Pleat calculator?

[FatherWilliam57]

Question: Is there a site on the internet that would allow you to "plug in" a particular tartan to see the various results from type of pleat (box, knife, etc.) and how it would look with various repeats (to stripe, to sett, etc.)? I understand that there are going to be variations even in the tartan itself, due to the standards of different mills. But something that gives a general idea of what I would be getting into?

Since I own no kilts, it is difficult for me to visualize what type of kilt I may want a particular tartan used in. Any of this make sense to the rabble?

[Paul Henry]

Alas, the short answer is , NO.
There are simply too many variables, in colours, sizes, makers etc to make this a realistic proposition. There are a few sites that show how a kilt might look from a selection of different tartans, but these don't allow for all the variations you are looking for.
This is where a kiltmaker really earns his or her money, and why I think it's a good thing to find a kiltmaker you like and work from there

[RockyR]

a 'simple' way to see how it would look done to the stripe is to find a picture of the tartan in question and copy / paste it into MS Paint (or photshop or something like that). Use the 'dotted line box' to highlight a particular stripe and a bit of cloth on either side of the stripe) and COPY.

Then paste, drag, paste, drag, paste, drag, paste, drag, paste... drag each image next to each other so you can stack them up side by side by side to see what it would look like done to that stripe.

[Ancienne Alliance]

Here is the "ideal" sett sizes for a Double Box Pleated kilt.



Hope this helps.


Best,

Robert

[Barb T]

a 'simple' way to see how it would look done to the stripe is to find a picture of the tartan in question and copy / paste it into MS Paint (or photshop or something like that). Use the 'dotted line box' to highlight a particular stripe and a bit of cloth on either side of the stripe) and COPY.

Then paste, drag, paste, drag, paste, drag, paste, drag, paste... drag each image next to each other so you can stack them up side by side by side to see what it would look like done to that stripe.

This works ONLY if you know the size of the sett and if you choose chunks that are typical of the size of the pleats in the kilt you are planning to make. Otherwise, you don't know if what you want is even possible with the tartan in question. And, if there is any taper to the pleats between hip and waist, you need to to take that into account.

I made a detailed post on this in the following thread (scroll about half way down):

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...leating-65640/

[RockyR]

Barb... I understand what you mean. My suggestion of paintshop is only to give people a GENERAL IDEA of how it would look. Some people are "visual learners" and have to see it to picture it. It's not perfect, but it gives a general idea.

[Barb T]

Barb... I understand what you mean. My suggestion of paintshop is only to give people a GENERAL IDEA of how it would look. Some people are "visual learners" and have to see it to picture it. It's not perfect, but it gives a general idea.

True, but the problem with a general idea is that, without knowing the size of the sett, you could pick a chunk that looks nice but turns out to be 2" across. Whatever you paste up in paintshop won't be anything that a kiltamaker could achieve with the actual tartan, so the general picture isn't useful.