Knife Pleats Go Swishhhhhhhhhhhhh.

**pdcorlis** · 9th April 07, 03:47 PM

I just wanted to send out a big THANK YOU to Steve Ashton from Freedom Kilts. His well worded and detailed instructions on steam pressing kilts was the nudge I needed to put my kilts back into tip top shape. Now, I have a steamer for general touch-ups but that is not the same as steam pressing a kilt!

Last Thursday I basted the pleats and steam pressed all seven of my kilts. It only took half the morning to do and they all have razor sharp knife pleates that swish like crazy. As Steve points out - after a year or so, the pleat edge can go all soft and rounded. What I didn't realize until I strapped on a freshly pressed kilt on was that it was (1) cleaner and (2) the pleats were back at there swishy best.

So Thank You Steve for showing this kilt wearer how to make his pleats go swishhhhhhhhhhhhh.

**turpin** · 9th April 07, 05:32 PM

How was it to baste them? Did you do it inside and outside of the pleats? Any special stitch?

I'd really like to see Steve's post on pressing stickied up under care and maintenance. there are so many requests for advice on various kinds of maintenance and good posts shold not get buried. Mods?

**The Wizard of BC** · 9th April 07, 05:32 PM

Your welcome.

I'll send you my bill.

**pdcorlis** · 9th April 07, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by turpin

How was it to baste them? Did you do it inside and outside of the pleats? Any special stitch?

Basting was easy as pie and to be honest, its kinda theraputic. If you have Barb's book - turn to page 87 and do as she says. I only basted in two lines of stitching which was enough. Be sure to follow all the advice on steam pressing pleats - no "ironing" just pressing.

And Steve.. the check is in th email...

**Kiltman** · 9th April 07, 09:31 PM

My, you've gotten brave. I knew you could do it. When are you starting to make kilts?

**morrison** · 10th April 07, 12:43 AM

Swishing... just my style!

Swooooosh!

**pdcorlis** · 10th April 07, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by Kiltman

My, you've gotten brave. I knew you could do it. When are you starting to make kilts?

I knew you'd ask that question my friend... the sewing machine arrived last week... I think that's where I'll start.

**LK-13** · 10th April 07, 11:25 AM

this thread actually brings to mind a few questions,
how resilient are the pleats in a SWK Standard Kilt?
will sitting a great deal ruin the pleats?
how often should they be pressed?
some how I'm thinking that a guy with one good arm (that would be me)
should think about getting his Kilt cleaned and pressed
at the Dry Cleaners every now and then.

**way2fractious** · 10th April 07, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by pdcorlis

... the sewing machine arrived last week... I think that's where I'll start.

... and that's a good place to start. Here's a tentative welcome to the ranks of the intrepid makers of kilts.

**The Wizard of BC** · 10th April 07, 12:00 PM

Please be very careful when choosing your dry cleaner. Most have never seen a kilt before and do not have the fainest idea how to properly press a kilt.
Horror stories abound.

If you wish to have your dry cleaner do the job I strongly suggest you baste the pleats first.

And by all means, if you have an acrylic kilt, WARN THE CLEANER FIRST! Getting back a ball of goo that used to be a kilt before being soaked in some cleaning solutions can be quite a shock.