How an Engineer lays out pleats

kiltedwolfman · 5th February 14, 08:26 AM

Here's a pic of an Anderson tartan kilt I made a while ago using this matrix. This tartan has a lot of lines and was a bit of a pain to get sorted out but as you can see there is no point where the pattern is lost as it goes up the fell. You can see that I've got just under a quarter of it pleated, but that all the pleats are pressed and ready to be pinned down.

Click image for larger version.

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**HarveyH** · 5th February 14, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by kiltedwolfman

the pleats are pressed and ready to be pinned down.

Just a question - all this pre-pressing of the pleats - do you not have an issue with wool stretching? Its such an easy thing to happen with fine wool and it presumably could move, or mishape the pleat?

**The Wizard of BC** · 5th February 14, 06:23 PM

It is true that moving the iron over the fabric while it is hot will distort the fabric. So will pulling or stretching hot wool.

We do not iron we press.

We use the iron to create steam which heats the fibers and then to apply pressure to deform the hot fibers at the crease. The heat is then sucked out of the fabric and it is cool before it is moved.

We have never had a problem with distorting fabrics.
In fact our pleats look and hang better, and last far longer than 90% of the kilts that come to us from other kiltmakers.
Take a look closely at the Anderson Tartan kilt above. You can see the pre-pressed pleats and when pinned up ready for sewing they lay perfectly aligned, straight and crisp.

When creating a kilt you do, at times, distort the fabric when it is required to create the shaping. This is done very purposefully and carefully. If you have ever seen a kiltmaker shaping the Fell or shaping the aprons, they are shrouded in steam and they are pulling and tugging on the fabric to create the proper shape and to insure that everything is laying correctly without wrinkles or looking distorted.
It is actually pretty scary to watch the first time.

**Highlander31** · 9th February 14, 11:57 AM

Thanks for posting this, Steve.

What about box pleats?
Is it simply a matter of taking into account the material needed for the pleat?
Do you center the strip on a different starting point on the board?

**The Wizard of BC** · 9th February 14, 02:41 PM

Laying out box pleats uses the same system but you must first understand how you make a box pleat differs from how you make a knife pleat.

Here are knife pleats To The Sett.

And here are knife pleats To The Stripe.

And here are box pleats To The Stripe.

(I apologize that I did not have a photo of the box pleats to the same white stripe as was used for the knife pleats. The concept is exactly the same. The distance from yellow to yellow is exactly the same as from white to white.)

If you look closely at the way the box peat is made you should be able see that from one yellow stripe to the next yellow stripe the box pleat has six parts.
Center of yellow to outside pleat edge
outside pleat edge to inside pleat edge
Inside to pleat edge to center of white
and then a mirror image opposite leading back to the next yellow.

To lay out box pleats move your layout strip up and down till your Sett is divided into six equal divisions. Mark, press baste and sew.

**Highlander31** · 9th February 14, 04:03 PM

I understand. Thanks for the quick response.

While it is doubtful I would ever sew a kilt, I believe understanding the hows and whys of kiltmaking, makes for a better informed buyer, which helps the kiltmaking industry to maintain high standards and quality products.

We all win. Kiltmakers, buyers, and in my case, my children and grandchildren who are already talking about who gets my kilts,......when I'm gone.

**Aspiringloser** · 14th March 14, 05:30 PM

When you pull the strip around your butt, what do you do if a marked pleat edge doesn't line up with your trouser side seams? Do you just pull it tighter or let it out until a pleat edge does line up at the trouser side seam?

**The Wizard of BC** · 14th March 14, 05:57 PM

Aha, you have just run into the "Art" part of The Art of Kiltmaking.

This is something that just takes a bit of experience. In general, if you have a choice, make the kilt just a bit bigger. Now please understand that I am talking less than 1 inch here.

A kilt 2" or 3" bigger in the hip may cause the pleats to form 'stage curtain' waves in the back.
A kilt even 1" too small in the hip and it will distort. The pleats will not hang parallel and the aprons will gape open.

So, a little bit bigger is usually the way to 'round off'.

There are other factors you should take into account like large thighs, a very prominent butt or a very large stomach but I would just confuse you. This comes under the proper fit of a kilt and not laying out pleats.

**Aspiringloser** · 14th March 14, 06:00 PM

I knew that a little bigger was better. Have you ever had to drop a pleat and go to an even number in order to accommodate? Pleating to the stripe this wouldn't be such a big deal. Pleating to the sett, you'd have to layout where your pleats will be folded again.

**The Wizard of BC** · 14th March 14, 08:17 PM

I may have an even number of pleats if pleating to the Stripe.
If pleating to the Sett I always use an odd number of pleats. This is because I always lay out my pleats with the same stripe in the center rear as I have in the center of the front apron.

In fact when pleating to the Sett my kilts come out symmetrical. My under apron looks just like my outer apron.