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What plant colored a rebellion?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

February 4, 2003

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Suggested Reading—>Click here.

Assorted Killer Savings Garden Links—>Click here.

Killer Picks: Ginkgo Tree-to-be Kit—>Click here. National Geographic Magazine—>Click here.

Battle of the Clans DVD—>Click here.

The Celts, John Muir: Nature's Visionary, Women's Merino Wool Irish Cardigan—>Click here.

Men's Scottish Lamb's Wool Cardigan, Men's Irish Donegal Tweed Sweater—>Click here.

The Jacobites were Scottish and English supporters of the Stuarts, particularly the exiled King James VII, the last Roman Catholic ruler of England. In the late 1600s, England, Scotland, and Ireland were in political and social unrest. Catholics, Protestants, and Presbyterians vied for power. The three religious factions were further divided by numerous political alliances. The rebellion lasted for 60 years.

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Weavers in Scotland had been producing 'tartan' for hundreds of years. Tartan referred to the type of weave; the weave threads passed over two warp threads, then under two warp threads. Colored threads in the warp and weave produced the plaids. Specific patterns or setts identified military regiments, clans, and families.

The Protestant and Presbyterian groups increased their power in 1707 with the passage of the Act of Union. Scottish groups, opposed to the Act, spread the wearing of the colorful tartans as an act of national pride and rebellion.

Six colors used in the dyeing of thread came from a single plant, the elder (Sambucus nigra Linnaeus). Of the elder dyes, Mrs. Grieve wrote "The bark of the older branches has been used in the Scotch Highlands as an ingredient in dyeing black, also the root. The leaves yield, with alum, a green dye and the berries dye blue and purple, the juice yielding with alum, violet; with alum and salt, a lilac colour." (A Modern Herbal, Mrs. Grieve, 1931, reprinted 1996 Barnes & Noble Books)

The plaids were viewed as rebels' uniforms and outlawed in 1746. Many of the setts were lost. The law was repealed in 1782 and tartans became legal and fashionable.

Scotland Calling has a great page about the history of the tartans. To learn more about these beautiful plaids, click on the link:

http://www.scotland-calling.com/tartans.htm

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

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Battle of the Clans DVD

The History Channel®

They are the symbol of a nation proud, independent and brave. In their kilts and sporrans, against the unmistakable sound of the bagpipe, the Highland Clansman is known and admired throughout the world.

It was not always so. Just 250 years ago, Scottish law prohibited the wearing of tartans and the playing of the pipes. Violators were hunted down like animals, and the whole culture of the clans was reviled and despised.

BATTLE OF THE CLANS is a feature-length look at the surprising history of the Highland Clansmen. Where did the bagpipe come from, and what do the various tartans represent? Why were the traditional soldiers of this ancient nation once honored, then despised, and now honored again? From the earliest historical accounts to today, this is a fascinating chronicle that goes beyond the myths to tell the true story of the Highland Clansman. Battle of the Clans DVD, Click here.

The Celts: Rich Traditions and Ancient Myths DVD

National Geographic®

For 800 years, a proud, vibrant, richly imaginative warrior people swept ruthlessly across Europe. The ancient Greeks called them "Keltoi" and honored them as one of the great barbarian races.

Follow their fascinating story from their earliest roots 2,500 years ago through the flowering of their unique culture and their enduring heritage today, enhanced with stunning reconstructions of iron-age villages, dramatizations of major historical events, and visits to modern Celtic lands.

This fascinating look back at the legends and legacy of the Celtic heritage is underscored by the hauntingly beautiful music of Enya. Click here.

John Muir: Nature's Visionary

National Geographic®

Emigrating from Scotland as an eleven-year-old in 1849, John Muir spent a harsh boyhood working on his family's farm in Wisconsin. After a factory accident in his early twenties left him temporarily blind, Muir left behind what he saw as the degradations of cities and farms and set out for unspoiled territory. And the rest, as they say, is ecological and conservation history.

The untouched lands of the Sierra Nevada, which he christened the ''Range of Light,'' became Muir's lifelong passion. As the nation's most revered spokesman for the wilderness and a founder of the

Sierra Club, Muir made immeasurable contributions to the beauty and preservation of our continent. And this exquisite book captures as never before the extraordinary nature of his life.

Prize-winning photographer Lynn Johnson brings the matchless vitality of this bearded warrior to thrilling life. The visual odyssey is further enriched by reproductions of Muir's own drawings as well as the rarely seen and recently rediscovered images of Carleton Watkins. Showcasing its legendary subject's own rhapsodic writings, John Muir: Nature's Visionary bears powerful witness to Muir's enduring contributions to the American landscape.

240 pages. Hardcover. 8 1/2'' x 10''. © 2000 Click here.

Women's Merino Wool Irish Cardigan

National Geographic®

This cozy merino wool sweater is a virtual sampler of Irish Aran knitting patterns. Each pattern symbolizes an aspect of local fishing culture: Celtic rope for Irish pride; fisherman's cable for safety on the waters; basket stitch for a plentiful catch; and diamond, the shape of a fishing net, for success.

The warm wool is renowned for its extremely soft hand, providing warmth and comfort without the itch of lower-quality fibers. Hand-wash or dry clean. Made in Ireland of 100% merino wool. Click here.

