Star-Spangled Banner Tartan—THE PRESENT

The Story Within the Weave

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COMMEMORATING THE
S E M I Q U I N C E N T E N N I A L

 


 

 

A Tartan for Today's America

A Weave of Celebration

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The Star-Spangled Banner (Flag of 1814) tartan — PRESENT Edition — was proudly created by Steven Patrick Sim, The Tartan Artisan® of Arbroath, Scotland, as the vibrant companion to the Past Edition.

Here, the historic sett is brought vividly to life in living colors — honoring the enduring flag of the United States and the anthem it inspired, while celebrating America’s journey toward its 250th year of independence.

With permission granted by the Smithsonian Institution, the tartan was officially registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans on Independence Day, July 4th, 2021 — coinciding with the 245th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

This PRESENT Edition not only reflects how the flag would have appeared in its own time but also stands today as a testament to the nation’s resilience, vitality, and unity at the threshold of its Semiquincentennial.

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Tartan Registration Number (Present Edition): #13214

 



 

My Inspiration

This design grows from the same roots as the PAST Edition, but with a brighter, more vibrant outlook. While the PAST Edition carries the softened hues of memory and time, the PRESENT Edition embodies the vivid strength and living spirit of a flag carried forward into the present.

It celebrates the energy, resilience, and unity of the United States in the present day—woven with the same enduring ideals of liberty and perseverance, yet expressed boldly in fresh, modern colors.

 




Threads of the Living Banner

The colors echo the present-day flag, standing bright and clear:

  • Vivid Red — courage and valor in action

  • Pure White — ideals of liberty and truth

  • Deep Blue — vigilance, perseverance, and justice

Across the sett:

  • 15 RED AND 15 BLUE THREADS — recall the fifteen stars and stripes of the 1814 Great Garrison Flag
  • 13-COUNT BOLD RED AND WHITE STRIPES — recognize the original thirteen colonies
  • 50 BLUE THREADS — represent the modern fifty states — the Union today — whole, diverse, and resilient.

 




A Living Symbol of Anthem and Flag

This tartan mirrors the anthem’s vivid imagery:

  • Vivid red recalls the rockets’ red glare

  • Deep blue honors the broad sky under which the flag endures

  • White threads affirm the ideals carried through two and a half centuries



Together, these intersections embody a nation tested by history, resilient in spirit, and steadfast beneath its song.

 

 

Hidden Symbolism

Four white squares rest quietly in the design where broad stripes cross. They reference the four cornerstones of the White House and the strength of the Constitution.

They also acknowledge the mystery of the missing 1792 cornerstone — a reminder of the endurance of the People’s House and the democratic system it represents, standing strong through time.

 




Symbolism of Star and Stripe

 

“The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun.”

 

This timeless symbolism is woven into the fabric of the tartan — stars shining bright above and stripes radiating hope below, blending past, present, and future into a unified American identity.

 

 

Smithsonian Connection

The name of this tartan and its authenticity are tied to the original Star-Spangled Banner flag preserved by the Smithsonian Institution:

  • 20 RED THREADS commemorate the year 2020, when permission to register was sought

  • Approval was granted April 22, 2021

  • Registration was completed on Independence Day, July 4, 2021

This anchors the tartan within America’s preserved history and its national story.

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Permission was granted solely for registration; no endorsement by the Smithsonian Institution is implied.

 

 

Smithsonian Permission and Registrations

  • Conception date: September 14, 2014

  • Permission granted by Smithsonian in 2020 to register the tartan name

  • Twenty red threads mark this milestone

  • Official registration: July 4, 2021

  • Tartan registration #: #13214

  • UK Registered Designs: #6104320 (Color), #6147549 (Pattern)

  • USPTO Patent Pending: #29/800,256

  • Registered Trademark: #UK00003667073

 

 

A Summary of the Rationale

 

DESIGN INSPIRATION AND HERITAGE

  • The vibrant counterpart to the PAST Edition, expressed in bold, modern colours

  • Registered July 4, 2021; marking the approach of America’s 250th anniversary

  • Celebrates present-day America’s unity, courage, and ideals

SYMBOLISM OF COLORS

  • Vivid Red: Courage and valor

  • Pure White: Liberty and truth

  • Deep Blue: Vigilance and justice

THREAD COUNTS AND SETT STRUCTURE

  • 15 red and 15 blue threads for the 1814 banner

  • 13 bold red and white stripes for the original colonies

  • 50 blue threads for the modern states

HIDDEN SYMBOLISM

  • Four white squares remember the White House cornerstones, and the strength of democracy

 

 

Collectible Fine Art Print Offer

Celebrate America’s living legacy with the PRESENT Edition Star-Spangled Banner Tartan — a contemporary tribute to the nation’s resilience and unity.

  • FRAMED: Museum-grade archival paper in an oak-finished frame

  • UNFRAMED: Rolled and shipped in protective archival tubes

  • Offered in both collector and standard sizes

This edition embodies today’s America — a bold and meaningful keepsake, honouring 250 years of resilience and independence.

By choosing this limited edition print, you not only commemorate America’s milestone anniversary, but also support the ongoing potential to weave this historic tartan as an authentic cloth for generations to come.

 



LEARN MORE about the Tartan250 fine art print —
Link at the bottom of this page...

 

The Present — A Story Alive in Thread

In the light of today’s flag, every thread of the PRESENT Edition holds clear purpose: vivid red for courage, bright white for enduring ideals, and deep blue as a steady guardian of justice.

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The sett recalls the 15 stars and 15 stripes of the 1814 banner. At its heart, alternating scarlet and white stripes represent the 13 founding colonies, their crossings forming four quiet white squares. Around them, 50 deep blue threads fixes its gaze firmly on the present — a Union whole, diverse, and resilient.

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While the PAST Edition softly whispers remembrance, the PRESENT Edition speaks with clarity and strength — honoring both the nation’s roots and the enduring spirit of its people today. Within its pattern lie the anthem’s words, the flag’s image, and the living heartbeat of a people united beneath its colors.

The PRESENT Edition Star-Spangled Banner tartan is a woven celebration of resilience — a design that honors history while carrying America proudly into its 250th year of independence.

 

 

Learn More—
Claim Your Fine Art Print:

PRESENT Edition — Fine Art Limited Edition Collectible Print

 

 

The Story Begins—
In The Faded Tones Of History:

Read the rationale for the — PAST Edition — A Tribute to the Anthem's Birth