This is the oldest, simplest, and most traditional Scottish tartan. It is variously known as Shepherd’s Check, Houndstooth, or Northumberland (Northumbria) tartan, as that is the area where it originated. I can just imagine those early medieval weavers deciding to add a little variety to their monotonous weaving experience by alternating the wool of black and light sheep. I chose this pattern because Northumberland County (Virginia) is the county where our Guild is located. I first became fascinated with tartans and their history when I took Melissa Weaver Dunning’s Tartan class at MAFA 2019!
You can add any variation of trim detail that you’d like; I used a simple 1 inch all-white stripe about 4 inches from the bottom.
