Stewart Clan TartansRoyal Stewart and Charles EdwardThe best known of all Scottish tartans, the Royal Stewart is the tartan of the Royal House of Stewart and the personal tartan of Her Majesty the Queen. The pattern was first published by James Logan in his book, The Scottish Gael in 1831, but references indicate that the sett was known at the end of the 18th century. Early samples show blue as a light 'azure'. 
The Prince Charles Edward Stewart sett is identical with the Royal Stewart but for the much reduced red square, D.C.Stewart saying 'the tartan becomes richer to the point of congestion.' It is reputed to have been worn by the Prince at Holyrood in 1745. Found in the Cockburn Collection, and known as the Earl of Moray, a very similar piece exists in the Highland Society of London Collection (c.1815) in which the Yellow and White are in silk. 
Stuart of ButeThe use of this tartan is normally considered to be confined to the family from whom it derives its title, though others less closely related have likewise claimed an interest. Whether or not the pattern was in use before the publication of the Vestiarium Scoticum (1942) has never been ascertained. It is often seen in maroon but the change from red does not have the approval of the Marquess of Bute. Stuarts of Bute are descended from the natural son of King Robert II. 
Stewart of AppinHighland Society No 568 called 'Ancient Stewart', it was made for Stewart of Achnacone by P.J. Haggart, Aberfeldy and as a result became mistakenly called 'Stewart of Achnacone'. Today it is worn by Stewarts of Appin and was officially adopted by the Chief of Clan Stewart of Appin in 19??. 
It was the red pattern to the right that became known by some as Stewart of Appin after being recorded by W & A K Johnston in 1906. The Stewarts of Ardshiel, a branch of the Appin Clan, have a certified tartan of their own dating back to the 1820's, which has elements of the Appin design. Stewarts of Appin are descended from Dugald, the son of Sir John Stewart of Lorne who was murdered in 1463. Dugald established the Appin branch of the family. 
There is another Appin tartan that uses the over-checking associated with the MacDonald tartans. There is extensive correspondence about the use of the terms 'ancient' and 'hunting' in relation to this sett in the Stewart files at the Scottish Tartan Society. The use of brown makes this sett similar to the count of an early nineteenth century design recorded by James Scarlett. He says that the brown was probably black originally. (No. 417, The Highland Textile, 1990). It is also called Hunting Stewart of Appin. 
Stewart of ArdshielThis is the earliest record of a Stewart of Ardshiel tartan, from the Highland Society of London (1812 or later) and differs little from the Red Stewart of Appin design above. The present Chief of Appin descends via the Ardshiel cadet. 
Stewart of AthollPrepared for the Vestiarium Scoticum (1842) but not included in the published version. It was claimed to be the sett of a 'relic from the '45' and published as such by D.W.Stewart in his book Old and Rare Scottish Tartans in 1893. It has become more widely known in recent times. There is also an Atholl district tartan. 
Stewart of GallowayThis pattern was taken from a tartan of this name that may be found at the Smith Institute in Stirling and made from Wilson's of Bannockburn by the early 19th century.
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