Kilt Material

[MacWage]

Help me out, I don't know what a box pleat is. I understand it is pleat, reverse pleat, reveal, pleat, reverse pleat.

I also understand that the box pleat uses less material. Why?

From the best known box pleat maker's site:
On the yardage:
http://kilts.albanach.org/yardage.html
On the shape of the pleat:
http://kilts.albanach.org/details.html

My version:


Say, A tartan has a 9 inch set, not uncommon.
Knife pleat, to stripe:
1 inch reveal, 8 inches for each pleat for a 4 inch deep pleat.
for a 24 inch pleated area, one needs 24 facings (1x24), or 24x9=216 inches
(roughly, as I am not taking a few factors into account, for simplicity)

A box pleat has 1/3 of a sett as a facing, 1/3 as the rear facing and 1/6 as each in pleat section (if that makes any sense).
So, that same 9 inch set makes a 3 inch facing.
for a 24 inch pleated area, one needs 8 facings (3x8), or 9x8=72 inches
(roughly, as I am not taking a few factors into account, for simplicity)
(on me, I'd make a small apron

The difference is in the pleats.
In a box pleat, there would be 2 yards in back and 2 in front (counting aprons and reverse pleats).
In a knife pleat, there would be 6 yards in back and 2 in front.

A box pleat also swings a bit different and "feels" rather different.
I think it feels more balanced (front to back), and the facing pleats act as a bit of an "anchor" to the pleats in wind, while the knife spreads like an accordian.
Most box pleats are also made in 16 oz or heavier wool, a BEAR weight in a knife pleat. I havn't had much of a wind problem in my 16 oz box.

A knife has the swing, while a box is, to me, more comfortable to actually wear in daily activities. I am comparing it to a 16 oz 5 yard knife I made first, so I can't imagine sitting and driving in an 8 yarder.

[ChattanCat]

From the best known box pleat maker's site:
On the yardage:
http://kilts.albanach.org/yardage.html
On the shape of the pleat:
http://kilts.albanach.org/details.html

My version:


Say, A tartan has a 9 inch set, not uncommon.
Knife pleat, to stripe:
1 inch reveal, 8 inches for each pleat for a 4 inch deep pleat.
for a 24 inch pleated area, one needs 24 facings (1x24), or 24x9=216 inches
(roughly, as I am not taking a few factors into account, for simplicity)

A box pleat has 1/3 of a sett as a facing, 1/3 as the rear facing and 1/6 as each in pleat section (if that makes any sense).
So, that same 9 inch set makes a 3 inch facing.
for a 24 inch pleated area, one needs 8 facings (3x8), or 9x8=72 inches
(roughly, as I am not taking a few factors into account, for simplicity)
(on me, I'd make a small apron

The difference is in the pleats.
In a box pleat, there would be 2 yards in back and 2 in front (counting aprons and reverse pleats).
In a knife pleat, there would be 6 yards in back and 2 in front.

A box pleat also swings a bit different and "feels" rather different.
I think it feels more balanced (front to back), and the facing pleats act as a bit of an "anchor" to the pleats in wind, while the knife spreads like an accordian.
Most box pleats are also made in 16 oz or heavier wool, a BEAR weight in a knife pleat. I havn't had much of a wind problem in my 16 oz box.

A knife has the swing, while a box is, to me, more comfortable to actually wear in daily activities. I am comparing it to a 16 oz 5 yard knife I made first, so I can't imagine sitting and driving in an 8 yarder.

Thanks MacWage, Lord of the box pleat!