Buchanan Tartan and pleats

[ctbuchanan]

This website has opened my eyes to many new and fascinating aspects of tartans and kiltmaking.

Here is a question for the many knowledgeable members of the rabble. As a Buchanan I wear the Buchanan Tartan in both the modern and ancient. Unlike most tartans, Buchanan is 'asymmetrical' or 'non-mirrored' and does not reverse the sequence at the pivot points but simply repeats the sett in the same sequence.

Does this limit the ways that it can be pleated or create considerations unlike that of the more common repeat? I confess that I think I have only seen Buchanan in knife pleats to the sett.

[Paul Henry]

I have a Buchanan modern kilt, with knife pleats, it was interesting to work out which way to pleat it, in the end i went for the sett, but to be honest I'm not sure that it is anymore demanding to work with than any other tartan, as long as you realise that it is assymetric.It does mean that the pleats might be different depths , but when I have some more time i might give it a play with some spare fabric I have left over!

[creagdhubh]

Paul, you look smashing by the way!

Cheers,

[ctbuchanan]

I agree! A very nice look indeed with the crimson sporran.
I'm grateful for the reply and will only mention that the kilt in your photo is a glorious example of the Buchanan ancient tartan with it's much more subtle coloration than the modern.

I like your idea of testing out some pleats with fabric as I possess a great deal of it.

[mookien]

Paul: Nice looking kilt, and outfit. Love the red sporran and blue hose and tie.

[room2ndfloor]

...... As a Buchanan I wear the Buchanan Tartan in both the modern and ancient. Unlike most tartans, Buchanan is 'asymmetrical' or 'non-mirrored' and does not reverse the sequence at the pivot points but simply repeats the sett in the same sequence.

Does this limit the ways that it can be pleated or create considerations unlike that of the more common repeat? I confess that I think I have only seen Buchanan in knife pleats to the sett.

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The textile term for what you are calling "asymmetrical" is "unbalanced plaid".

http://www.sewing.org/files/guidelin...ing_plaids.pdf

Kilt-making, in general, minimizes the balanced/unbalanced problem by using the long grain of the fabric around the circumference of the body, with the selvedge at the knee. That changes the manner in which the repeats present from the usual way of cutting garments with the long grain of fabric aligning with the vertical of the body.

The repeats in the Buchanan occur on the long grain of the fabric. That will be pleat-to-pleat-to-pleat as the kilt is made. If you want box pleats instead of knife pleats, you have to choose which intersection you want for the center, then measure.

As the other poster said, this is what is done with all tartans.

Now, maybe it is us Buchanans ourselves who are more complicated.

[ctbuchanan]

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The textile term for what you are calling "asymmetrical" is "unbalanced plaid".

Now, maybe it is us Buchanans ourselves who are more complicated.

Thanks for the explanation. And I would say "unbalanced" is a perfect description of many of my Buchanan brethren

[Freelancer]

Paul, well done!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

My first year making kilts I had a number of Buchanan kilts ordered. I recall one I did was pleated to the black stripe on the yellow; another was pleated to the white stripe on the red, and third was pleated to the blue stripe on the green.

All three kilts were Buchanan modern, Lochcarron 16 oz cloth, but from the rear they looked radically different, as each pleating choice emphasized a different color.

I used to have photos of all three somewhere...

[RockyR]

I've done several Buchanan kilts and never noticed an issue with pleating. As others said, so long as you account for that fact that it's asymmetrical when you order (order single width), you should be fine. The only SMALL issue is that if you are doing a large group and want the front aprons to all be centered on the same stripe (i.e. the white stripe in the red), then 1/2 of them will have the yellow block to the RIGHT of the red with white stripe and the other half will have the yellow to the LEFT of the red with white stripe

BTW, If anyone is interested in a 5 yarder in Buchanan Ancient (the same as in the picture above from PaulHenry), please let me know. I have 5 yards of cloth (single width) extra from a recent order which I'm going to be selling at a discount... $290 for a 5 yarder with the rush charge added in... that's $290, made to your measurements, delivered within 3 weeks. If you just want the cloth, it's $150 delivered. Call the shop if interested.