Help Josh Make a Kilt Part3

[NorCalPiper]

Ok-
so I received the MacKenzie material today and I have some questions. First, this material is incredibly heavy. Its not quite as heavy as WPG kilts, but it feels like more than 16 OZ. It was woven by (Peebles?) for the MoD, so it makes sense that it be heavier. Second-I want to pleat to the stripe and I wanted to do red, but the red stripe is every other set. Is it just going to be to few pleats that are too long if I do it to the red stripe? Third-Since this wool is soooo heavy, would it be so out there to try and make a box pleat from TAoKM supplement. Ideas and info welcome

[ChattanCat]

Ok-
so I received the MacKenzie material today and I have some questions. First, this material is incredibly heavy. Its not quite as heavy as WPG kilts, but it feels like more than 16 OZ. It was woven by (Peebles?) for the MoD, so it makes sense that it be heavier. Second-I want to pleat to the stripe and I wanted to do red, but the red stripe is every other set. Is it just going to be to few pleats that are too long if I do it to the red stripe? Third-Since this wool is soooo heavy, would it be so out there to try and make a box pleat from TAoKM supplement. Ideas and info welcome

1) What does it weight per yard?
2) So the sett sounds like it is red to red stripe, no? The pleat depth is dependant on the sett size, hips, and the amount of material.
3) Box pleats are always an alternative.

[acolander]

Ok-
so I received the MacKenzie material today and I have some questions. First, this material is incredibly heavy. Its not quite as heavy as WPG kilts, but it feels like more than 16 OZ. It was woven by (Peebles?) for the MoD, so it makes sense that it be heavier. Second-I want to pleat to the stripe and I wanted to do red, but the red stripe is every other set. Is it just going to be to few pleats that are too long if I do it to the red stripe? Third-Since this wool is soooo heavy, would it be so out there to try and make a box pleat from TAoKM supplement. Ideas and info welcome

Hi, the material is 18oz Strome wool, I have purchased a few from Nick before ;) .. As to pleating to the stripe, the white is the usual since the red is only every other, but one would suppose red could be done.. And thirdly, a military box pleat of this tartan was worn by one of the previous regts., either the Seaforth or HLI/RHF... Can't remember which one at the moment.

Good luck w/ the kilt!

Cheers,
Christian

[NorCalPiper]

I'm sitting here looking at this wool. I'm in agreement that its 18oz strome. Pleating to the red stripe would make the pleat depth enormous, so its going to have to be to the white stripe. Its seems for a beginner, this is the best way to go. Instructions in the TAoK for pleating to the sett seem a touch more daunting than to the stripe. The weight of this material is really maming me lean towards a Box Pleat......

[ChattanCat]

Pleating to the stripe has it's advantages. It also has it's disadvantages too. Pleating to the strip requires you to center the stripe on every pleat. You also have to have to make sure your width is correct. Some tartans have such a large sett that pleating to the stripe makes it very expensive like pleating your tartan to the red stripe.

But pleating to the sett has the disadvantages too. For instance, you may have to split a stripe between two pleats.

Alot depends on the tartan that is to be pleated. Some tartans do not have a dominant stripe so pleating to the sett is the only way to go.

It just depends on your tartan, amount of material you have available, and what pleating option you choose.

[Wompet]

Having made a couple of eight-yard kilts out of 18 oz material, I would say that it is slightly harder to sew than 13 or 16 oz wool - but the results are incredible.
If you decide to go with a box pleat, take a look at Matt Newsome's website - he has pictures of a Hunting Robertson on there that's pleated to the white stripe. Reverse the red and white stripes, and you'll have what your box pleat would look like pleated to the red stripe.

[NorCalPiper]

Ok-So here is what I did-

I went for the box pleat (which means I have a whole other piece of material to make someone else one-I may just offer up for the practice!) Anyway, I printed out the supplement and had the Queen of kilt's book at the ready. I took my existing M.N.B.P. as a reference and went to work. As it turned out to my favor, the sett is EXACTLY the same size as my MNBP sett, so i got the apron chalked,pinned and basted-pinned the pleats (That is the hardest part of this kilt). The green and the blue on this tartan are sooooo dark, and I had to have a 1/16 on an inch of blue on each side of the pleat. HArd to get just right. Anyway, i have to do to the white stripe......The red just wouldn't have worked (I'll leave that magic to MAtt). Its coming along nicely and I'm pleased. Pics soon

[Barb T]

...the red stripe is every other set.

Can't have a red stripe "every other sett". A sett is one full repeat of the tartan pattern, so, if there's only one red stripe, it actually defines the full sett (from one red stripe to the next). The MacKenzie simply has two white stripes per sett.

Also - "Strome" is the trade name for Lochcarron's 16 oz tartan. So, either you have 18 oz tartan that isn't Strome or you have Strome that's 16 oz.

Regimental (18 oz) tartan is kind of "blankety" and feels quite a bit different from most kilting fabric. If yours is blankety, then it's probably regimental weight.

[slohairt]

Barb's right. Strome is only 16 oz. weight. 18 oz. Regimental is available from the House of Edgar and, I believe, Robert Noble, so it must be from either of those two companies.

Yeah, the green, black, and blue can sometimes be hard to distinguish on some Modern tartans. I find working in natural light helps a lot. (Whenever possible.)

[Barb T]

I find that a really good task light helps. I use an OttLite, and, for my old eyes, I find it absolutely essential on dark tartan.