Traditional 8 yard kilt or 5 yard kilt

**Scottish Chi** · 14th July 06, 12:09 PM

An 8 yd to round out your selection since you don't have one. Also since you are going to have a skirt for your wife might I suggest the hostess length if there is enough material. It would then give you both a nice formal outfit to wear together.

Cheers! Bill

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 14th July 06, 01:00 PM

I'd agree with Rocky that since you already have some 5 yard kilts, may as well go for the 8 yard.

But I also wanted to comment on Kilted KT's comparison. It sounds like most of the differences he cited (5 yarder wrinkling more often, blowing up in the wind, etc.) would be due to the difference of fabric used in the two kilts. The amount of cloth used really shouldn't affect those things. But the weight and type of fabric will.

A 5 yard knife pleated kilt in 16 oz worsted wool is not going to wrinkle any more or less than an 8 yard knife pleated kilt in 16 oz worsted wool. The only real difference is that the 5 yarder will have fewer pleats and those pleats will not be quite as deep.

**MacWage** · 14th July 06, 06:53 PM

This is the E Bay Bicentennial tartan material. It is SUPPOSED to be 16 oz, I havn't gotten mine yet-> supposedly on thr way). I am deciding between 8 yarder and 6 yarder of the same material (I wone the last bid). As I live in South Carolina (very humid 90s in summer, 40s in winter), I was wondering if it would be too hot! I am making a side pleat (not Box).

I've heard of big visual differences between 5 and 6 yarders, what about 8?
So what about between a 6 and 8?

**Kilted KT** · 14th July 06, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by M. A. C. Newsome

I'd agree with Rocky that since you already have some 5 yard kilts, may as well go for the 8 yard.

But I also wanted to comment on Kilted KT's comparison. It sounds like most of the differences he cited (5 yarder wrinkling more often, blowing up in the wind, etc.) would be due to the difference of fabric used in the two kilts. The amount of cloth used really shouldn't affect those things. But the weight and type of fabric will.

A 5 yard knife pleated kilt in 16 oz worsted wool is not going to wrinkle any more or less than an 8 yard knife pleated kilt in 16 oz worsted wool. The only real difference is that the 5 yarder will have fewer pleats and those pleats will not be quite as deep.

thanks for that, Matt...don't want to give out bad info..

**KiltedCodeWarrior** · 14th July 06, 08:01 PM

Wow, what a decision to have to make! Not owning an 8yd kilt, I can only rely on what others have said. However, I will throw out that I never needed anything heavier than the kilts I have through last Chicago's winter! Possibly an 8 yarder would have made me warmer on the coldest days, but my reading here and other places makes me believe that it is the weight of the cloth that provides the most warmth, not the number of yards of fabric used in its manufacture, and I know that Matt has debunked the historical considerations for an 8 yard kilt. It just was not done.

I would suggest getting yourself 2 kilts, one box pleated maybe, and one knife pleated, or maybe kinguisse.

**MacWage** · 15th July 06, 06:01 AM

For my part I WILL do a 4 yard box and either an 6er or 8er. Just wondering on the 6/8 in 16 oz in the Deep South of the US. Is that extra 2 yards of pleating THAT much warmer (In the winter).

What about those with 8 16oz yarders in hot AND HUMID places. (Humidity makes a HUGE differnce. I've been in California in 110 and 95 is Altanta or SOuth Carilina FEEELS Much, Much hotter.

**RockyR** · 15th July 06, 06:54 AM

An 8 yard 16oz wool kilt IS WARM. My German National is an 8 oz 16 yarder. I don't wear it in the summer all that often b/c I'd sweat my @$$ off. If I was in the south, I'd probably go with a 5 yarder. It is enough material to cheat the sett and make it LOOK good, but at the same time, not be too hot. an 8 yarder will be able to (generally) re-create the sett, but will be much warmer in a southern summer.

Keith... up here, I'd still say 8 yarder. You'll be able to wear it COMFORTABLY from mid / late Sept to the beginning of May and you have others for the summer months.

**Pour1Malt** · 15th July 06, 08:01 AM

ai agree wi' the rest o' the rabble... eicht yarder!

**auld argonian** · 15th July 06, 09:21 AM

As it has been mentioned in earlier threads, aren't the terms five-yard and eight-yard a little nebulous...that the size of the wearer and the sett of the tartan can be factors in how much material is being used...

...it might be better in this case to try to figure the depth and number of the pleats. I mean, I have some wool material that I picked up and have decided that I don't really have the skills or time to try to sew my own kilt and that I'll probably try to retain the services of one of the kiltmakers to turn this into kilts. The tartan is probably not a "true" one and I'm thinking that the sett is relatively small...I expect that the discussion about turning this into kilts will be whether it's pleated to the sett or the stripe and the depth and number of the pleats. Since it's not a real heavyweight material, I think that as many pleats as possible would be the better option. Whether this turns out to be six yards of material or eight...obviously this will depend.

Perhaps it might be more accurate to consider these numbers in the making of possingk's kilt.

Best

AA

**MacWage** · 15th July 06, 10:14 AM

Basic notions:
Neither possingk nor myself are exactly huge folk (at least from his pic).
The sett measurement is unknown until one or the other GETS the material.

The issue is between a 5/6 yarder and 8. THAT is a big difference of about 3/4 yards in back verses 6 or so. A few inches in sett difference will not make THAT HUGE of a difference. Anyways, a sett can could be manipulated either way by striping, cheating, or other manipulation of the layout.

What is at question is the heat level of a 16oz kilt in either smaller (5-6 yards) or "full size" (8-9 yards). What we are wondering is the practical matters.

My question:
Primarily, how much VISUAL and TEMP difference is there between a 6 and 8 heavyweight? Is it primarily a pleat number issue or a depth (in general as we have NO numbers for this sett).
My second kilt is so I can have a more "swinging" kilt for parades, etc. For formality, a 4 yard box pleat is perfect as is (which I am making regardless).
How much different is the look/swing of a heavyweight 6 and 8?
(Now is a good time for Hamish to offer an opinion based on his supplies and experience)

If possingk is after something else, I'll let him speak for himself.