My New Keltoi Box Pleat! O'Saffron

**dfmacliam** · 28th March 10, 05:06 PM

Last year, I was surfing Burnett and Struth, and ran across a tartan I was unfamiliar with, O'Saffron. I asked a question in the forum, and found out some interesting history about this kilt. I started talking to John, and his first hand knowledge about the tartan, and pictures he sent me, made me really interested in another kilt.
John and I went back and forth, with emails, and I ordered my new kilt, a 4 yd box pleat. We had a little bump in the road, when I had to relocated to Illinois for a few months during the holliday, and I asked that he push my kilt back, till I was home. Then once the kilt was complete, and John sent it off to me, the USPS decided the kilt wanted a tour of the US... thank goodness John registered it.. so we could both watch the journey it took...LOL Well last Monday it arrived to my sisters home, in Glenwood, Arkansas, and I had to wait for the weekend, before I could drive up and claim my lasted treasure.
The kilt, is made of the O'Saffron tartan, in a 16 oz Lochcarron Strome. The kilt, handsewn, made in a 4 yd box pleat, and pleated to the sett, a rarity, according to John, since majority of box pleats are pleated to the line.

A beautiful kilt, and the fit, was great!

My mother was really liking this kilt, and wanted to keep taking pictures, and since John asked me to take a lot of photos, I posed as she directed...LOL

I tried out a couple pairs of shooting socks, one with mustard dicing, and the other with red dicing, so you might notice them in different photos.

I am very pleased with my new Keltoi kilt, and this is my second handsewn kilt from John. John is great to work with, and he does such quality work.. I whole heartily would suggest you check him out, if you are looking for a new kilt..

**BoldHighlander** · 28th March 10, 05:29 PM

That is a great looking kilt!
After my next Newsome, a Keltoi is a must on my list!

**ccga3359** · 28th March 10, 05:31 PM

Very nice kilt and interesting tartan. I find it hard to say but even after buying John a round of Guinness last night he still put your kilt ahead of mine!

**dfmacliam** · 28th March 10, 05:51 PM

Grant, he is saving his very best work for you... with your dashing good looks, and such... he is going to be sure that the kilt will be a match for you and your personality... and who knows.. maybe it will entice a real lass.. to actually want to give you an honest kilt check!

**Bugbear** · 28th March 10, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by Kilted Abuser of Rubber Chickens

.........

He actually did it.

**BoldHighlander** · 28th March 10, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Ted Crocker

He actually did it.

You noticed that too, eh?

**Bugbear** · 28th March 10, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by BoldHighlander

You noticed that too, eh?

It was like being slapped with a rubber chicken.

**ccga3359** · 28th March 10, 07:23 PM

I had to look at the box pleats again and again. I really like it pleated to sett. It certainly makes for a very interesting and unique box pleat.

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 29th March 10, 04:11 AM

Originally Posted by Kilted Abuser of Rubber Chickens

I had to look at the box pleats again and again. I really like it pleated to sett. It certainly makes for a very interesting and unique box pleat.

If John doesn't mind me interjecting in on this thread, I've sometimes done box pleated kilts to the sett, as well.

Generally, I'd pleat them to the line, but if the sett repeat of the tartan is a bit smaller than normal, it can work out much better in terms of number of pleats and pleat size if you pleat to the sett. I recently made myself a weathered Armstrong kilt pleated to the sett for that exact reason.

Normally, though, the arrangement of the pleats works better if pleated to the line, so this is how most of my (and I assume Josh's, as well) four yard box pleated kilt will be.

Hey John, have you ever had to do a box pleated kilt to "nothing" or to a made up pattern? I've had to do this a couple of times. One that springs to mind was a Matheson kilt with an incredibly large sett size -- I think it was 12" or 14", and the client's waist was tiny, only about 27". There was no way I could do either to the line or to the sett effectively, so I made up a pleating arrangement and it actually turned out looking really very nice, and quite evocative of very early nineteenth century civilian kilts.