Pleat depth spacing preferences?

[Eric T]

I'm looking to make my first kilt, and wondered what are people's advice for pleat depth and spacing, and what is most functional with a 2 inch spacing, 3 inches deep or maybe 4? And what is best for closer spacing? I know a certain amount is needed so the kilt doesn't ride up when legs are spread one way or another, and there may be other reasons. And what about fabric weight and pleat spacing, depth and number of pleats: is there a better depth/number for ligher or heavier fabrics? I aim to do sewn knife-edged pleats on a semi-trad/semi-modern design of my own. Your insights and experience is much appreciated. (I forgot to mention when I first posted this that I will not be using a tartan fabric, but rather solid or other print or stripe. My apologies to first two responses.)

May 15: Also, what's the best plan for the reverse pleats. I've heard also that some put them at both sides, some at just the under apron side. How deep should they be?

[Livingston]

Eric, Welcome to XMarks and the addiction.

I'm not the best resource but, that would depend on the tartan you are using. The size of the sett will determine how deep your pleats are. Other factors will include the reveal, it you are pleating to sett or to stripe. The best resource would be a book by one of our members, Barb T. It is a very good kilt making resourse.

Good luck and enjoy wearing your kilt(s)

[Kilted KT]

Personally, I prefer deeper pleats ( on a heavier cloth...keeps the pleats better), but when pleating to the sett, the tartan you are using dictates the depts of the pleat.

But, obviously, Barb, Matt N. or one of the other kiltmakers here would have more info on the subject.

[Pleater]

It rather depends on the weight of the fabric you intend to use, and the style of the kilt - but I would recomend a closer spacing if you want even a semi traditional look.

I make my kilts and have settled on the Kinguisse style, either the original or the reverse. These are pleated with the two sides mirror imaged. The Kinguisse style has pleats which open to the front, with a box pleat at the back. The reverse has the pleats opening to the back, with a reversed box pleat centre back. This reversed form is better for moving through vegetation as it does not get snagged so easily.

The kilt I am wearing at the moment is 50/50 cotton/polyester, and lightweight due to the heat here. It is kinguisse style, with 7 inch pleats. That is the visible folds are 7 inches apart on the small pleats. The 'show' is just over 1 inch, and the 'cover' is just under 3 inches. The under apron folds are 6 inches deep. The visible part of the box pleat is 6 inches.

I made a number of kilts with similar sized pleats before I really began to loose weight, and have remade some with 8 inch and 9 inch pleats, and I think they do look better with more fabric in the pleat.

I did have the luxury of having considerable amounts of cloth already, and so could find 7 yards and more of fabric quite easily, though the weight was good quality dressmaking. I have bought heavier cloth since but have stuck to the same 'show' and depth of pleat.

With a non patterned fabric I do tend to use the whole amount I have available, so I measure, divide up the sections approximately into apron, pleats and under apron, and then divide the pleated length as appropriate. Oddly it tends to resolve into whole numbers of inches.

If you are using a thick or closely woven material it might limit the size of the pleats as you will not be able to sew through multiple layers, so there you will have to try out your sewing machine or the strength of your fingers on small test pieces to see just how many layers you can cope with and design with that as one of your parameters.

Of course if you are really thinking of a modern design you could form the pleats and then glue them in place, or drill and rivet them, or use a material which can be welded....

Whatever the method of construction, a cloth with a slightly open weave will swing better than one which is more rigid - for instance the only Utilikilt I have seen had no flexibility at all. It was made from black denim like material and it oscillated like a bell rather than undulated like a 'true' kilt - it was also flared, not straight down from the hipline.

[way2fractious]

...advice for pleat depth and spacing, and what is most functional with a 2 inch spacing...

My first kiltmaking instructions were pulled off the internet a few years ago. Afterward, I purchased (but never wear) one Utilikilt and examined many others.

The conclusion I reached for making a kilt in most heavy cotton fabrics is that each pleat uses 6 inches of fabric - 2 for the reveal and 4 to tuck under. Below the the hipline (or fell) you will have only three layers of fabric. Above the fell there will be some small overlap as the pleats are tapered to the waist. Not to worry, don't cut it out, just secure the tops of the tapered pleats with the waistband and apply a liner. I have followed this system for about a dozen kilts in canvas, camo, and selected prints, with very satisfactory results.

