Feileadh Mor Help advice

[Pleater]

Hmmm- tempting though it is 'Mother of the 'Snuggy-mor' 'might be just a bit too twee for my image.

The method of cutting is quite old - it is used on some garments of the 'bog body' discoveries where unfortunate souls have had their bodies preserved in the acidic environment of peat bogs.

maybe the concept of a kilt with sleeves is a bit outfield, but it makes getting the tea and toast on a Winter morning a much more comfortable experience.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Guinness>water]

Using a darning needle I ran a cord about the thickness of a shoelace through the pleats. Using a cord of a matching (or as close as you can get) color to the background of the tartan helps to keep it hidden, as does the belt which should be around the area that the cord is through. A couple of little wooden beads keeps the cord from sliping back through. Two notes: Make sure that the cord is long enough to allow the plaid to lay flat when not being worn so that you can still use it as a blanket and such. Also remember to keep the ends on the inside so that they do not show while being worn. That's how I did my two.

Sir Didymous,
Does the needle have an eye? You used it to thread the string through the pleats?

Do you have any or could you take some picture, I would love to see your method.
Thanks

[Sir Didymous]

Sorry about the late reply, but I needed my work schedule to allow enough daylight to get a couple of pics. Yes, the needle has an eye, although you could use a leather working lacing needle which allows you to thread it to the plastic end on actual shoe laces or leather boot laces. But if you're just using regular cord, the darning needle's eye should be big enough to do the trick. You can get them in most craft shops and even (dare I say) walmart. Make sure you send the needle through the edge of the pleat closest to the surface that you're using to pleat it. Also you can pleat however you wish (stripe, set and so on). With a bit of practice you can put it on standing (which I do with the lighter more historical of the two), but this also allows you to use a smaller area like say a bed if you choose to lay down (which I do with the heavier blue one). Now onto the pics. The first is my more historical plaid which I used for the pic because it is easier to see the cord. The second shows roughly how they look when worn. I used the blue because it has nicer pleats.

Please forgive the renfair attire, but all of my other kilt wear was in the wash.

[keclea]

Hi, I don't have a quick and easy way to put it on, but I will say that the weight of the fabric makes a huge difference to how the pleats on a great kilt look. This plaid is fairly light, and so folds nicely.

[Highlander31]

When I wear a great kilt, this is the method I use. About eight or nine years ago, Tartan Web suggested this as an alternate way of folding the great kilt. I have found it works well and after a few times, it takes about 1 ½ to 2 minutes to do.

1. Start by holding the material with the 60“ width held vertically (the 4 to 5 yard length should be horizontal), take a corner in your right hand with the rest of the material going to your left. If I’m outside, I drape the material over my left arm to keep it from hitting the ground.

2. Still holding on to the right corner, start gathering the material in your right hand, about 4” to 5” at a time (with a little extra care of folding here, your pleats should come out fairly decent.) Continue to fold the material into your right hand until it’s completely in folded into your right hand.

3. Take the folded material and hang it over your shoulder (I use my left shoulder, but it doesn’t matter which shoulder you use), and slide it straight down your back until it is just above your knees (or wherever you prefer it to hang).

4. Using your head to hold it onto your shoulder, put your belt on over the folded material and fasten it loosely. Now that the belt is helping to hold the material in place, you can bring the aprons around, by taking the ends of the material and slipping them around front. After getting the aprons in the approximate position you want, tighten the belt up. The hardest part is finished.

5. Next, take the upper part of the material from your shoulder and put it over your head. This does two things, first, it gets the material out of your way. Second, it makes it easier to adjust the pleats so that they are evenly distributed across your back.

6. Once the pleats are done, you can do one of several things with the material above the belt. If it’s hot just let it hang down behind you. If it’s cold or raining, pull it over your head and use your brooch to secure the ends under your chin like a cloak. If you are right-handed, (if left-handed, then reverse the instructions) take the left end of the material and drape it over your left shoulder, while bringing the right side around your back, under your right arm, and across your chest and secure it to the left end with your brooch. The right end should go over the top of the left end and hang down your back. You’re done.

If you’re going to carry a sword, then hang the baldric on the right shoulder, allowing the sword to hang at your left hip.

[Sir Didymous]

When I wear a great kilt, this is the method I use. About eight or nine years ago, Tartan Web suggested this as an alternate way of folding the great kilt. I have found it works well and after a few times, it takes about 1 ½ to 2 minutes to do.

