Kilt Terminology / Verbiage

[David Thorpe]

Barb T.'s book, The Art of Kiltmaking would answer most, if not all, of your questions. It is an invaluable tool for building your own kilt. Don't pay $125 for it on Amazon or Ebay though. Highland X Press and Celtic Dragon Press both have it for $35.

[tundramanq]

Barb T.'s book, The Art of Kiltmaking would answer most, if not all, of your questions. It is an invaluable tool for building your own kilt. Don't pay $125 for it on Amazon or Ebay though. Highland X Press and Celtic Dragon Press both have it for $35.

True Scotsman - One who is not going to over pay for a product or service.
And is willing to share his shopping expertise - thanks.

[fluter]

Fell: the sewn together portions of the pleats at the upper few inches of the rear pleated section of the kilt, shaped so as to make the fit of the kilt tailored to the wearer's waist and hip measurements

Conventionally, the fell is one-third of the overall length of the kilt. I suppose one might modify this to match the maximum circumference of the hips, but a third is usually spot on.

Reverse pleat: typically slightly deeper pleat at the left margin of the front apron that has its edge facing rearward, or reversed to all the other standard knife pleats, adds extra mobility to the pleats without distoritng the apron

ForresterModern, you seem to be speaking of the viewer's left? That would be the wearer's right, the edge of the underapron. This reverse pleat, together with the last knife pleat, forms a box pleat which (as FM says) nicely accomodates motion of the leg. Likewise:
Deep pleat: the first knife pleat on the wearer's left, at the edge of the apron, is made a little deeper than the others; for just the same reason, ease of movement.

As DrummerBoy suggests, Barb and Elsie's book will answer all these questions, and more. IMHO every kilt wearer should consider buying this book, which will help you to evaluate any new or used kilt you consider purchasing, and to understand and appreciate the kilt you have. Celtic Dragon Press is Barb's Web site.

[ForresterModern]

ForresterModern, you seem to be speaking of the viewer's left? That would be the wearer's right, the edge of the underapron. This reverse pleat, together with the last knife pleat, forms a box pleat which (as FM says) nicely accomodates motion of the leg. Likewise:
Deep pleat: the first knife pleat on the wearer's left, at the edge of the apron, is made a little deeper than the others; for just the same reason, ease of movement.

Thanks Pleater for the correction. I knew I was going to get something wrong in all that, especially since I am a kilt wearer and not kilt maker, and since I was not wearing a kilt or looking at one when I wrote it. I figured if I got something wrong there would be someone more knowledgeable to correct my mistakes.

I was not aware that the fell was one third of the overall length---that was a new one for me. Thanks.

j

[dea3369]

I can start off the glossary and others chime in with additions or corrections:

Swoon: the effect on women when a man walks by wearing a kilt with good swish

Hope this abreviated glossary is helpful. Probably better definitions in Barb's book or Matt's website or in other's posts before or after this one but this is a start.

Wow. This is more than just a start. Thank you. BTW, I like SWOON the best.

[dea3369]

Conventionally, the fell is one-third of the overall length of the kilt. I suppose one might modify this to match the maximum circumference of the hips, but a third is usually spot on.

I didn't know that, either. This brings up another question:

Why do some kilt vendors also ask for the wearer's height? They already ask for the usual stuff -- waist, rump, fell, drop, etc. Why height? And what's the consequence if one isn't given? Again, thank you for all your great help.

[OC Richard]

Forrester Modern's post is wonderful, because it draws together the terms that can be gleaned from many places, in one compact place.

A little too compact maybe? Forrester I was wondering if you could edit your post, putting in spaces between the paragraphs, and maybe putting the term which heads each paragraph in boldface.

Anyhow that post should become a sticky here.

I have The Art of Kiltmaking and a wonderful source it is. I have, though, come across one term which doesn't appear there, "pleating to the block", which is like pleating to the line, except that there's no line... the portion of the tartan which is chosen for replication across the rear of the kilt is a vacant area. In the modern Pipe Band scene, pleating to the line and pleating to the block are very popular, and such kilts often outnumber kilts pleated to the sett.

About pleating to line v sett, this photo happens to show the same kilt pleated both ways. If you don't get your kilt pleated the right way, they don't let you play in the band!



About boxpleated kilts, the kilts of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, the Cameron Highlanders, and the Seaforth Highlanders were always made that way.

Here are a couple closeups of the back of an Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders kilt which shows this style very nicely.

[ForresterModern]

Forrester Modern's post is wonderful, because it draws together the terms that can be gleaned from many places, in one compact place.

A little too compact maybe? Forrester I was wondering if you could edit your post, putting in spaces between the paragraphs, and maybe putting the term which heads each paragraph in boldface.

Anyhow that post should become a sticky here.

Thank you Richard for your kind comments. As suggested i have editted the original post to make it more readible, and to correct the mistakes Pleater pointed out about reverse and deep pleats. Only the second time I have ever been nominated for a sticky--how flattering. The other time was for my prosaic depiction of the definition of "jonesing" in carnate, and it was not deemed "sticky-worthy" that time, although I keep it bookmarked for those who occasionally reference it but cannot find it to repost.

jeff

[seanachie]

I didn't know that, either. This brings up another question:

Why do some kilt vendors also ask for the wearer's height? They already ask for the usual stuff -- waist, rump, fell, drop, etc. Why height? And what's the consequence if one isn't given? Again, thank you for all your great help.

Because of novices. When I was new and ordered my first wool kilt John Hart of Keltoi came back to me and said, based on my height my measurements looked wrong. He was of course correct as I did not correctly add 2" for the rise. Had he not asked the question I would have had a kilt that was the wrong size and been heartbroken, but fully to blame.

[Piipriker]

Because of novices. When I was new and ordered my first wool kilt John Hart of Keltoi came back to me and said, based on my height my measurements looked wrong. He was of course correct as I did not correctly add 2" for the rise. Had he not asked the question I would have had a kilt that was the wrong size and been heartbroken, but fully to blame.

A friend of mine from the pipe club was measured by a kilt maker at the Rüsselsheim Highland Games last year. As my friend has really long legs he got measured three times, because the kilt maker couldn't believe his own measurements.