〜

A Scottish Tribute
— to America’s 250 Years

From Stevie, the Tartan Artisan
...from the Heart of Scotland

 

To my dear friends, customers, and supporters,

Today, I’m honored to finally share something that has been part of my journey for over a decade: the Star-Spangled Banner tartan, now available for the first time as a series of limited-edition fine art collectible prints.

 

Now Available To Order
— in two Editions:

 

---

The PAST...

 

---

The PRESENT...

 

 

---

How It Began

In 2014, during the lead-up to Scotland’s independence referendum, I was inspired to design and create the Declaration of Scottish Independence Tartan. My hometown of Arbroath — and towns across Scotland — were alive with flags, marches, and calls for freedom.

Seeing those images everywhere — on the streets, in the papers, on the telly — made me realize, more than ever, that tartan could carry a nation’s story just as powerfully as a flag. That planted a seed in my mind: if Scotland’s powerful cry for liberty could be woven into tartan, then surely America’s own cry deserved the same honor.

 

Could the Stars and Stripes — the flag of the land of the free — be immortalized in plaid?

 

Looking back, light has been at the heart of many of my tartans. The Red Lichtie (Arbroath’s town tartan), the Bell Rock Lighthouse Tartan (created for its 200th anniversary and later adopted as the Northern Lighthouse Board’s corporate tartan), and the Declaration of Scottish Independence Tartan, with its saltire glowing through clouds of blue, all carry something of it. So it was no surprise that the Stars and Stripes drew me in: light in the heavens, light in the rockets’ glare, light in the flag that endured.

 

 

---

From Idea to Registration

The idea stayed with me for years, and never left me.

In the latter part of 2020, I contacted staff at the Smithsonian Institution — the custodians of the original Star-Spangled Banner flag. We exchanged thoughtful conversations, and I explained my request clearly: I wasn’t seeking endorsement, only permission to register the tartan name with the Scottish Register of Tartans. After a careful and considerate process, they gave their approval.

With that permission in place, the Star-Spangled Banner (Flag of 1814) Tartan was officially registered on Independence Day, July 4th, 2021.

〜 〜 〜

From there, two color variants came to life:

• The PAST Edition — muted, timeworn shades echoing the flag preserved by the Smithsonian.

• The PRESENT Edition — bright, bold colors celebrating the flag as it flies today.

Together, they honor America’s anthem, its flag, and its story.

 

 

 

 

---

About the Prints

This is the first product ever created in this tartan. Each print is produced on museum-grade archival paper, carries my printed signature, and comes with both a holographically sealed certificate of authenticity and a copy of the official tartan registration certificate.

They are available framed or unframed, in two collector sizes. Each edition is limited to 1,776 per size and format—a number chosen to honor America’s founding year.

Additionally, with fulfillment handled in the UK, EU, and US, orders are produced locally—avoiding customs delays and high import costs.

 

 

 

 

---

Why It Matters to Me

I was born and raised in Arbroath, the home of the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath—Scotland’s own powerful cry for independence.

That heritage runs deep in me. Over the years, I’ve created tartans for Arbroath and beyond—the Red Lichtie Tartan (recognized in the Scottish Parliament), the Bell Rock Lighthouse Tartan (officially adopted for the lighthouse’s 200th anniversary), and the Declaration of Scottish Independence Tartan.

For this work, I was invited into the Guildry Incorporation of Arbroath and honored with the title Freeman of Arbroath Brothock. I don’t often mention it, but it’s part of my story—and part of what makes me feel qualified, as an artist from Arbroath, to take inspiration from America’s flag and anthem.

 

 

---

A Personal Note

The Star-Spangled Banner tartan feels like it was waiting to be found. I was simply the one to catch it—to see its illumination in the heavens... bringing its colors and story together in cloth.

Through these prints, I can share that story with you. If they find a place in your home, I’ll be delighted. And if enough people support this project, it may help me take the next step: weaving the tartan itself into cloth, in both Past and Present colorways, perhaps even in time for America’s 250th anniversary.

This is not a sales pitch—it’s an invitation. If the story speaks to you, your support will help carry it forward. From my wee studio in Arbroath, I’d be honored to see this design go out into the world, connecting Scotland’s heritage with America’s enduring anthem.

If you’d like to reach out, I’d be glad to hear from you.

 

 

---

Star-Spangled Banner
(Flag of 1814)

Learn About the Tartan Rationales
— The differences in the two variants

• Read the PAST Edition Rationale
• Read the PRESENT Edition Rationale

 

Ltd Edition Fine Art Collectibles
— Browse the Star-Spangled Banner print editions & order

• See the PAST Edition Prints
• See the PRESENT Edition Prints

 

 

---

From my heart, Happy Birthyear America!
Steven Patrick Sim
The Tartan Artisan®, Freeman of Arbroath Brothock
💙