About Aran Sweaters
The thick-knit, cream-colored sweater that we often associate with fishermen has its origins on the Aran Islands at the mouth of Galway Bay in western Ireland. Enterprising women on the islands began knitting the sweaters in the early 1900s, using untreated, lanolin-rich wool. The goal was not only to provide a heavy and water-resistant garment to keep their families warm in Galway Bay's rough weather, but also to supplement the island's fishing economy by making a craft that could be sold year-round and utilized traditional skills and patterns. Journalist and Irish culture activist Pádraig Augustine Ó Síocháin helped make the Aran sweaters especially popular in the mid-20th century by organizing the export of hand-knit sweaters to other countries.

There is a myth that families each have their own patters of stitches, and that a drowned fisherman could be recognized by the designs on his sweater, much like a Scottish clan tartan. While it's true that certain stitches have come to take on symbolic meanings, the diversity of patterns is more accurately attributed to the creative group of artisans who started making the sweaters. Always eager to show off new ideas, creative knitters developed new patterns and taught them to their friends, who added their own twists and passed the pattern along again.

Today, folks on the islands and visitors from around the world often choose sweaters based on the symbolism that the different intricate stitches have taken on. Just some of the patterns found include:

Cable stitches represent fishing ropes and therefore the tools of a hard worker and safety on the water.
Braided cable stitches evoke the strength of close family ties.
Moss stitches represent abundance in nature.
Diamond stitches mimic the shape of fishing nets mesh, the key to success on the Arans.
Basket stitch represents a plentiful catch.
Honeycomb stitches represent the hard work of the honeybee and the rewards of an industrious life.
Trinity stitches are traditional Celtic motifs and signify cultural pride.

Lamb's Wool Cardigan

National Geographic®

Over the centuries, Scotland's chilly climate has made the country one of the world's foremost woolmaking centers. The Lochaven mill can be found in Stewarton, Ayrshire, right in the heart of Scotland's historic wool district. For more than half a century, the mill has continued the fine tradition of quality woolmaking, developing a special felting technique that produces an extremely high-loft wool that is incredibly soft.

This hallmark cardigan for men is made from 100% all-natural, first-cut, felted Scottish lamb's wool. It's cozier than synthetic fleece and keeps you warmer, too. The dense weave offers enhanced wind protection, superior insulation even when wet, and supreme breathability, making it a versatile travel necessity on trips to cooler or changeable climes. Full zip. Made in Scotland. Click here.

Men's Irish Donegal Tweed Sweater

National Geographic®

Ireland's northernmost county is a land of peat bogs, sandy beaches, and windswept cliffs. In the shadow of the Blue Stack Mountains, the town of Donegal has been renowned for its handwoven wool sweaters for generations. Woven from wool that is flecked with the colors of Irish earth and sky, this comfortable sweater is hand-knit in blocks of tan and peat, charcoal and heather. Lightweight and insulating, wool is one of the most travel-friendly natural fabrics available and shrugs off Donegal's morning mist with ease. Hand-wash or dry clean. Hand-knit in Ireland.

About Donegal tweed
In the shadow of the Bluestack Mountains in northwestern Ireland, the town of Donegal has been renowned for its handwoven wool tweed for generations. A skilled weaver, working at a bench loom, could make up to 30 yards of fabric in a day, using home-raised wool that was often dyed using natural and local materials including moss, yellow gorse, and blackberries.

Today the town's largest manufacturer of wool tweed is the Magee, Molloy & McNutt factory, which presides over Donegal's town center in a large redbrick building. The fabric is prized by the largest international fashion houses as well as tourists looking for an authentic piece of highest quality Irish artisanry. About 25 local craftsmen still work on hand looms in their homes, filling the demand for the bespoke look of a well-tailored tweed suit or cap. Click here.

Ginkgo Tree-to-be Kit

National Geographic®

A sacred tree in Asia, the Ginkgo biloba species has survived on our planet for approximately 270 million years and is a symbol of long life and memory. Extremely hardy and resilient with an unusual chemistry that is often studied for its medicinal benefits, it is thought to be a memory enhancer and antioxidant. It is a living fossil, one of the most ancient trees known to humans, and when cultivated it can survive for 1,000 years or more.

A wonderful way to celebrate milestones such as births and marriages, this unique gift kit includes everything you need to successfully start and grow a ginkgo, along with an aluminum tag to place a personalized inscription on the tree. Often planted ceremonially in memory of loved ones, this tree may very well shade your family for centuries to come. Click here.

National Geographic Magazine

National Geographic®

You are invited to roam the world in the pages of National Geographic magazine. Explore the diversity of our planet's lands and inhabitants in compelling stories covering topics such as animals, nature, science, technology, culture, history, travel, adventure, exploration, and geography. The monthly National Geographic magazine is your key benefit of membership.

Additional benefits include:

As many as five wall map supplements throughout the year in issues of the magazine
A personalized Membership Certificate
Special discounts on selected products
The opportunity to examine special Society products free in your home before deciding to purchase
The privilege of traveling the world with the Society's educational travel tour programs
The satisfaction of supporting important research, conservation, education, and exploration projects

Join the Society and bring the adventure of National Geographic into your home! Click here.