'Kingussie' Pleated

[Highland Logan]

http://www.cuillinn.com/repro.html
Here's a link to another style of pleat, other than the knife (the the sett or stripe) and box. Not for me, but some of the more adventurous here might want to have a look.

Frank Logan

[Tartan Hiker]

You'll find lots of threads about Kingussie pleating in the general kilt talk and the DIY forums here. You are right about this being an "old" style, but I'm not sure I'd reserve it for the "adventurous"...unless made with bright purple urban camoflage.

Several members here swear by Kingussie pleats for hiking and outdoor use since the pleats facing rearward are less prone to catching on passing shrubs and briars. Makes sense, but I've not made one for myself yet so I can't offer first-hand testimony.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

From the site:


I sat next to this very kilt at Burns Night! Seriously, it belongs to Al Bullman, who volunteers some time at the museum (and co-wrote the Compendium of District Tartans with me). It's the Bullman tartan, designed for him by Bob Martin, who also made that kilt.

I've done a couple of Kingussie pleated kilts for folks. Not my favorite style, but certainly different.

For what it's worth, we have an exact replica of the kilt from the Kingussie folk museum (the one in the grainy B&W photos on the site) at the Scottish Tartans Museum, also built by Bob Martin. It's in the Robertson tartan, with white line.

The only reason why this style of pleating is called "Kingussie" pleating (named by Bob Martin) is because the only known historic kilt made in this style was this kilt in the Kingussie museum. Until recently, that is...

The second historic kilt to be discovered pleated in this manner, dating from roughly the same time period, is also on display in the Scottish Tartans Museum. It's in the Muirhead tartan (originally a Stewart variant). Check it out:
http://www.albanach.org/muirhead.htm

Aye,
Matt

[Wompet]

Several members here swear by Kingussie pleats for hiking and outdoor use since the pleats facing rearward are less prone to catching on passing shrubs and briars.

Actually, what we're talking about are reverse Kinguisse pleated kilts, such as UKs, RKilts, and our various homemades. It's just that the "reverse" gets dropped most to the time. In a true Kinguisse, all the pleats are facing forward (take a look at the pictures).

[Woodsheal]

Two questions for Matt:
-how much fabric is needed for a modern Kingussie kilt like the one Bob M. made? Is 4 yards enough?
-what are the "barrel pleats" referred to on the Cuillin Craft website?

[M. A. C. Newsome]

You can make a Kingussie kilt from 4 to 5. yards of cloth only for most sized men.

Regarding barrel pleating, the following is from Bob Martin's All About Your Kilt:

Barrel Pleat -- a military term. Also termed piped pleat or cane pleats. This pleat when first sewn looks like a knife pleat. The pleats are then reversed, laid the opposite direction on the inside, and tacked down, thus forming on the outside a twist where the pleat falls free. The pelats thus formed are soft tubes remaining unpressed. To get ready for parade or inspection, the soldier would run a "cane" up each pleat and, with a hot watered brush, brush out the flattened pleats, forming once again the "barrel" appearance.

[Tartan Hiker]

Actually, what we're talking about are reverse Kinguisse pleated kilts, such as UKs, RKilts, and our various homemades. It's just that the "reverse" gets dropped most to the time. In a true Kinguisse, all the pleats are facing forward (take a look at the pictures).

Oops...you're right. I knew that....

[Chef]

It's funny I don't care for the "reversed" Kinguisse pleating that is popular (it might be the pleating or just the fact that it tends to be used on casual kilts) how ever I quite like the Kinguisse pictured here. A little different but I think most people would need to look hard to notice.

[Macman]

Okay, if CajunScot is the XMTS watchdog for the correct use of the term "Black Watch" (as opposed to the incorrect "Blackwatch"), I, though not a moderator, am going to take on the thankless task of trying to point out typos for the term "Kingussie". I guess it's because every time I see the typo "Kinguisse" or "Kingsuisse", I just have to take out my red pen and write on my computer screen, which I now have to wash. I hate to quote Wikipedia, but here is the link to the place that gives its name to the pleating method:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingussie

Okay, I'll be quiet and go get another cup of coffee now.

[Chef]

There is no doubt that it is spelled "Kingussie", however a search for "Kinguisse" turns up far too many instances for it just to be a typo (IMHO). I would be interested if anyone knows the reason for this. Possibly an old word whose spelling changed over the years to reflect the spoken word?