A "Tewksbury" 5-yard?

[Bugbear]

Wouldn't a box pleat have more of a bounce than a swing?

[slohairt]

When making my Knife-Pleated Standard kilts (5-yard kilts), I don't cut out the pleats, but I do put in canvas and steeking. So, really, the process is identical to making a tank except the cutting of the pleats.

[Pleater]

How about, rather than reducing the amount of fabric, using a less expensive one?

If you defer tartan and pure wools for a later date, look for a good quality wool mix - possibly with a pattern but not necessarily, you could make yourself a kilt which has all the feel of a quality kilt, the weight, the swing, but on a budget.

If you found a really heavy material you could consider a box pleat, I always think that the heavier the fabric the better the effect with box pleats.

I must confess that having made and worn kilts for a while, I plan for 7 yards or more in each one now, whether it is a named tartan or a poly cotton. I love the variation, and it is not vital - to me - to have a family tartan kilt.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[M. A. C. Newsome]

If you otherwise follow the book instructions, you probably don't want to cut out the pleats if you're doing a 5 yard kilt. Matt might chime in on this one. You don't cut out the pleats on a 5-yard kilt, do you?

I generally don't, no. Though if I am using 6 yards of fabric I do.

Here is one of the 5 yarder's I made for Dave, in heavy weight weathered Lochaber tartan. This one had a pretty wide repeat, so the pleats are wider, though I don't think they look bad with the double stripe.


Here is another 5 yard kilt I made in medium weight Cian tartan. It had a smaller sett repeat, so you can see the pleats are much more narrow here.


Just for the sake of comparing, here's a 6 yard kilt I made for myself.

[SoulFyre777]

So essentially, just follow the directions in the Book, pleat till you can pleat no more and DON'T cut out the pleats?? You mean there's no rocket science involved?? No movement of the foundation of the earth?? No government committee to vote it in, have it vetoed, vote in a similar bill, have it also vetoed and then have the original bill pass through completely unhindered????? Wow.... This could work!!

[Barb T]

Yup - should be that simple. The only thing that you'd do differently would be to put the buttonhole in after the first pleat instead of the 2nd one. You don't want the buttonhole too far toward the center back. Or use the "no-buttonhole" method described in the box pleat supplement.

[SoulFyre777]

Yup - should be that simple. The only thing that you'd do differently would be to put the buttonhole in after the first pleat instead of the 2nd one. You don't want the buttonhole too far toward the center back. Or use the "no-buttonhole" method described in the box pleat supplement.

The Master has spoken! Thank you very much!!! I'm off to find some fabric!!