XMARKS Tartan: Show me your Pleats!

**RockyR** · 24th October 09, 06:56 AM

I'm not trying to be critical, I am genuinely curious... is the picture backwards (inverted) or are the pleats going the wrong direction?

Originally Posted by Tartan Hiker

Here's mine pleated to "no stripe".

This was one of my early efforts at kiltmaking (before I got my copy of AofK), using the infamous "damaged" 16 oz. wool. It actually hangs better than the photo implies...I think this pic was taken just after getting out of the car and it was too cold out to fool around with multiple photos.

This kilt has 5 yards of fabric, which was all that was left on the bolt.

And back to the OP, I've made a lot of box-pleats now, and I have to also suggest that the PV is better suited for knife pleating or Kingussie. If you have six yards, you can adjust your knife pleat reveals and depth to absorb all of that material. You really can't do that with box pleats. Better to use the fabric in the pleats than to end up with a left-over piece.

**ChattanCat** · 24th October 09, 07:30 AM

It's a left handed kilt.

**Tartan Hiker** · 24th October 09, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by RockyR

I'm not trying to be critical, I am genuinely curious... is the picture backwards (inverted) or are the pleats going the wrong direction?

I get this every time I post this picture.

Yes, the pleats are facing the "other" way (I don't think it's wrong...just different). I was feeling a bit experimental when I sewed this one up, and thought that sliding into American cars with the pleats facing this way would make for a "smoother" ride. Turns out to not be any significant advantage, but you can't fault a guy for trying.

And since I didn't cut out the inner pleats, I may just take this puppy apart someday and rebuild it.

**RockyR** · 26th October 09, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by Tartan Hiker

I get this every time I post this picture.

Yes, the pleats are facing the "other" way (I don't think it's wrong...just different). I was feeling a bit experimental when I sewed this one up, and thought that sliding into American cars with the pleats facing this way would make for a "smoother" ride. Turns out to not be any significant advantage, but you can't fault a guy for trying.

And since I didn't cut out the inner pleats, I may just take this puppy apart someday and rebuild it.

That actually sounds like a pretty valid reason to experiment with the pleats that direction. Sorry I didn't see the pic before of I would have known.

Thanks for letting us know the reason and the findings!

**andyfg** · 26th October 09, 12:10 PM

Here's mine. 4 yard box pleat from the "damaged" tartan run.

**nh_maclean** · 2nd November 09, 01:11 AM

Originally Posted by andyfg

Here's mine. 4 yard box pleat from the "damaged" tartan run.

i really do like the box pleat in the xmts...

**kev_1270** · 20th November 09, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by starbkjrus

Here's mine:

Five yard knife pleated to the yellow stripe from Matt A. C. Newsome of the Scottish Tartans Museum.

I'm my opinion the lightweight merino wool mine is made from is too light for a four yard box pleat. The PV might be as well.

Have you found the Xmarks tartan in PV. I hate to go PV on you huge kilt fans, but the cost is much more attractive and still a comfortable material.

**Zardoz** · 20th November 09, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by kev_1270

Have you found the Xmarks tartan in PV. I hate to go PV on you huge kilt fans, but the cost is much more attractive and still a comfortable material.

Kev, we commission a run of the X-Marks tartan every couple of years, based on demand. There has been one run done in Marton Mills' PV, late last year. Steve Ashton of Freedom Kilts handled it. I do not think there is any left at this time, unless one of our members has some extra they want to part with. As to the pleats question, I'm a fan of pleating to the sett. I guess if I like the way the tartan looks, I want that look all the way round. But I don't think of it as a hard and fast "rule", there are some tartans that I think look fantastic done to the line or stripe, Isle of Skye comes to mind, so I'd always take it case by case...

I don't have any good pictures of my pleats in the X-Marks, I must remember to get a good pic of my butt next time I wear it!

Here's a shot from the renfair, not that great, but you get the idea. For the record this is from the PV run, in a 'semi-trad' by Rocky at USA Kilts.

**kev_1270** · 20th November 09, 03:34 PM

Thx for the heads up - guess I wait till next time. or not he still has a limited amount of PV material. He told me that the fabric is double wide and I should only need 2 yards for a casual kilt. So, it will cost even less then I thought to at least get the material. thanks for the heads up on the Freedom kilt having the material Zardoz.