2.5" box pleat too wide?

**derosa** · 10th May 17, 03:13 PM

I'm trying to figure out the best layout for my new kilt. The tartan is the priest tartan that was posted in the tartan section. The sett is 7.5" so for pleating to the stripe the result is a 2.5" pleat, this leaves a nice purple pleat with black edging and the double black stripe in the middle. With a 48" hip I could do 9 pleats for 22.5" back with 25.5" apron or 10 pleats and a 23" apron. I could also have 1/4" overlap in the back on each side and go with 12 2" pleats. Any thoughts on 2.5 being too wide with to few a number of pleats?

**piperdbh** · 10th May 17, 04:22 PM

I think it would look very nice. There was a picture on here years ago of a kilt made with only 3 very wide box pleats. It looked very impressive.

**Bamamedic** · 10th May 17, 05:21 PM

8-12 box pleats 2-3" wide work best, I think. Whereas knife pleats are a case of more, and thinner, the better (kinda), the box pleats do well with fewer wider pleats.

Look forward to seeing what you wind up with!!! I'm in the middle of box pleating a Morrison tartan, with Caledonia on deck waiting for the same treatment.

The Morrison has a 5" sett,VSO pleated to sett I'll have 9 2.5" box pleats. The Caledonia, OTOH, is a 9" sett, pleated to stripe for 8 3" box pleats.

I don't have a link, but it's very easy to search for Ms. Tewkesbury's box pleat addendum to TAOK. Even if you'll never thread a needle, it's quite educational.

**figheadair** · 10th May 17, 10:49 PM

The alternative would be to pleat to alternating stripes. It can look very dramatic, other variations are so subtle that it takes a second look to notice.

**plaid preacher** · 11th May 17, 06:05 AM

I think what you have laid out should be fine. I laid out a box-pleated kilt a while ago, and posted about it here : http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...aughter-83139/ The pattern width I was using (half of the sett) was 6.5 inches, which rendered 2.25 inch pleats. I will pleat to the stripe whenever I get around to it; hopefully this summer.

Best of luck!

**derosa** · 11th May 17, 09:12 AM

Thanks for the responses, I thought 2.5 would work but wanted a general perspective on it. The alternating stripes on a knife pleat I'll have to test out.

**derosa** · 13th May 17, 07:29 PM

Small update:
I've got the kilt laid out, the under apron's pleat isn't too deep, thought I laid out more then I did, it only has 3" though I could offset the layout of the apron and probably make it another 2" deep. Since the under apron isn't usually seen much I may do this, right now it exactly mirrors the top apron. The top apron has a deep pleat of 7" which, from what I've read, is a little deep but still within normal. This gives me the same center strip on the apron as what is seen on the pleats. Once laid out I ended up with 10 pleats which comes out to 24.25", somehow all my pleats are just slightly undersized, since my hip is 48" I'm sticking with it, otherwise it was 21.75" with 9 pleats. Let me know if stylistically its better to make wider aprons and one less pleat. It might mean the deeper pleat on the under apron only gets an extra inch but I have just over 26" still attached to the front apron.

slight closeup of the pleats

**figheadair** · 13th May 17, 11:32 PM

Looking great. I don't know of any other kilt made in this original Wilsons' setting. It should turn some heads when finished and will no doubt get you many comments.