The large pleats under the aprons are to allow the aprons to remain fairly vertical and overlapping when you decide to fasten a shoelace, or to fall modestly when sitting.

I have to tilt the large pleats slightly to stop them from curling outwards.

During construction of the kilt I lift the inner fold, so that a small triangle of the pleat can be seen over the top of the apron. The inner fold is only lifted 1/4 of an inch at the most, but it makes all the difference to the way the pleats behave.

Without that tilt the shaped edge of the apron is deformed, with fabric which should be behind the apron rolling outwards.

It is all to do with wrapping a fairly two dimensional fabric around an irregular three dimensional shape, with additional folding.

The original problem with the pleat adjacent to the apron could possibly be solved by a similar process, pulling up on the inner fold to draw in the outer edge. Rather than disturb the waistband after completion perhaps a small horizontal fold at the top of the pleat would do the trick.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: