Keeping pleats pleated

[Dirka Skene]

Not that this has happened yet, but just in case, and if it does so happen to happen, how do you keep your pleats? I know pleats in other skirts that I own come 'un-pleated' after a while. I thought about using safety pins to keep them pleated like I do window treatments, but that would be way too unconfortable having a dozen safety pins running the inside length of each pleat. Furthermore, it would eventually tear the fabric, so that's out of the question.
How do you keep the pleats in your kilts crisp whithout torturing the poor things?

[Panache]

Not that this has happened yet, but just in case, and if it does so happen to happen, how do you keep your pleats? I know pleats in other skirts that I own come 'un-pleated' after a while. I thought about using safety pins to keep them pleated like I do window treatments, but that would be way too unconfortable having a dozen safety pins running the inside length of each pleat. Furthermore, it would eventually tear the fabric, so that's out of the question.
How do you keep the pleats in your kilts crisp whithout torturing the poor things?

(Panache in his best Basil Rathbone voice)


Elementary my dear Dirka. You iron them as needed.

If your Sportkilts came with the sewn down pleat option it shouldn't be much bother. If not, or if they still lose their sharp crease, iron them back into shape.

Cheers

[David Dalglish]

As panache said Iron them, or steam them gently with a hand steamer, I think that does the job

[Dirka Skene]

I like the steaming idea, my turn of the century iron seems to scortch things.

[Fearnest]

For the casual kilts I hang it by the waistband (from three or four pants hangers) as it comes out of the washer. I straighten the pleats by hand (smoothing down both sides at once) and let it hang dry. Between that and the sewn-in feature, it hasn't been a problem at all.

[Livingston]

Best way is to gently lay your kilt flat, make sure the pleats are where they belong, lay a pressing cloth over and PRESS, not iron. Drawing the iron over them can stretch the material out of shape.


Thanks Hamish for your great words of wisdom on this.

[Riverkilt]

I love the Black and Decker "Gizmo" portable steamer for my PV kilts. It has a clamp dealie on it for creasing or reshaping curled pleats.

I also use my home made weighted clips when hang drying my Utilikilts and PV kilts. Works great since the weight of the clip holds the pleats straight while they hang dry. No need to iron.



I buy the plastic clips from WalMart's hanger department, they come in bags of 12. They're intended to clip on their plastic hangers.

Then I go to sporting goods and get half ounce fishing weights, two per clip. Then I duct tape a weight to each side of the clip. The weight of the clip and the extra ounce of weight are enough to hold the pleats straight without pulling the fabric.

A while back someone questioned the hassle. Made them up during a football game. Timed how long it took to put them on a kilt and it came out something like two minutes...less time than for the iron to heat up.

May seem crazy, but it works like a charm.

Ron

[Dirk Skene]

Your skirt & CM's kilt both have sewen down pleats. I made sure. Too keep them crisp just use Panache's advise.

Love ya, Baby

[IEScotsman]

I like the steaming idea, my turn of the century iron seems to scortch things.

The turn of the century was only seven years ago!

[arrogcow]

The turn of the century was only seven years ago!

-cough- six years - cough-