Converting great kilt to trad 8 yard small kilt

[gilmore]

I just received a 4 yard, 13 oz/yard, great kilt that I bought on Ebay at a good price. When bought it, I had been thinking of converting it, or having it converted, to an 8 yard "regular" kilt, even though the pleats were sewn down to a length of webbing, and pressed---though not all the way to the hem-- so that it is not necessary to re-pleat it every time you put it on.

On receiving it today, I discovered that it is pleated the wrong way! That is, the pleats open to the left instead of the right. Not wanting to be mistaken for a transvestite, I am even more interested in having the pleats taken apart and pressed out, the tartan torn in half, and it made into an 8 yard single width kilt.

Does anyone have experience with this? Once pleated, is it difficult to unpleat 13 oz worsted and repleat it satisfactorily? Or is it my fate to become a drag queen in a great kilt?

[Woodsheal]

At reenactments, I've seen the pleats on belted plaids run left, right, left AND right (boxpleats), or just appear as a mass of gathers. No charges of 'transvestism' have ever been hurled. Where did you get that notion?

Anyways, removing the stitching and throwing the plaid into a tub full of warm water would probably eliminate the pressed pleats....

[gilmore]

At reenactments, I've seen the pleats on belted plaids run left, right, left AND right (boxpleats), or just appear as a mass of gathers. No charges of 'transvestism' have ever been hurled. Where did you get that notion?

Anyways, removing the stitching and throwing the plaid into a tub full of warm water would probably eliminate the pressed pleats....

The pleats in women's kilted skirts open on the left, not the right, as do those in kilts.

I thought of a soak in warm water, but was concerned about shrinkage.

[Woodsheal]

Ah, I see! Modern kilt construction "rules" tend to not apply to kilts and plaids from the early historic periods (pre-1800). Look closely at early images and you'll occasionally even see the apron opening on men's kilts (well, there were no women's kilts!) to the left instead of the right.

With lukewarm - not hot - water, and air drying, I think shrinkage would be minimal. At least that's my experience with rain-soaked wool....