Military Box Pleats

**derosa** · 7th July 17, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by Barb T

To add to Peter's comment about historical kilts, I believe I am correct in saying that historical 4 yard box pleated kilts did not have canvas or stabilizer, either. At least that's what I remember from learning how Matt Newsome makes box pleated kilts. As many of us have said many times here on the Forum, there's more than one way to make a kilt. When Matt and I wrote the box pleat supplement to The Art of Kiltmaking, we discussed whether the instructions should be with or without canvas and stabilizer, because I put canvas and stabilizer in and Matt doesn't. His way is more historical, mine is parallel to the instructions in The Art of Kiltmaking. He was fine with having parallel instructions, so that's what we did.

What keeps it from pulling apart then? Just the pleats stitched to each other? Seems like there would still be distorting of the aprons without something.

**Barb T** · 7th July 17, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by derosa

What keeps it from pulling apart then? Just the pleats stitched to each other? Seems like there would still be distorting of the aprons without something.

With buckles and straps, it's possible to fasten a kilt really tightly and to put lots of stress on the stitching. I'm pretty sure I'm correct in saying that kilts didn't have buckles and straps in the era of historical box pleated kilts, so there would really be no stress on the stitching when someone was wearing the kilt - just wrapped around and held in place with a belt (or perhaps with pins, although I'm not sure whether the latter is correct or not). Either way, there wouldn't be much stress on the stitching.

**OC Richard** · 9th July 17, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Barb T

wrapped around and held in place with a belt (or perhaps with pins, although I'm not sure whether the latter is correct or not).

AFAIK some military kilts were pinned until fairly recent times. I'll have to find it, but I'm sure that I saw a WWII piper where you can see the pins.

AFAIK neither civilians nor military wore belts under their jackets/waistcoats to hold a kilt up. I believe this to be a modern idea.