XMARKS Tartan: Show me your Pleats!

[WClarkB]

seriously!
Get Bev T's book and lose the sewing machine
Do it yourself

[SteveB]

Barbara Tewksbury's The Art of Kiltmaking, No need for the sewing machine. Wonderful instructions to create a perfect kilt.

There are many kiltmakers on the board. Our advertisers, and Wally (ChattanCat) has posted a link to the one he made for himself, Kathy Lare, and Barb T herself. There are others, but my mind doesn't want to list them. Old timer's strikes again.

I prefer my kilts pleated to the sett, as the pleat shot is the only sight of the tartan that most people will see. People generally FOLLOW the guy in the kilt.

[Tartan Hiker]

Here's mine pleated to "no stripe".



This was one of my early efforts at kiltmaking (before I got my copy of AofK), using the infamous "damaged" 16 oz. wool. It actually hangs better than the photo implies...I think this pic was taken just after getting out of the car and it was too cold out to fool around with multiple photos. This kilt has 5 yards of fabric, which was all that was left on the bolt.

And back to the OP, I've made a lot of box-pleats now, and I have to also suggest that the PV is better suited for knife pleating or Kingussie. If you have six yards, you can adjust your knife pleat reveals and depth to absorb all of that material. You really can't do that with box pleats. Better to use the fabric in the pleats than to end up with a left-over piece.

[RockyR]

I'm not trying to be critical, I am genuinely curious... is the picture backwards (inverted) or are the pleats going the wrong direction?

Here's mine pleated to "no stripe".



This was one of my early efforts at kiltmaking (before I got my copy of AofK), using the infamous "damaged" 16 oz. wool. It actually hangs better than the photo implies...I think this pic was taken just after getting out of the car and it was too cold out to fool around with multiple photos. This kilt has 5 yards of fabric, which was all that was left on the bolt.

And back to the OP, I've made a lot of box-pleats now, and I have to also suggest that the PV is better suited for knife pleating or Kingussie. If you have six yards, you can adjust your knife pleat reveals and depth to absorb all of that material. You really can't do that with box pleats. Better to use the fabric in the pleats than to end up with a left-over piece.

[Tartan Hiker]

I'm not trying to be critical, I am genuinely curious... is the picture backwards (inverted) or are the pleats going the wrong direction?

I get this every time I post this picture.


Yes, the pleats are facing the "other" way (I don't think it's wrong...just different). I was feeling a bit experimental when I sewed this one up, and thought that sliding into American cars with the pleats facing this way would make for a "smoother" ride. Turns out to not be any significant advantage, but you can't fault a guy for trying.

And since I didn't cut out the inner pleats, I may just take this puppy apart someday and rebuild it.

[ChattanCat]

It's a left handed kilt.

[Zardoz]

Glad I could help!