Tartan trailblazer Clare Campbell of Prickly Thistle near Evanton given honour of creating design for United States Consulate General with public set to make final choice
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A TRAILBLAZING Ross-shire textile maker is to produce the official tartan for the United States Consulate General in Edinburgh– with the public having the final say in which of three designs gets the nod.
After opening its doors 224 years ago, the United States Consulate General in Edinburgh is launching an online poll and asking the Scottish public to help choose its official tartan.
One winner will be chosen among three designs, which incorporate colours and patterns influenced by the shared history between Scotland and the United States.
Officials at the Consulate General partnered with acclaimed tartan designer Clare Campbell of Evanton-based Prickly Thistle to develop the three options.
Ms Campbell has a strong track record of creating innovative, bespoke tartan including those used at the 25th annual New York City Tartan Day Parade in April.
She also designed “Aliam” commemorating Alan Cumming and Miriam Margoyles’ 2021 Lost in Scotland TV special and Sassenach for Outlander star Sam Heughan.
The poll closes Monday, November 21, with the winning design announced on St. Andrew’s Day, November 30.
The Consulate General’s winning design will be registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans, where it will be publicly accessible among thousands of other tartans.
Clare Campbell from Prickly Thistle said: “I was delighted to work with the U.S. Consulate General on their tartan project.Tartan is an expression of history, geography, and self-expression.
"These designs are instantly recognizable as Scottish but help visually tell the story of the different ways America and Scotland are interlinked. No matter the winner, Scotland will be welcoming a wonderful new tartan onto its national tapestry.”
U.S. Ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley said: “Tartan is embraced internationally as a symbol of Scotland, and we are thrilled to be one step closer to finally having an official tartan to call our own. All three designs up for a vote are representative of the deep historic and contemporary ties between the United States and Scotland. I hope our tartan will come to symbolize the continued growth of our relationship.”
U.S. Consul General Jack Hillmeyer said: “The United States has maintained a diplomatic presence in Scotland since 1798, when President John Adams appointed the first U.S. Consul. Since then, the ties between our nations have grown wide and deep.Millions of Americans claim Scottish ancestry, including dozens of U.S. Presidents.
“Americans harbour a deep love of Scotland, and the United States boasts more than 1,000 Scottish associations and clubs. Hundreds of thousands of Americans visit Scotland annually, in addition to the thousands more who choose to study in Scotland each year.
"We are proud to be Scotland’s principal international trading partner, and our bonds continue to grow in new and emerging industries. This tartan aims to celebrate all we have in common with each other.”
The tartan poll can be accessed via the Consulate’s @USAinScotland Twitter page or by visiting https://bit.ly/3fSUWhs.
The Consulate General’s team will seek to engage online audiences throughout the competition. The winning tartan will form a distinctive part of the U.S. diplomatic presence in Edinburgh, symbolizing the deep connections between the United States and Scotland and boosting awareness of the Consulate General’s activities.
The contenders
The Uniting of Flags – Taking inspiration from the two flags of Scotland and the United States, this design celebrates the two countries. The forest green overcheck symbolizes the growth of the partnership.
The Journey from 1798 – Reflecting the colours of the American rose and Scottish thistle, this design celebrates the growth in relations between Scotland and the United States since the Consulate’s founding in 1798.
Thistle & Rose – This design features blocks of 98 threads crossed with sections of 17 threads to represent the founding of the U.S. Consulate General Edinburgh in 1798.
Learn more about the history of the U.S. Consulate General Edinburgh and the work of the Consulate General here.
