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

[wsk]

On the question of why the tartan is not square...

Tidbits for the second edition ...

So, answer me this: If I have a swatch in my hand and pull gently along the warp or weft (I don't know which because it's only a swatch), can I deduce by how the fabric stretches which is warp and which is weft?

The Polaris swatch I have is more stretchy in one direction than it is in the other.

And a sett is the full repeat of the tartan, where you can start over again and get exactly the same pattern of stripes. ...

Just read that in your book. All straight now, thanks.

[Barb T]

So, answer me this: If I have a swatch in my hand and pull gently along the warp or weft (I don't know which because it's only a swatch), can I deduce by how the fabric stretches which is warp and which is weft?

Yes - woven fabric is very slightly stretchy parallel to the weft and less stretchy parallel to the warp (the long dimension of the yardage). That's because the warp is under tension when the fabric is woven and the weft is not. The weft climbs over and under the warp threads, which are in tension, and, once the fabric is woven, it's possible to pull those little up and down excursions out straight, giving the weft direction a little stretch. That's why pattern pieces for garments have the "straight grain" of the fabric along the length. You don't care if your pants stretch a little around, but you don't want them bagging and sagging along the length.

Barb

[MacWage]

Guys, why don't all of y'all who want a Polaris tartan kilt get together and see if you could get a single custom run instead of 3-6 seperate ones. It would be cheaper that way, especially of you get over 10 yards (double width is then possible, and still cheaper/yard than 8-9 yards single width).


As for seting the kilt, I'd say to stripe. If the stripe-to-stripe measurement ends us at 4.5 inches or so, set it to the ACTUAL full repeat, which (like all Black Watch based ones that keep the alternating one double and twin double lines on the blue/navy) is actually 2 sets of yellow/light blue for a 9 inch repeat. This is how I am setting my PV Gordon box pleat (boxes centered to every other yellow, so centered on yellow on box AND at opening center section).

Additionally, an otherwise dark tartan with a single stripe/set of stripes in bright, I would ALWAYS set to stripe in a knife pleated kilt. I like the look that way. In a complex tartan with multiple stripes, like Caledonia 155, I would either do a box pleat or a pleat to sett, as such complements the tartan MUCH better.

(Just in case one was wondering, a box pleat is generally set to a broad stripe, 2-3 inches wide. Setting a box to set is next to impossible for most tartans.)

[wsk]

Guys, why don't all of y'all who want a Polaris tartan kilt get together and see if you could get a single custom run instead of 3-6 seperate ones. ...

Right! Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? SingleBarrelBourbon, Monkey@Arms, any others, what say you?