tips for a great kilt n00b?!

[Andrew Green]

Hey guys... just purchased some fabric to wear as a great kilt. Following the recommendations of Matt from the Tartan Museum, I ordered 5 yards worth. Now I can say, as an experiment, I picked up 5 yards of a polyester cloth, that had a blackwatch like pattern to it, and messed around with that for length comparisons. I can honestly say, that I think much more than this, for anyone would be too much...that is a LOT of cloth to manage, period.
I am asking around for tips on how to pleat the thing, whether to go straight by hand, or perhaps a mild press with an iron to make them nice and sharp? Tips for arranging the material above the waist? I am thinking of either tucking it into the belt, or slinging it over the shoulder (I also think it would make a suitable foul weather garment here in the PNW). In which case, if someone knows a good place to get pins/brooches for this purpose, sharing would be nice. Once this thing arrives, it will be my first great kilt, and honestly, I am pretty stoked about it. Not only are they "period correct" or "historically correct" depending on what time period you fancy, but I think a well done belted plaid looks good (or at least, will make me look better), and I see no reason as to why this couldn't be used as more formal attire with some attention to pleating, and arranging the rest of the plaid in a clean/tasteful manner. Just looking for suggestions, tips and whatnot. I know I turned this into a bit of a ramble. Now, the order was just placed today, so I have plenty of time to read more. I have started soaking in some info, but there is always more to learn.

[gilmore]

Take a look at these photo-illustrated instructions on how to fold the feileadh mor:

http://www.gaykilts.co.uk/feileadh%20mor2.html

[Nick]

I know what you mean about material. Mine's six yards.

Don't iron your pleats, it's uneccessary. The greatkilt looks great without the sharply iron pleats.

I prefer pinning the upper part at the shoulder, though without a vest I pin it across the chest.

[davedove]

Yeah, don't iron the pleats. A highlander wouldn't have done that anyway. The great kilt was a working garment, so crisp pleats weren't necessary. A highlander may have taken extra care to arrange the pleats if he were going to meet someone important, but for the most part he wouldn't.

[MacWage]

It has been put to me as:
The sloppier the pleats, the more accurate.

Thank of them more as "gathered" than "pleated." The difference is that we think of pleats as crisp, uniform, well laid out folds, while the pleats in a belted plaid are gathered, abeit in a nice manner, and not crisp or necessarily uniform.

As for length . . .
I have found 4-5 yards as being a good length for me. I have one pattern/tartan I love that is just over three yards long. To make it long enough, I sewed in the pleats/folds. It is now next on my list to make into a tailored kilt (and NOT one of the 4 belted plaids listed below). In total, I've worn 9 different tartan lengths as belted plaids, 2 of which I no longer own and 3 of which will become kilts, leaving the 4 listed below.

[MacWage]

Hey guys...I ordered 5 yards worth. . . . I can honestly say, that I think much more than this, for anyone would be too much...that is a LOT of cloth to manage, period.
I am asking around for tips on how to pleat the thing, whether to go straight by hand, or perhaps a mild press with an iron to make them nice and sharp?

DO NOT iron it, under ANY circumstances.

If you pleat it, you'll be shocked at how fast the material "disappears" into the folds.

As for the top part:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...t=belted+plaid

and

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...t=belted+plaid