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Perpendicular intersections of warp and weft mean that Checks, Plaids and any sort of crossing-stripes are well-suited to weaving. Here is a little primer on some popular variations and how to tell the differences.
Checks are identifiable by the uniform width of the stripes (usually two colors) in both warp and weft, forming checkerboard squares in a cloth. Technically, Checks are woven in plain weave, and usually in lighter plant fibers like linen and cotton.
Common Check variations include:
Pop Pillows have a clear Windowpane Check motif
Then there are some exceptions:
Buffalo Check (usually black and white or black and red, woven in wool as a twill) is considered a plaid, despite having "check" in its name.
Yes, it is confusing.
Plaids usually have three or more colors and irregular stripe widths in both the warp and weft. “Plaid” was the original Scottish term for blanket or kilt, not the pattern. Burberry is probably the most famous and recognizable of all the plaid patterns. The Minimalist Scarfand Diamond Track Mats would both be considered Plaid patterns.
One of my favorite plaids is Madras plaid – brightly colored cotton with an irregular stripe pattern and originating in Madras (now Chennai), India. Such fabric can only be called Madras if it comes from this region (it’s like champagne that way).
One of the biggest points of confusion is the difference between Plaids and Tartans.
A Tartan is strictly defined as a 2/2 twill with three or more colors of varying stripe widths repeated in an identical pattern across the warp and weft. There is an obvious “base color” and the motif is often associated with, and registered by, a particular Scottish clan. All Tartans are Plaids, but not all Plaids are Tartans.
Lakeland Scarf is a Plaid, but looks like a Tartan
Some of the patterns we’ve published at Gist, like those mentioned above, fall easily into these categories. Other projects, like the Spring Lace Table Set, Crackle Weave Napkins, and Tassel Wrap are clearly rooted in these classic styles, but the designers have added a decidedly contemporary spin. Once you break down the basic elements of Plaids and Checks into warp and weft stripes, you start to see them everywhere. Try one of our patterns, or follow your inspiration and design your own!
Christine is Gist Yarn's Director of Content and Customer Experience. Through wit, relentless enthusiasm and enough knowledge to be dangerous, Christine seeks to introduce the wonders of weaving to every person possible. Put another way, she is responsible for nurturing Gist's relationships with our current designers and finding new ones to bring you engaging content and patterns that are fun to both learn and weave. She is also our resident weaving whisperer, who is happy to help demystify any pattern and answer any loom or equipment questions you might have. In addition to her duties at Gist Yarn, she is an exhibiting artist whose work has been shown in New England galleries and is held in private collections across the country. She is a contributor to Little Looms and Handwoven magazines, and the author of SoulSpace Notes, a monthly column on weaving, art and life.
