To pleat to the sett or pleat to the stripe, that is the question

[wsk]

Good day Gents,

Since I rediscovered its existence about a year ago, I've been wanting a kilt made from the Polaris Military tartan. I want this particular tartan because it is the only one that I can claim as mine. My mother's father is supposed to be of Scots descent - his surname is Scotten which I'm told means "of the Scots" though the family is purportedly from Northern England. I have some work to do there.

At the time I began my quest for the Polaris I was not kilted, and though I quickly discovered you all here at XMTS, I did not join nor spend much time here. I was a man on a mission. In retrospect, I'd have done better to join and spend more time here.

Through misunderstandings and misinterpretations I was foiled in my search. The Polaris is not a popular tartan so is not woven much. It was reputed to be a restricted tartan owned by the US Government so to weave the cloth would therefore, have required some sort of Congressional approval. That the US Naval Academy Pipes & Drums are apparently the only wearers seemed to support the fact that the tartan is restricted. Emails to the Pipes & Drums inquiring about the tartan and their kiltmaker were not answered. This then seemed to be a dead end road.

But, it turns out to be a bunch of whooey. An outfitter in Dunoon, Argyle, was, apparently, - except for the Navy exchange - the only place one could get the tartan. Since Site 1 Holy Loch closed several years ago, they may now be the only place where one might get the tartan at retail. This outfitter though, doesn't carry the tartan in appropriate weight for a kilt. Still a dead end road.

Why I didn't find Alexis Malcolm during my original search remains a mystery. Had I joined XMTS at the beginning and spent more time reading past posts, all of this long tale wouldn't have happened and I'd now be wearing my Polaris kilt. But, that is all in the past. Now I have in my hot little hand an actual swatch of the Polaris so all that needs done is to send in my measurements and a pocket full o' bucks and to choose whether to pleat to the sett or to the stripe. This is where you all come in.

Here is a computer generated image of the Polaris (colors are more or less right - at least on my monitor, thread counts and colors are from the original STS sindex card):



I get pleating to the sett. It's pleating to the stripe that I'm a bit unclear about. And I need to ask because it is a military tartan - I know, just because it's a military tartan, that doesn't mean it must be pleated to the stripe.

When pleating to the stripe,

1 - do the pleats crease at the same stripe in every sett or is it every other sett? [there are two setts in this tartan]
2 - do the dimensions of the sett make a difference? [sett dimensions of my swatch are approx. 4.5" x 5.25" - not sure why it isn't square]
3 - does the outer edge of the pleat align to a stripe on the underlying pleat? [this seems improbable simply because when the kilt lies flat on a table the pleats are tapered - but I need to ask anyway]
4 - does the kilt wear differently from one pleated to the sett? [I very much enjoy feeling the kilt move as I move]

Any and all opinions welcome.

[macwilkin]

I've moved this thread to heraldry & tartans section. Please post all tartan-related questions here.

I'm sure our own Matt Newsome, curator of the Scottish Tartans Museum, and member of the Guild of Tartan Scholars will be replying to your query! :mrgreen:

Cheers,

Todd

[The Wizard of BC]

The best explaination there is about how to calculate and pleat to the Sett or to the Stripe is found in Barb Tewksburys book "The Art of Kiltmaking".
I'm sure you can find a copy in your local library. But I'll warn you, once you see this book you will want your own copy which can be ordered from Celtic Dragon Press.

[wsk]

I've moved this thread to heraldry & tartans section

Wondered where it disappeared to. One moment it was there and the next gone ...

Didn't really think the topic of pleating fit with heraldry & tartans since it is primarily about pleating. Of course the somewhat lengthy lead-in could give the opposite impression.

... But I'll warn you, once you see this book you will want your own copy ...

Too late. Already ordered sight unseen. Waiting expectantly.

[macwilkin]

Wondered where it disappeared to. One moment it was there and the next gone ...

Didn't really think the topic of pleating fit with heraldry & tartans since it is primarily about pleating. Of course the somewhat lengthy lead-in could give the opposite impression.

Since pleating and tartans go "hand-in-hand", as well as the information concering the official status of the Polaris tartan, then the post is germane to the heraldry & tartans section.

Apologies for the confusion. The "tartans" sub-section is "my baby", so to speak, so I like to see folks posting there.

T.

[Riverkilt]

Not having a clue I've had the best results trusting my kiltmaker's choice. Some kilts are to the sett, some are to the stripe, but they're ALL beautimus because I didn't try to out think the pros.

Just a suggestion.

Ron

[auld argonian]

I'm sure that tradition plays a part in the stripe/sett decision but I think that the simpler tartans look better pleated to the stripe. The more complex the tartans have so much going on that the sett looks busy enough.

Simple would be stuff like Hunting Stewart, Gunn Modern, Gordon Modern and Campbell of Cawdor Modern.

Best

AA

[chasem]

1 - do the pleats crease at the same stripe in every sett or is it every other sett? [there are two setts in this tartan]

Typically, same stripe in every sett. Your tartan doesn't actually have two setts, there's one sett (note the double-stripe centered in one block of blue, and two double-stripes -- one on either side -- in the other block of blue). However, there are two light-blue stripes per sett, so it could be pleated to every light blue, or every other, most likely depending on the size of the sett.

I'm actually making a kilt at the moment out of Forbes (similar to the Polaris) with a 14" sett. There is a white stripe every 7" though, and I'm pleating to every white stripe, rather than every sett. Either way works.

2 - do the dimensions of the sett make a difference? [sett dimensions of my swatch are approx. 4.5" x 5.25" - not sure why it isn't square]

Sett dimensions will determine the size of - and how many - pleats.

3 - does the outer edge of the pleat align to a stripe on the underlying pleat? [this seems improbable simply because when the kilt lies flat on a table the pleats are tapered - but I need to ask anyway]

yes and no. The top one-third of the kilt it won't line up with another stripe, as you said, both pleat edges will be tapered. The bottom two-thirds, however, are straight down, so the pleat edges will be perpindicular to the selvedge (will line up with a stripe if there's one there).

4 - does the kilt wear differently from one pleated to the sett? [I very much enjoy feeling the kilt move as I move]

Nope, the pleats will be done in the same manner, so the kilt will wear just as well either way.

[HeathBar]

The two kilts I made are pleated to the stripe. The reason...it's easier. And that's probably why most military kilts are pleated to the stripe.

This is a photo from the Naval Academy Pipe and Drum Website. Their kilts are pleated to the stripe.

It could also be pleated to the light blue stripe which would give it a totally different look.

[SingleBarrelBourbon]

The USNA Pipes & Drums of the Brigade of Midshipmen wears the Polaris tartan.

The Polaris tartan is next on my list. I have spoken with Alexis and will be getting one made in the spring.