When I was in Victoria at the Kilt Kamp there was much discussion of the military pleat. One of the things that was said was that they did not cut out the excess fabric. Kilts seem to have been made of standard width fabric and when one part wore out they took it apart and resewed it. That way they got four usages out of the same piece of fabric. Sounds very Scottish to me.
But, I agree with Barb and Phil, etc. Cut it out of the knife pleaded kilt. By the way, you don't remove it from a four/five yard box pleated kilt.