Pleats: Few and Far Between?

[Bugbear]

On solid kilts, in my mind, you can get away with a little more pleat reveal. To me, the narrower the apron the wider the pleats can be without looking odd, and the stranger narrow pleats appear. Imagine a UK type kilt with 3/4 inch pleats and an 8 inch apron. It just wouldn't look right at all IMO.

When it comes to pleats on modern kilts, acceptable reveal depends on whet kind of kilt it's trying to be. If it's a very traditional-ish style with wide apron a narrow-ish pleat is fine. If it's a much more modern style wider reveals fit the style. I'm making another kilt soon(I hope) and plan on solid khaki with 1 1/2 reveal and 4 inch depth in a somewhat traditional style--basically I'm copying my USAK Casual, but with deep Rev-K pleating and deeper first pleats. Apron size will be about the same and Rocky's kilt. I think it will look good, but wouldn't feel right about going any narrower, as then I'm trying to mirror traditional kilts too much, and not much wider because then I'm getting too much in the Sportkilt type of look. If I were doing a UK type modern kilt I'd probably run around 2-2 1/4 inches. But that's just what fits my tastes.

Of course, I'm talking about knife pleats and Kingussie. Box pleats are a whole other ball o' wax.

That make sense, and with the canvas, I just don't think there is going to be pleat swish like with wool. It's more like Gladiator armor or something.

[piperdbh]

I know this thread is about non-tartan kilts, but the Lady Chrystel made a tartan kilt (black Stewart, I think) with only three very wide box-pleats, and it was really striking. I think the same could be done with non-tartan kilts.

[Whidbey78]

That make sense, and with the canvas, I just don't think there is going to be pleat swish like with wool. It's more like Gladiator armor or something.

I haven't made one out of really heavy material such as cotton duck (Carhartt type stuff) but my poly-co kilts have swish. It's not 16oz wool or even PV caliber swish, but it's there. I keep wanting to make a really heavy canvas kilt, especially since it's about $5 per yard at Wally World, but I wonder if my machine can handle it. I do hems on my wife's jeans with no issues, but that stuff isn't quite as tough as duck. If it came out okay that kilt would last darn near forever though!

I know this thread is about non-tartan kilts, but the Lady Chrystel made a tartan kilt (black Stewart, I think) with only three very wide box-pleats, and it was really striking. I think the same could be done with non-tartan kilts.

This one?
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...hrystel-59804/

I remember that one. I've thought about doing something along those lines for a while. Maybe that's how I'll do that duck kilt I've been meaning to do. At least I'll have less sewing to do through multiple layers of canvas and maybe I'll only break a few needles.

[Alan H]

I have to say that my X-Kilt... camouflage box pleat made out of cotton-polyester, has almost no "swish" at all. The kinguisse knife-pleated digicamo, with 20 pleats swishes a fair bit, but neither rivals a medium-to-heavy-weight wool kilt, knife pleated.

That doesn't mean that I don't love those kilts, there's more to a kilt than "swish" but there you go.

[Bugbear]

Piperdbh, that's kind of what I was thinking; you only need a few pleats for the functionality of the kilt. If you reduce the number of pleats, it could make the kilt easier to build, as Whidbey78 points out.

Alan, thanks for the input on the X-Kilt. As you say, swish isn't everything. I suppose if you are hiking, or in my case gardening, you don't really worry so much about some of the peacock fashion issues.

I would think wide box pleats would be well suited for putting on large cargo pockets. Perhaps the side/front, box pleats of a five pleat kilt could be completely covered by a large pocket at the bottom, and smaller pockets on up to the hip.

My kilt doesn't have any pockets, but my work belt/pouch does. I've mostly been thinking of detachable, external pockets with loops and rings either put on the kilt or on a belt for the kilt. That gets into sewing I can do on my own.

[Downunder Kilt]

Bugbear, I have just checked my Alt Kilt, heavy cotton, kilt and it has 11 box pleats with 3" wide reveals with 1.25" returns each side of the pleat (all edges are machine sewn. The front apron is 9" wide and I have removable cargo pockets on each side with the studs to hold on the pockets placed between the pleats starting after pleat one, ending after pleat 3 (counting from the front) on each side of the kilt (each pocket held on by 3 snap closures)

[Bugbear]

That's interesting, Downunder Kilt, thanks for measuring and explaining.. It sounds like the back sides of the box pleats don't come all the way together and touch on that style. I hadn't thought of that.

It should be easy to rig up some loops, straps and rings on my kilt or a belt for pockets and such, when I get around to it.

I'm in the middle of planning and making a wildflower garden right at the moment.

[Downunder Kilt]

Bugbear the rear of the pleats do nearly come together as the extra half inch gap is almost taken up with the edge sewing of each pleat and the fold (if that makes sense) If you want some detailed photos put up let me know.

All the best with the garden

[Bugbear]

I understand now, Downunder Kilt. I just didn't think of it the right way.