A Military box pleat kilt

**Pleater** · 8th July 07, 04:08 PM

So it might be just the thing to do with the 4 metres of really nice all wool fabric I have been thinking that it is rather a pity that there is so much of it as I couldn't make it all into one kilt but it is too light to make two - and it would be just the thing to wear when I go to Sidmouth Folk Festival.

Yes, if I start now and sew every spare minute between now and the first week in August I might just get it done.

Just a plain version you understand, nothing with patterning. Just for the swing of it and because I just happen to have an extra long piece of good wool.

I really need to make the 8 yards of darkness kilt smaller, but I wore it last year and although it is a really nice kilt it would be nice to have something new to show off. People do rather notice kilts, even at folk festivals, and take pictures.

Did I just talk myself into making a MBP kilt in 24 days?

I just hope that the wool has a good selvage.

**JohnH** · 8th July 07, 08:19 PM

Did I just talk myself into making a MBP kilt in 24 days?

Unless you have made kilts before. This is my second attempt at a MBP kilt (and my third kilt) and it took 2 weeks just to baste the pleats. I have now sewn half of the pleats and that has taken 2 days, so 2 more to finish that. That rate of progress would leave you 6 days to finish the job.

It's worth the effort though. The military kilts have an awesome swing. (Even with lighter wools.)

In the longer term, this process will become easier as Barb's new book will have a chapter on making a MBP kilt.

**Mr. MacDougall** · 9th July 07, 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by JohnH

The military kilts have an awesome swing. (Even with lighter wools.)

I was wondering about the lighter wools question. I'm thinking about having Kathy Lare make me an MBP in Navy tartan, but after this year, I am obligated to return to Southern Arizona, where it never gets cold. Well, we think it does, but really, it's only in the fifties farenheit. So I was wondering what, say, an 11 oz MBP would be like.

**JohnH** · 9th July 07, 08:07 PM

It should work well. Partly because of the light weight, but also because the kilt is only thicker (2 extra layers in the pleats) below the fell. From hip to waist, it is no thicker than a knife pleat kilt.

11oz. cloth is more sensitive to gusts of wind, but suggestions in other threads point to 13oz. P/V as working well down south. (The 13oz P/V from Frugal Corner is only a little bit more expensive than the 11oz wool/poly remnants from Fraser & Kirkbright. And, P/V solves any wool irritation problems.)

**Pleater** · 9th July 07, 10:44 PM

With the inner layer of pleat being restrained by elastic the design should be ideal for lighter weight fabrics.

I believe that the military originals had a strip of elastic some 5.5inches up from the lower edge, sewn so as to allow some movement but not a full flaring of the pleat.

**JohnH** · 10th July 07, 01:18 PM

I believe that the military originals had a strip of elastic some 5.5inches up from the lower edge, sewn so as to allow some movement but not a full flaring of the pleat. (Pleater)

Just so and it is stitched to alternate pleat edges, ending at the inverted pleat. It is not connected to the deep pleat.

BTW, Pleater, I accidentally omitted a couple of details when I told you how much material was in the pleats. It depends on two things, the most important being the size of the sett. So, 18cm sett x 31 pleats = 5.58m. (This would actually be for a kilt pleated to the stripe.) For a kilt pleated to the sett you will use 1 sett + 1 pleat width for each pleat. Thusly; (31 x 18) + (31 x 1.32) = 5.99m. (6.49yds!)

**Pleater** · 11th July 07, 12:02 PM

Hey John, no worries, I found a whole bolt of a light blue mixed fibre material -from testing it with bleach it is about half wool.

So I can just keep cutting into the material as I make the pleats - is 31 pleats the standard military pattern? Its just that on the first photo of this thread - I think of an ex military kilt, pleated to the stripe, there are 34 stripes.

So - there could be 2 which are actually the edges of the aprons - maybe I wasn't paying attention (trying not to get too interested) but that leaves 32 stripes, or reveals.

I looked back at previous messages and there is one pleat not folded back - it said the deep pleat at the right of the apron - that is the under apron - right?

So going back to the original pleated to stripe MB kilt - is has 32 reveals, one of which is the larger pleat at the right hip, and 31 other pleats?

**JohnH** · 11th July 07, 08:56 PM

So I can just keep cutting into the material as I make the pleats - is 31 pleats the standard military pattern? Its just that on the first photo of this thread - I think of an ex military kilt, pleated to the stripe, there are 34 stripes.

Thanks for pointing that out, Pleater. It seems that I now have a very large quantity of egg on my face!

I just rechecked both of my ex-Army kilts and the Black Watch (knife.) has 32 pleats. The QOH (MBP) does indeed have 33. (The stripe furthest to the right in the photo is on the edge of the apron.)

So, I mis-counted TWICE and I'm supposed to be an engineer.

I had been looking at photos of ex-Army kilts from other regiments on eBay and it sort of looked as though there were 31 pleats on all of them. Now, I'm not so sure. I suppose I should do some more research to see if I can find information on the details of the manufacturing contracts for each regiment's kilts. Maybe the Imperial War Museum's uniform section. I won't be back in the UK before October, but, I will make a point of going there if I can't find out online.

I looked back at previous messages and there is one pleat not folded back - it said the deep pleat at the right of the apron - that is the under apron - right?

No, this time I am right. (3 in a row would mean sackcloth and ashes!) The first thing you sew if you follow Barb's instructions is the RH edge of the apron to the deep pleat and, yes, it is not folded back.

So going back to the original pleated to stripe MB kilt - is has 32 reveals, one of which is the larger pleat at the right hip, and 31 other pleats?

The first MBP I made has 31 pleats, including the deep pleat. The very big pleat on the right hip should be the inverted pleat and it is entirely hidden.

It is too late to change the one I am making now, as I have cut the material. (There would have been enough for 1 more pleat, but not 2.) Besides, I just finished sewing the pleats and I really don't want to start again from scratch.

I may just have to change the last line of my sig!

**JohnH** · 15th July 07, 08:25 PM

More progress. I have re-basted the LH edge of the pleat extensions through all 3 layers and basted the pleats. (along the white stripes, except for the top row.) (Note the different appearance of the pleat basting. This helps to hold down the edge of the extensions.)