Reversible box pleat kilt.. possible?

**Oberu** · 12th February 12, 02:17 PM

I'm making a box pleat kilt and right off I found myself trying to think of which portion of the set to show and which to tuck when I discovered something I thought was interesting. I pleated and basted things up and flipped the whole affair over to press the backside and there it was staring me in the face! I ended up with both of my original options of pleating choices in one shot... one side showed the lighter stripes prominently and the other side the darker. My question after this long winded ramble is, has anyone ever seen a reversible box pleated kilt? I know there has to be some way about it though I'm a bit hung up on the straps. This might well have been posted before and I just haven't seen it. I'd like to hear what you all think! I've attached a few pictures to show you what I'm talking about.

**Hothir Ethelnor** · 12th February 12, 03:56 PM

It only works if the kilt is sewn into a perfect tube with no shaping.

**kc8ufv** · 12th February 12, 06:29 PM

I suppose it would be possible. You may need to play around with the shaping. I don't think it needs to be a perfect tube, as long as you don't have to widen it in the shaping beyond the pleat width.

**Tony** · 12th February 12, 06:43 PM

don't you need stabilizers, lining etc?
plus, when you do the taper, all the stuff you need to do to make the taper neat on the outside...is all on the inside.

**kc8ufv** · 12th February 12, 08:58 PM

I hadn't thought of stabilizers or lining. I can picture an idea of how to do the taper, but I can't figure out a good way to describe it....

**Poohspot18** · 13th February 12, 01:29 AM

You could do it, I think. Here's how.

1st: Arrange your pleats and prepare up to where you will begin sewing the pleats.

2nd: Slit the center of the folds of pleats in the fells and lay one side down.

___\----/___\----/____ (Cut at dotted part of pleat.)

3rd: Sew the pleats up the fell, add the steeking and other usual stabilizers between the layers.

4th: Carefully sew the pleats of the other side, occasionally flipping in and out to be sure it flops the shaping well. They should be the same size taper on both sides. If one is larger than the other it won't flip well. Essentially you are finishing reverse fell's of two kilts.

5th: The tricky part will be the top band. I haven't figured that out yet. you could begin as normal and then tuck the edge under and hand finish it, but I don't quite like that.

6th: The deep pleats are still a little fuzzy without fabric in hand to mock up with. Anyone else with ideas in this area?

7th: Possible format for the straps could go like this: I'd go for just 2 straps instead of three. It would be easier to reverse. You could use a buttonhole right at the buckle which could allow the buckle to flip sides for the inner apron strap, and the outer apron strap itself. See, it could be sewn and anchored between the layers, and have the strap flip back and forth between the hole. You could even have a little button loop and button on both sides to button behind the flipped buckle. I'll sketch something up and post the concept.

8th: As far as how to do an apron fringe, make the apron's switch. One is the front apron for one side, and the second is for the other. So, finish the inside of the showing color so it has the fringe finishing and deep pleat turn up, and then Finish the other apron for the other side. Either way it is worn the aprons would be wrong-sides together. Conceptually it should work.

I'll see about getting a drawing up soon. I'm still deployed, so I don't have many resources.

Good luck.

JR

**kc8ufv** · 13th February 12, 04:34 AM

I forgot about the deep pleats. I think you just do one on BOTH aprons, but so the ends of the fabric are seperated by the deep pleats, so the outer apron has a deep pleat under it, and the inner apron has it's deep pleat in front. This will keep it symetrical for when you reverse the kilt.

**David Thorpe** · 13th February 12, 08:24 AM

Looks to me like a perfect excuse to build two kilts -- one of each pattern.

**Oberu** · 13th February 12, 09:19 AM

First off thanks for the feedback! Great idea on the strap/button holes... I like it a lot. On the stabilizers... I am going to have to play my ignorance card as I know nothing about them. I've never owned a professionally made kilt. I've either made them as kind of a hobby or had them gifted to me from other friends who've also made their own. I haven't ever had lining so I don't really know what I'd be missing LOL. I'm going to shoot for the button hole idea and put it right in the center of meeting pleats so on either side it will be unseen. I plan to hand stitch the top band. I really hate that sort of hand sewing but it seems the more projects I sew... the more I have to do... practice I suppose. Any other ideas/suggestions?