DIY Military Box Pleat and Skunk Sporran

[Daibhidh O'Baoighill]

Well, I finally was able to borrow a digital camera, since mine died. So, I am posting pictures of the skunk sporran and military box pleat kilt that I sewed. Thanks to Hector for the inspiration to sew a military box pleat kilt. The kilt is machine sewed except for the fell, which I did by hand. This MacEwan tartan was once my belted plaide, but I got some nice MacGilivray tartan for my belted plaid. So, I thought I would try my hand at a military box pleat.



I apologize for the dark pics.



The sporran shot. I noticed after looking at the pictures that I need to re-iron the right side pleats...a little poofy.



The pleat shots.





My next attempt will be with 20 oz wool.

[Kerr the Walker]

Looking very sharp. Well done on both the kilt and the sporran.

[Pleater]

That looks very well on you - though the tartan is a bit unusual as it sems to have the red and yellow lines only in one direction, and - is it a fine white line in the other direction?

I have some 17 oz modern Morrison which I think might look very well in box pleats - I must try folding it and see if it looks as good. It is not so colourful as the MacEwan, but the red lines go in both directions.

Anne the Pleater

[Panache]

Congratulations on your completed projects!

Is your kilt military boix pleated or just box pleated?

Military box pleats look a bit like knife pleats that have been folded again the other direction like this:



I think that you have made a kilt with wide box pleats like the kilts the honorable Matt Newsome of the Scotish Tartans Museum specializes in.

Cheers

Jamie

[Daibhidh O'Baoighill]

That looks very well on you - though the tartan is a bit unusual as it sems to have the red and yellow lines only in one direction, and - is it a fine white line in the other direction?
Anne the Pleater

Thanks Anne. I never noticed that about the red lines before. Both verical and horizontal lines are yellow. The horizontal line is just bolder.

[Daibhidh O'Baoighill]

Thanks Kerr the Walker and Jamie. It really is a military box pleat. I made the pleats bigger to get the effect I wanted. Due to the large sett and wanting to have the vertical yellow line show in the reveal, the pleats were bigger than Hector's military box pleated kilt.

[Carolina Kiltman]

Beautiful Tartan. But I really love the belt!

[DTrain]

VERY NICE! How did you make the sporran?

[Daibhidh O'Baoighill]

VERY NICE! How did you make the sporran?

Thanks DTrain! I won this case-skinned skunk on ebay.

Being a case-skinned hide made the process easier as I didn't need to restructure the hide to make a sporran. I simply cut off the head and neck and tail sections from the hide. I then turned the hide inside out and sewed up the tail section adding a deerskin lining. The belt loops were also deerskin, but heavier than the lining. I then sewed the head and neck section back to the hide (in the opposite direction, so it will hang over the sporran as a flap.) I hand-sewed this using a waxed linen string. I usually use sinew when working with leather, but I am out. I find that the waxed linen works well. It is very strong and the wax makes it go through the leather more easy.

I guess the only drawback with using a case-skinned hide is you have nipples on the back of your sporran!

[Freelancer]

Looking good....very nice job!