What size buckle straps

[Barb T]

Pleating to the stripe is easier to lay out, but it is typically more difficult to pleat perfectly, because you have to keep the stripe dead center on every pleat or it shows. If you're pleating to the sett, each pleat is different, and one slightly off-center stripe isn't going to be noticeable. I typically tell first time kiltmakers to try pleating to the sett - it's more forgiving. But, lots of people don't listen to me, and they make perfectly dandy kilts.

So, ultimately, it's up to you. Test pin, and stand back about 20 feet to see what the overall effect is. And avoid the dreaded lawn chair effect. And, it's crucial to do this with the tartan, not just in PhotoShop with a scanned and cloned image of the tartan. If the pleats taper at all from hips to waist, you should pin the test _with_ the taper to make sure that you don't lose stripes between the hips and the top. Here's an example of a pleating that wouldn't work well if the pleats taper:



And, if you're in Texas, I just got your book order today, and I'm sending it out tomorrow morning. I tried to send a confirmation email to you, but it bounced.