box 20588, Cranston RI 02920.

The following information regarding threadcount and pallet for the Rhode Island state tartan is provided by the The Scottish Register of Tartans: The National Archives of Scotland.

Threadcount:

BN8LRB56BN22W4BN4WG28Y4WG28BN4W4BN22LRB56M

Pallet:

BN=14283CBLUE GREY;
MY=D09800M YELLOW;
NB=003C64NAVY BLUE;
RB=1C0070ROYAL BLUE;
WG=408060WTHRD GREEN;
W=E0E0E0WHITE;
Y=E8C000YELLOW;
LRB=1474B4BALMORAL BLUE;

Rhode Island Law

The following information was excerpted from the Rhode Island General Laws, Title 42, Chapter 42-4, Section 42-4-17.

TITLE 42 State Affairs and Government
CHAPTER 42-4 State Emblems
SECTION 42-4-17

§ 42-4-17 State Tartan. – (a) The St. Andrews Society of RI, Inc. is authorized to create, authenticate and register, at the sole expense of the society, the official tartan of the state, to be called "the state of Rhode Island tartan".

(b) For the purposes of this section, "tartan" means any of many textile patterns consisting of stripes of varying widths and colors crossed at right angles against a solid background, each forming a distinctive design worn by the members of a Scottish clan.

History of Section.
(P.L. 2000, ch. 496, § 1.)

Sources...

The State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations. State of Rhode Island General Laws. Providence: The State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations, 2011. Web. 10 May 2011.
"Tartan Details - Rhode Island, State of." The Scottish Register of Tartans. The Scottish Register of Tartans, Jan. 2009. Web. 12 May 2011.
Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S. State Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols: A Historical Guide Third Edition, Revised and Expanded. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 3 Sub edition, 2001.

Additional Information

Tartan Details - Rhode Island, State of: Information held within The Scottish Register of Tartans for the "Rhode Island, State of" tartan.

Rhode Island, State of (District) Tartan: Information held within The Scottish Tartans Authority for the "Rhode Island, State of" tartan..

A History of Scottish Kilts: From the website of Authentic Ireland Travel.

The History of Scottish Tartans & Clans Tartans: Scottish History Online.

A Short History of Tartan: Peter MacDonald Tartan Design & Consultancy

St. Andrews Society of Rhode Island, Inc.: Official website.

Tartans of Scotland: The definitive guide to tartans on the web.

House of Tartan: Tartan fabrics and products by mail order.

Scotland's Story
by H. E. Marshall

Scotland's Story, by H. E. Marshall. 552 pages. Yesterday's Classics (December 19, 2005) Reading level: Ages 9-12. A child's history of Scotland, from legendary days through the time when the kingdoms of Scotland and England were joined together. Relates in vigorous prose the thrilling exploits of the heroes and heroines who defended Scotland from its English invaders. Includes the stories of Macbeth, William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, Mary Queen of Scots, the poet king and the beautiful lady of the garden, the "Glen of Weeping" and many others. First published a century ago, from the author of the highly-acclaimed "Our Island Story."

Scotland: The Story of a Nation, by Magnus Magnusson. 752 pages. Grove Press (January 17, 2003) Drawing on a great deal of modern scholarship that has redefined the nation's story, Magnusson vividly re-creates the long and fascinating story of Scotland, offering the most up-to-date and comprehensive history available today. Magnusson, who received an honorary knighthood for his contributions to the preservation of Scotland's heritage, casts the nation's historical trajectory as a long struggle toward nationhood. He explains the roots of the original Scots and examines the extent to which Scotland was shaped by the Romans, the Picts, the Vikings, and the English. He casts a sober eye on the many historical myths that have developed over the years, assessing their credibility while giving full appreciation of their importance to the people of Scotland.

Tartan: Romancing the Plaid
by Jeffrey Banks, Doria de La Chapelle

Tartan: Romancing the Plaid, by Jeffrey Banks, Doria de La Chapelle. 288 pages. Rizzoli; illustrated edition edition (October 23, 2007) Fashion world insiders Jeffrey Banks and Doria de La Chapelle have written the definitive book on tartan, bringing together a dizzying array of images to tell the story of tartan's humble beginnings to its current status as the ultimate emblem of great taste and high fashion. In addition to chronicling tartan enthusiasts from every age - including the incomparably fashionable Duke of Windsor whose closet was jam-packed with tartan kilts - Tartan profiles the designers who've made tartan an integral part of their work, from punk-inspired provocateurs Vivienne Westwood, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and Alexander McQueen to the more refined fashions of titan Ralph Lauren and Burberry.

Learning to Weave, by Deborah Chandler. 232 pages. Interweave Press; Revised edition (March 1, 1995) Learning to Weave has become the standard text book for both teachers and self-taught weavers. All you need to know is here including warping, reading and designing drafts, and the basics of weave structures. Warping back to front is included as well as updated resource lists.

Tartan: The Highland Textile, by James D. Scarlett. 204 pages. Shepheard-Walwyn (January 1, 1990) This is one of the tartan classics by Jamie Scarlett, éminence gris of the tartan scene. First published in 1985 and revised and reprinted in 1995 due to popular demand. A slim, stylish book providing the weaver and student with invaluable information on tartan and its weaving.

The Tartan Weaver's Guide, by James D. Scarlett. 68 pages. Shepheard-Walwyn Publishers (1995) Combines practical experience with a grasp of Highland social history in this book, which although aimed specifically at the amateur tartan-weaver, contains much of which will be of interest to students of either subject.

Visit the NETSTATE Rhode Island State Book Store for additional Rhode Island related books, including Rhode Island Reference Books, History, Biographies and Cookbooks.