Unidirectional versus bidirectionsal pleats.

[tundramanq]

After wearing Rocky casuals for a few weeks in the heat and switching to a Utilikilt Mocker for a change I am really noticing the lack of waggle in the UK. Part is due to being cotton/poly I am sure. But I think the fact that the pleats reverse at center rear with the inverse box pleat is interrupting the "wave action" across the back. Am I on the right track - opinions?

[New World Czech]

I have a Kingussie Xmarks PV and get plenty of movement in the pleats. I don't know if going RevK would have changed that. I think it may have more to do with the material used as I get good swing from my box pleats in wool and the soft cotton in my new Alt.Kilt. My RevK UT is a fairly stiff carhartt type of material so not much happening in the rear.

[tundramanq]

Same here with the cotton duck Workmans - not much waggle in cardboard Not what they are made for anyway...
Another theory - the sewn edges of the pleats on the Uks may be impeding the swing also.

[MacMillans son]

Tundramang, I believe that the USAK casuals have the pleat edges sewn also, unless Rocky changed design along the way somewhere.

[gary meakin]

I wouldn't normally get to say this but you posted in general kilt talk instead of contemporary.
It has no waggle because it's not a kilt!!!

[tundramanq]

The USAKs I have (all this years ) have the hems sewn and the pleats sewn down but not the pleat edges (sewn in). We may have a mixup in terms - sewn in pleats (sewn knife edges) vs sewn down pleats vs hemed (vs selvedged).
OK my head is spinning too.

[tundramanq]

Gary it IS a kilt just not a traditional kilt. I do note from your kilt list that you are not a kilt wearer. You use them as costumes only. Thus you do not understand the rather huge advantages on the modern designs. The traditional tartan kilts are great pieces, I just won't be working on my car, in the garden or walking long distances in them ( The sporran turns the apron rub into an apron grind).
What you are saying in a rather nasty way is that between dress slacks and Levi's, one is not pants.

[Pleater]

I'd say that it is the fabric rather than the pleating style - I have only one kilt which is still a Kingussie rather than a reverse Kingussie and I wear it on the hottest days as it wafts more - in a wind it unfolds and the box pleat can stream out behind.

I use fabrics which are supple enough to move either to swish or waft, and do not sew the edges of the pleats, nor do I sew down the fell. These fabrics can be quite heavy, but the weave is loose enough to allow easy movement.

I would probably not use denim for a kilt except to create one using a lightweight colourful fabric where the denim was used in strips to make the outer part of the kilt hiding the colourful inner folds.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Grae]

I have worn my Kingussie kilt to sweep the drive etc and never had a problem with it indeed the kingussie pleats are in many ways more manageable than knife pleated when out and about, such as working, getting in and out of cars and generally lounging around. I do not keep wool kilts for "best", although as has been said here before "I would not change the oil in my car wearing a wool Kilt! The pleats in a Kingussie Kilt behave in a easy and practical way and do not get bunched up as knife (side) pleated kilts can. The more I think about it the more relucatant I am to part with my Graham Of Mentieth Red Kingussie I have posted in the for sale section, at risk of an unashamed plug you can see photos of wool Kingussie pleats there in the traditional 5 yard kilt style. I am a big fan of wool, I find it a hard wearing fabric, needs minimal care and I rarely find it too hot except in the height of summer, speaking of which the Kingussie kilt style I have found to be cooler than knife pleated 6 yard wool kilts, I don't know why that would be so but it is my observation.

[tundramanq]

I hearthily agree, the kingussie pleats are one of the reasons I like the Utilikilts. Everything seems to lay and behave much better with the pleats pointing to the rear center. Sweeping the pleats sitting is a natural action. Switching back and forth from these to the knife pleats keeps me a little more crazy as my right hand keeps wanting to sweep to the rear. The layout makes designing in and using the semi hidden slash side pockets a whole lot easier as well, making a sporran an optional item.
Interesting that my thin/light 100% cotton Digital Desert Camo Uk Survival kilts with sewn knives do get the most action of all the Utilikilts with the longer one getting the best of all. Your getting good pleat action is narrowing it down to the stiffer cotton poly twill and/or the sewn knife edges stiffening them. Hmm