Another experiment is underway with medium weight black cotton, pleating 1 inch reveals and 5 inches tucked under, in an attempt to add weight and mimic the sway of wool.

Lightweight cotton is not suitable for kilting, in my estimation, SportKilts notwithstanding.

[Alan H]

The tartan you ue will define the depth of pleat. If you're using a solid color, then having pleats with about a 1-inch reveal looks pretty good. 1.5 inches is OK, in my personal opinion, moe than that doesnn't look right. figure it this way...

Me **** is 46 inches around. Without getting into the specifics of "splits" (buy Barbs book and you'll understand) roughly half of that 46 inches is going to be covered in apron, and half is going to be covered in pleats. so if my pleats are 1-inch reveal, that means 23 pleats.....a good number for a kilt.

If the reveal is 1.5 inches, well 23 inches divided by 1.5 = 15.3 pleats....OK 15 and that's marginal. It's OK...it's not BAD, but it's the bare minimum, in my personal opinion.

If you go with a one-inch reveal, then anything less than two inches buried in each half of the pleat is going to make an awfully shallow pleat. So that means each pleat is going to take up...2 + 2 + 1 = 5 inches.

If you were pleating a tartan to stripe, and the sett was 5 inches, then this is how deep your pleats would be. If the sett were 6 inches and you were using a 1-inch reveal, then the buried part of each pleat would be 2.5 inches.

[switchblade5984]

My first kiltmaking instructions were pulled off the internet a few years ago. Afterward, I purchased (but never wear) one Utilikilt and examined many others.

The conclusion I reached for making a kilt in most heavy cotton fabrics is that each pleat uses 6 inches of fabric - 2 for the reveal and 4 to tuck under. Below the the hipline (or fell) you will have only three layers of fabric. Above the fell there will be some small overlap as the pleats are tapered to the waist. Not to worry, don't cut it out, just secure the tops of the tapered pleats with the waistband and apply a liner. I have followed this system for about a dozen kilts in canvas, camo, and selected prints, with very satisfactory results.

Another experiment is underway with medium weight black cotton, pleating 1 inch reveals and 5 inches tucked under, in an attempt to add weight and mimic the sway of wool.

Lightweight cotton is not suitable for kilting, in my estimation, SportKilts notwithstanding.

when does your book come out?

[way2fractious]

when does your book come out?

Hey, wait a minute! If I were to write a book on making contemporary kilts, there would be no time to actually MAKE contemporary kilts.

No, sir, I'm waiting for the book we discussed five weeks ago in your thread on "Modern Kiltmaking Book." That is due out sometime this year, to be published by those who really do know something about kiltmaking and publishing. (My momma din't raise no fool. Some toes are not to be stepped on.) :rolleyes:

[switchblade5984]

Hey, wait a minute! If I were to write a book on making contemporary kilts, there would be no time to actually MAKE contemporary kilts.

No, sir, I'm waiting for the book we discussed five weeks ago in your thread on "Modern Kiltmaking Book." That is due out sometime this year, to be published by those who really do know something about kiltmaking and publishing. (My momma din't raise no fool. Some toes are not to be stepped on.) :rolleyes:

lol!

i just love the instructions you have been giving makes it a little easier to understand

[way2fractious]

May 15: Also, what's the best plan for the reverse pleats. I've heard also that some put them at both sides, some at just the under apron side. How deep should they be?

The very first pleat to come out from under the top apron is the "deep pleat" and should probably be somewhere between 6-8 inches deep.

Between the last knife edge and the underapron edge is a large inverted pleat (just a deep box pleat) because the fabric has to change directions to get the edge of the underapron in correct position against the last knife edge. Again, 6-8 inches each direction.

More inches is not always the best; just a little more than enough to allow for the flare of the aprons. The deep pleat under the apron and the portion of the inverted pleat under the underapron also make possible the "inside" facings for sewing in the liner later.