1. Start by holding the material with the 60“ width held vertically (the 4 to 5 yard length should be horizontal), take a corner in your right hand with the rest of the material going to your left. If I’m outside, I drape the material over my left arm to keep it from hitting the ground.

2. Still holding on to the right corner, start gathering the material in your right hand, about 4” to 5” at a time (with a little extra care of folding here, your pleats should come out fairly decent.) Continue to fold the material into your right hand until it’s completely in folded into your right hand.

3. Take the folded material and hang it over your shoulder (I use my left shoulder, but it doesn’t matter which shoulder you use), and slide it straight down your back until it is just above your knees (or wherever you prefer it to hang).

4. Using your head to hold it onto your shoulder, put your belt on over the folded material and fasten it loosely. Now that the belt is helping to hold the material in place, you can bring the aprons around, by taking the ends of the material and slipping them around front. After getting the aprons in the approximate position you want, tighten the belt up. The hardest part is finished.

5. Next, take the upper part of the material from your shoulder and put it over your head. This does two things, first, it gets the material out of your way. Second, it makes it easier to adjust the pleats so that they are evenly distributed across your back.

6. Once the pleats are done, you can do one of several things with the material above the belt. If it’s hot just let it hang down behind you. If it’s cold or raining, pull it over your head and use your brooch to secure the ends under your chin like a cloak. If you are right-handed, (if left-handed, then reverse the instructions) take the left end of the material and drape it over your left shoulder, while bringing the right side around your back, under your right arm, and across your chest and secure it to the left end with your brooch. The right end should go over the top of the left end and hang down your back. You’re done.

If you’re going to carry a sword, then hang the baldric on the right shoulder, allowing the sword to hang at your left hip.

I may have to try this, though my blue plaid is such a heavy weight that I'm not sure that I could hold all of that material in one hand. Maybe I'll give it a shot with my lighter summer weight plaid.

[Highlander31]

I may have to try this, though my blue plaid is such a heavy weight that I'm not sure that I could hold all of that material in one hand. Maybe I'll give it a shot with my lighter summer weight plaid.

With regards to your blue plaid, you could try starting the folds 15" to 20" from the corner, and stop 15" to 20" from the end of the material. That will allow for a head start on the aprons and save you the trouble of having to fold 30" to 40" of material.

[Liam]

When I wear a great kilt, this is the method I use. About eight or nine years ago, Tartan Web suggested this as an alternate way of folding the great kilt. I have found it works well and after a few times, it takes about 1 ½ to 2 minutes to do.

1. Start by holding the material with the 60“ width held vertically (the 4 to 5 yard length should be horizontal), take a corner in your right hand with the rest of the material going to your left. If I’m outside, I drape the material over my left arm to keep it from hitting the ground.

2. Still holding on to the right corner, start gathering the material in your right hand, about 4” to 5” at a time (with a little extra care of folding here, your pleats should come out fairly decent.) Continue to fold the material into your right hand until it’s completely in folded into your right hand.

3. Take the folded material and hang it over your shoulder (I use my left shoulder, but it doesn’t matter which shoulder you use), and slide it straight down your back until it is just above your knees (or wherever you prefer it to hang).

4. Using your head to hold it onto your shoulder, put your belt on over the folded material and fasten it loosely. Now that the belt is helping to hold the material in place, you can bring the aprons around, by taking the ends of the material and slipping them around front. After getting the aprons in the approximate position you want, tighten the belt up. The hardest part is finished.

5. Next, take the upper part of the material from your shoulder and put it over your head. This does two things, first, it gets the material out of your way. Second, it makes it easier to adjust the pleats so that they are evenly distributed across your back.

6. Once the pleats are done, you can do one of several things with the material above the belt. If it’s hot just let it hang down behind you. If it’s cold or raining, pull it over your head and use your brooch to secure the ends under your chin like a cloak. If you are right-handed, (if left-handed, then reverse the instructions) take the left end of the material and drape it over your left shoulder, while bringing the right side around your back, under your right arm, and across your chest and secure it to the left end with your brooch. The right end should go over the top of the left end and hang down your back. You’re done.

If you’re going to carry a sword, then hang the baldric on the right shoulder, allowing the sword to hang at your left hip.

Any chance of a video or a few pics?

Cheers...Bill