Following Barb T.'s book...

**chasem** · 16th July 05, 03:55 PM

...is it possible to run with 4 yards of material? I know I can get that, but I'm not sure if I can pull off the 7 she reccomends. However, if it just won't look right with less than that, I'll see what I can pull off.

**KMacT** · 16th July 05, 06:58 PM

I'm planning to make a kilt using Barb's instructions, and with five yards of material. I would have made it with four yards, but the sett was too large and it resulted in pleats too wide (as per Barb's recommendations). The extra yard made all the difference (I made a simple spreadsheet to determine this - I'll send it to you if you want).

Four yards of material makes a lot of sense to me because with my 35 inch waist it results in about two yards at the front of the kilt, and two yards at the back, for a nice balance. An eight yard kilt has about six yards in the back.

Kevin

**chasem** · 16th July 05, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by KMacT

I'm planning to make a kilt using Barb's instructions, and with five yards of material. I would have made it with four yards, but the sett was too large and it resulted in pleats too wide (as per Barb's recommendations). The extra yard made all the difference (I made a simple spreadsheet to determine this - I'll send it to you if you want).
Kevin

I'll have to go over the math...

and I'd like to see the spreadsheet, if you wouldn't mind.

**KMacT** · 17th July 05, 05:54 AM

Originally Posted by chasem

I'd like to see the spreadsheet, if you wouldn't mind.

Tell me your email address and I'll give it to you (I don't know how to attach a file to a PM - I don't think it's possible).

Kevin

**Phil Wright** · 18th July 05, 08:30 AM

I know I may be rufling a few feathers by not knowing the tartan connections, but as I am following the book I was reluctant to pay for the family tartan (ancient & rare=expense) so I did an e-bay search and managed to get a double width, 100% wool 16oz tartan in black and red for under £20.(Not sure on the conversion but still very cheap.)
Phil

**KMacT** · 18th July 05, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by Phil Wright

I know I may be rufling a few feathers by not knowing the tartan connections, but ...managed to get a double width, 100% wool 16oz tartan in black and red for under £20.

It's a smart idea. I can't imagine feathes being ruffled.

Kevin

**chasem** · 18th July 05, 08:52 AM

that's about $35... would be nice to find a deal like that! (Maclachlan Modern, if anyone has connections!

)

**Barb T** · 18th July 05, 02:23 PM

Hi guys

The big problem with using too little fabric is that you can't do a true pleating either to the sett or to the stripe without having the pleats really big. That's not a disaster, but it won't look like a traditional kilt. If you want to use a small amount of fabric, find a tartan with a really small sett (like maybe 4" or so). Won't have the swing of a kilt with larger sett and more fabric, but for a first kilt, it's a good alternative.

Cheers!

Barb

**KMacT** · 18th July 05, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by Barb T.

The big problem with using too little fabric is that you can't do a true pleating either to the sett or to the stripe without having the pleats really big.

Barb,

Here is my question. I've ordered five yards of 16 oz. wool. The tartan has a large sett (7.25 inches), so my calculations (based on your book) are that pleated to the stripe I'll have 15 pleats (on my 35 inch waist). Each pleat will be 1.16 inches wide and 3 inches deep. How will that hold its form and hang, do you think?

And by the way, I'm assuming that if pleated to the sett (rather than the stripe) it will still have the same number of pleats of the same size and depth. Is that right?

Kevin

**Barb T** · 20th July 05, 06:44 PM

Hi Kevin

15 pleats isn't very many for a traditional man's kilt (most of the ones I make have anywhere between 23 and 29), and it won't swing very well with so few pleats. It will look more like a heavy-weight hillwalker kilt than a traditional one. That's not necessarily bad, but you have to be happy with that.

You'll get the most pleats if you pleat to the stripe, because each pleat is folded in exactly the same place (i.e., one repeat apart). If you're pleating to the sett, you'll get fewer pleats, because each pleat is folded one repeat plus enough more to get to the next section of the tartan (which, with pleats as big as you'll have, will be the repeat plus more than an inch). That eats into the # of pleats, and, if you have figured 15 pleats on the basis of the repeat alone, you might find that you can get only 13 or 14 pleats if you pleat to the sett.

Tartan is expensive (which is presumably why you bought only 5 yards to begin with!). On the other hand, you'll put a lot of work into the kilt, and it's not really a "trial balloon" if you've invested in 16 oz kilting tartan. If you're having second thoughts and you already have the tartan, you can order a few more yards and piece the back of the kilt. It's not a big deal, and no one will ever know you've done it, because the joins will be hidden in the pleat folds. It would be no different than doing a join in a kilt made from ripped double-width fabric, which I do all the time (your kilt would just have two seams instead of one).

All in all, it's your choice!

Cheers,

Barb