First "traditional" kilt project

[Heming]

Hi all,

I've successfully ordered Barbara Tewksbury's book, and if its half as good as all of you say it is, it's going to be a breeze to make my first trad kilt, right?

In order to shorten the wait, having run out of patience years ago, I went to the fabric store and came home with a lovely polyester/viscous twill. I'd be hard pressed to call it a tartan, even a fantasy tartan, but it is certainly tartan inspired, and designed as a tartan is designed.

Here it is in all its glory (sorry about the poor quality iPhone camera):


The only problem I have with this gorgeous looking baby is that the "sett" is actually almost a metre across... Here is half the sett:



... and the other half ...


So I scratched my head, and my ... hip ... washed my hands, and tried a very quick test pleat, no pins or anything, just laid it out roughly to get an idea:



So, here's my question:

Should I go ahead and kilt this fabric up, pleated to the cheat as above? Any other ideas about how to pleat this?

And if I do it as shown above, do I use the broad red or broad white stripe as the hem (no kilting selvedge, must be hemmed)? My first thought was to hem the red stripe folded in half (slightly over 2 inch hem).

I'll keep posting here on my progress. I've also ordered Folkwear's Prince Charlie pattern, and will use a "scrap" of suiting weight black poly/wool gabardine I have lying around for the coatee and vest. Still contemplating whether to get real or imitation silk satin for the lapels...

[Paul]

Looks pretty good to me!
I dont think I could accurately answer your questions though

[sydnie7]

Don't bother with the Folkware pattern for PC, it's been discussed here at length and all agree that it is more costume than garment. Better to go with a jacket conversion -- or see Alan H's "uber formal on the cheap" thread for creating a formal look from online restaurant uniform sources.

As for your fabric, you do have a challenge! I'd be sure to center that "sett" on the top apron, whatever you do with the pleats. You certainly won't find another one like it walking toward you at the Games... so have fun, and learn from the experience!

[Heming]

Don't bother with the Folkware pattern for PC, it's been discussed here at length and all agree that it is more costume than garment. Better to go with a jacket conversion -- or see Alan H's "uber formal on the cheap" thread for creating a formal look from online restaurant uniform sources.

I know there's been different opinions on the Folkwear pattern. But people I trust have also said that if you know your way around a tailored jacket, it's a good starting point. So since I know my way around a tailored jacket, i'll take a stab at it. I mainly need the pattern for the shape of the jacket's front and back - I'll tailor this thing to my body anyway.

Btw not all xmarks reviewers diss folkwear either

[vorpallemur]

I know there's been different opinions on the Folkwear pattern. But people I trust have also said that if you know your way around a tailored jacket, it's a good starting point. So since I know my way around a tailored jacket, i'll take a stab at it. I mainly need the pattern for the shape of the jacket's front and back - I'll tailor this thing to my body anyway.

Btw not all xmarks reviewers diss folkwear either

Make a muslin. The balance of a PC is very different than a normal jacket.

[ForresterModern]

Considering the sett was huge I think the pleats laid out as you have make a kice looking pleated section of kilt. As to where to hem I personally would go with the red.

Jackets, you are on your own.

[Bugbear]

Hope all goes well.

[Pleater]

That is what I have done with a similar large sett - tweek the apron so it looks as even as possible then make a nice lot of pleats so they look ample and swish nicely, and the rest of the fabric for the under apron.

Do make good sized under apron pleats each side so the apron isn't held up in situations where you'd prefer it to hang down, and you should be good to go.

If you find that, with the sett being so ginormous, laying out the pleats exactly the same size means that you get a bitty effect then making the pleats slightly irregular to improve the look is a good idea. I have done that to get stripes onto the middle of pleats where they were not placed evenly on the fabric, and it really isn't at all obvious unless you get a ruler and slide it into the pleats.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[sydnie7]

Sorry, should have known better than to imply that there is any topic on which every member of this forum agrees. I'll amend my statement to "every discussion I've read, in which the members involved appeared to know of what they spoke, holds the Folkwear pattern in low regard." Add to that the fact that one of my sisters attempted it and found issues such as pattern pieces not matching. While not a tailor of men's clothing, she is a talented and experienced seamstress. Despite her best efforts, she was not able to produce a usable PC from that pattern.

[Heming]

Sorry, should have known better than to imply that there is any topic on which every member of this forum agrees. I'll amend my statement to "every discussion I've read, in which the members involved appeared to know of what they spoke, holds the Folkwear pattern in low regard." Add to that the fact that one of my sisters attempted it and found issues such as pattern pieces not matching. While not a tailor of men's clothing, she is a talented and experienced seamstress. Despite her best efforts, she was not able to produce a usable PC from that pattern.

Wow, I'm sorry if I seemed "on guard". I've read some bad reviews, and some not so bad, and some on the lines of "this can probably be altered to be fixed". I'll most definitely make a muslin. Your sister's experiences add to my scepticism, though, so I'll make the whole thing in cheap-o-fabric before I start hacking up the gabardine. I'm stubborn as a donkey in an uphill slope, and will never give up until I've tried myself. But maybe in the end it'll have to be a conversion anyway.