I don't think it would always work for a tartan unless you were lucky about where the pattern and the central strip occured.

I was thinking of something like a box pleated kilt in a plain or small patterned material.

However - if you could get a strip which was two setts wide rather than one central one and two halves - and a backing fabric which was a toning colour it might work.

Although the result might not have the swing of a knife pleated kilt it would be

a) a cheap kilt
b) certain to move in some way, just differently
c) eyecatching if the backing was some strong deep colour,

I have a strip of black fabric 8 yards long and wide enough for two outer pleats. There is also a left over piece of the whole fabric, several yards long.

I have several pieces of light fabric which woud be a suitable backing - I will have to chose between them and see how this works out in practice.

I will have to work on my photographic skills which are, at present close to zero, and then I will be able to give a better ideal of what I am making.