The Colorful History of Tartan, being a portrait of People, Places and Practices

Presenter: Melissa Weaver Dunning

Once a colorful pattern woven and worn by Scottish Highlanders, tartan was outlawed by the British government after the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745. The history of how tartan came to be both a fashion icon and a national symbol of Scotland is full of fascinating characters and stories.

About the Presenter

Melissa Weaver Dunning is an avid tartan & linen weaver, a skilled spinner and a compulsive knitter. She loves to share the history and context of traditional textile arts and to pass on the efficient techniques of time honored skills. Melissa lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Melissa is a singer of traditional ballads specializing in the music of Ireland, England and Scotland; her powerful and clear unaccompanied singing brings the old story songs to life and weaves vibrant pictures of life in another age. Melissa is also a traditional hand-weaver working on antique and modern equipment to produce 18th and 19th century style textiles. She has had the great good fortune to study with Scottish master weaver and singer Norman Kennedy since 1980. She is dedicated to carrying on some of the wealth of tradition gleaned from this apprenticeship both in weaving and in music.