The Art of Kiltmaking Q's

[mycoleptodiscus]

Now that we've established that it really is not that bad... I AM going to fix it. I don't understand what is going on at the apron and underapron where they meet the pleats. I think that I mixed up the apron and underapron at some time so that the basting that was done to the underapron/pleat boundary should have been done to the left side of the apron? Where should the deep pleat and hidden pleat be? I think they should be on the other side of the pleats? Does the deep pleat become the inverted pleat when you fold it?

In regards to resewing the first pleat... I understand that I can split the offending pleat and it will be easier to access the seam. I hadn't thought of that Are there any other tricks or things I should kep in mind?

I would like some confirmation that I am seeing everything correctly. I have the apron and underapron labeled incorrectly in my pictures, yes?

THANKS!!!!!

[Barb T]

Hi all!

Sorry for the delayed reply. I'm in Iceland for a conference - 800 geologists have descended on Reykjavik to talk about volcanoes.

First, let me say that you did a fab job pleating the kilt and making the pleats look nice - much better than most first efforts!

I think the biggest part of the confusion comes from the fact that you have the terminology of the apron and underapron mixed up. In pic 23, you call that the apron, but it is, in fact, the underapron. And, in pic 24, you call it the underapron, but it's really the apron. I don't have my book with me, but there's a "parts" diagram somewhere near the beginning of chapter 4, and you can see which is the apron and which is the underapron.

It looks to me like you didn't put an inverted pleat into at the edge of the underapron. That's easy to fix by taking out the very last pleat and making an oversized (roughly double) pleat that you'll fold both ways into a box pleat.

The apron edge looks fine to me. I think truly that you haven't made any mistakes other than not putting an inverted pleat at the edge of the underapron. Your confusion stems solely, I think, from calling the apron the underapron and vice versa. The _construction itself_ looks fine to me.

If you decide to take out and re-stitch any of your pleats, you can slit the back of all but the first one. If you slit the back of the deep pleat next to the apron, you won't be able to alter the kilt if it needs altering.

[Carolina Kiltman]

Mycoleptodiscus, see what I mean about Barb? Isn't she wunnerful?

[mycoleptodiscus]

What about the hidden pleat that I supposedly put in? In PICT0019 I have one finger in the deep pleat and one in the hidden pleat? Did I put the hidden pleat in the right place? The hidden pleat will vary in depth based on the length of the sett? In PICT22, the "inverted pleat" (sewn to chalk mark at right underapron) turned out slightly less deep than my normal pleats. Perhaps I mismeasured. I will have to rip this seam. Instead of ripping another pleat to make the inverted pleat, can I scoot the underapron markings over a sett. I have plenty of fabric. So I CANNOT rip that first pleat without causing irreparable harm? