I come from a different school of Kiltmaking than Barb. I started as an Engineer.
To my way of thinking it is the end result, not how you get there, that is important.
As you are using The Art of Kiltmaking as you guide may I please ask a question? How many kilts, made in accordance with TAoK, have you seen up close, felt and touched? This is actually vital. How are you supposed to know what a kilt should look like if you have no experience with one?
Barb does not press each pleat. She uses a tape measure and measures as she goes along. She also measures the total as she finishes each pleat. She then bastes and presses all at once.
She is able to do this because she stitches very, very accurately. Each pleat she sews is exactly the size she needs it to be. Or she rips it out and does it over. (of course Barb sews increadible fast so this is only a matter of a few minutes of work).
I came from a different school. To me I decide up front what I want the end result to be. This comes from experience looking at many, many kilts. Of all types and shapes.
I knew up front what was acceptable to me. This allowed me to approach things a bit differently. A different way to get to the end result.
I chose to press my pleats before stitching. I also work very accurately. I mark all my pleats at once. I use a mechanical pencil with a 5mm chalk. I then press each pleat keeping the chalk line exactly on the edge of the pleat. Then I measure and re-measure everything. I work to a shop tolerance of one twill line or 1/32".
If found that this worked for me. I have also found that this does not work for everyone.
Each pleat is marked and then pressed, one at a time. Please note the thin chalk lines.
The entire kilt is then folded on the creases and basted.
A running total of the width of the entire pleated section is adhered to.
When the entire pleated section is basted you can lay a flat strip of the fabric on top of the pleats and everything aligns perfectly.
My suggestion would be is to make your first kilt exactly as given in TAoK. Then, on your next kilt to find a system that works for you. If you are able to press the pleats first and still achieve the accuracy you want then do that.
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