Reverse Kingussie simple tartan kilt

[Pleater]

This kilt uses the pattern of the tartan as the guide for the number of pleats, which also dictates their size.

The tartan I am using has a grid which is over one inch difference in the measurements, 4 and 1/4 one way and 5 and 3/8ths the other. This and the original description of the fabric as Black Watch was rather disconcerting when it first arrived, but rather than return it I thought that I should try to make use of it. I think the tartan might be Semple.

I decided to cut the fabric, which is 60 inches wide, from selvedge to selvedge, so as to have the rectangles long ways on the fabric.

I cut four pieces.



Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Pleater]

The next stage in the process was to line up the four pieces and see how they would fit together - that was, fortunately, easily. There is a pale stripe close to the selvedge which can be overlapped and hidden in a pleat for two joins, and overlapped and then the edge turned under to hide the white locking thread and fringe at the centre back seam.

In order to have a repeat of about 7 inches, which is perhaps the ideal, I found I would have to pleat to red and cream stripes alternately. I quite like the effect, and I have seen it on other kilts here on the forum.

Using pins I made a swift approximation of the finished kilt and found that I could put two red stripes centre back, then have eleven pleats each side, with a deep pleat each side, that is at centre back and under the apron.

Everything fell into place very neatly, which is always a good sign.

I then folded and pinned the pleats more carefully, smoothing the folds but not trying to create edges. The fabric is a wool and man made fibre blend and they can take creases which are hard to remove. This photo is of the left side after sewing along the edge of the pleats at the waist, and beginning to attach the waistband. The shaped edge of the apron can be seen.



Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Pleater]

With the 20 ft of fabric reduced to a fairly unstable 5 ft of folds, I then calculated that I would be making the visible pleats just over one inch wide, so I folded the waist edge and put in two pins to hold each one with the stripe in the centre,

I sewed the two pieces of the left hand side matching the cream stripe right at the edge, with two lines of running stitch.

The apron was still unformed, so I looked at that next.

To shape the side next to the pleats I fold the fabric so that it runs straight into the under apron pleat at the lower edge, but at the top I fold it into itself, making a W cross section and allowing the /\ part to sink down below the level of the \ and / so as to make the top part of the apron shaped down the edge.

The inner /\ must be allowed to drop, or you will have a simple groove running down the edge of the apron from top to bottom.

In the photo the apron shaping is a sharp straight line - once hung up and encouraged into a softer line it will become more curved and elongate further down the edge. Firmer fabric might require sewing but I think this is going to cooperate without that.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[NorCalPiper]

Umm....Anne-Please provide pics. This seems like a VERY informative venture, but it would help to get the pics up. Cheers

[RAF]

It sounds like art in the making! (with some math added for good measure.) I envy your skill!. Nice detailed descriptions too - I can almost picture the process (hint hint), and I have ZERO pattern making ability! I agree with NorCal - would love to see some pictures :-)

[Calico]

Thank you, Anne, for this thread!

More, more, more! (no pressure, here...)

[Pleater]

Where is the exasperation smiley when you need one?

It is probably revenge for all the times I have rolled my eyes at the complaints of photographers - but the light is all wrong.

The fabric is slightly shiny, so when the sun was out I got the gloss and no colour, inside I got darkness with ambient and gloss again with flash.

I'll just have one last try with the different lighting in my craft room - I see better in there so maybe the camera will too.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Calico]

Well, since I don't have my fabric anyway I guess I can wait a day. Thanks again, Anne.

[Pleater]

I've edited in the two best photos so far, showing the tartan and the left side pleats - you can make out the eleven pleats which make up one half of the sequence.

I will work on the right half and hopefully be able to show the construction in shorter stages.

You do not have to join widths of the fabric, it was just that by doing so I got a better result.

The stripes are closer together the way I have done it, so I get more pleats from the 20 ft of fabric.

Note the stripe going along the edge of the fabric at the waist edge. I cut along a cream stripe to level up the edge of the fabric and create a waist band. I cut off the pieces just above a cream stripe each time, so the stripes would line up along the length. I then sewed along the waist edge aligning the layers by that stripe.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[RAF]

I've edited in the two best photos so far, showing the tartan and the left side pleats - you can make out the eleven pleats which make up one half of the sequence.
Anne the Pleater :ootd:

Looks great - looking forward to seeing the finished product!