Pleating

[Will Macadam]

OK understand the box/knife concept now.
So there are four options:
Knife pleat to the line or sett
or Box pleat to the line or sett
Thanks. Will.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Right. Pleat to sett vs. pleat to stripe (to the line, regimental, etc) refers to what part of the tartan is visible on the pleats. Box pleat vs. knife pleat refers to the actual construction of the pleat.

You can read about the traditional style of box pleating on my web site:
http://kilts.albanach.org/

Note, there are box pleats and there are box pleats. Some regimental kilts today are "box pleated" but not in the traditional style, what I call "true" box pleats, where the pleat depth is the same on either side of the box. Modern box pleated military kilts have a shallow pleat depth to the left of the box and a very deep pleat depth on the right. They are made with 8 yards of cloth, like a modern knife pleated kilt, but, in essence, the edge of the pleat is turned over at the end, making a very small "box." But otherwise it is like a knife pleat.

M

[gmcdavid]

Note, there are box pleats and there are box pleats. Some regimental kilts today are "box pleated" but not in the traditional style, what I call "true" box pleats, where the pleat depth is the same on either side of the box. Modern box pleated military kilts have a shallow pleat depth to the left of the box and a very deep pleat depth on the right. They are made with 8 yards of cloth, like a modern knife pleated kilt, but, in essence, the edge of the pleat is turned over at the end, making a very small "box." But otherwise it is like a knife pleat.

Thanks! I had seen such military kilts advertised, e.g. at
http://www.whatpriceglory.com/scot.htm and wondered how they managed to box pleat an 8 yard kilt. I could not figure out how that would be mathematically possible on anything remotely like a normal human body.

Also, the extra work of making such a kilt (turning over the edge of each pleat) seems to explain why they are priced somewhat higher than comparable knife pleated kilts.

Glenn

[Phil Wright]

Just got back from a few days in the Highlands so I decided to wear my 're-creation' into Edinburgh. I popped in to Hector Russell's where a very sharp lady managed to tell my that the tartan is Chisholm ancient, and a different assistant said she thought I was wearing " a lovely kilt". Very gratifying!
Phil

[Barb T]

Great job, Phil! I hope you eventually put up some pictures of it!!

Barb

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Note, there are box pleats and there are box pleats. Some regimental kilts today are "box pleated" but not in the traditional style, what I call "true" box pleats, where the pleat depth is the same on either side of the box.

THAT'S what you're doing? Dang, brother! That's all you!!!

It's a great niche that no one else has attempted to tackle around these parts, and one that I'm going to pass along to a few people.

I had a gentleman ask me about them at a Festival three weeks ago, and I had to admit that box pleats were something that I really didn't know about... so I directed him to your website. Since I haven't heard back from him, I'll guess that he found what he was looking for. There was some Civil War demonstration going on, and he was one of the re-enactors.

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Just got back from a few days in the Highlands so I decided to wear my 're-creation' into Edinburgh. I popped in to Hector Russell's where a very sharp lady managed to tell my that the tartan is Chisholm ancient, and a different assistant said she thought I was wearing " a lovely kilt". Very gratifying!
Phil

HR?!!!!!!

Dude! That ought to be a moment that you take to your grave!!! What a HUGE compliment!!!

Two of my instructors retired from that company, so I have immense respect for their opinions! You just hit a pleated-home-run!

[Riverkilt]

Just stumbled across this thread...wanted to add that Kathy Lare of Kathy's Kilts in Albuquerque went back to Scotland in '99 to train to make traditional hand sewn military box pleated kilts.

So we've a western U.S. source too.

Ron

[Pleater]

I want to make a military box pleated kilt - but so far have not found any information on making one.

I just hope that it is not compulsory to spend a seven year apprenticeship in order to be able to make one of these.

I have been experimenting with lengths of curtain material in order to try to understand the way to construct one of these rather complex pleats, but so far the method has eluded me.

If anyone has information on how to fold a military box pleat I would be pleased to have any information or a pointer towards a source.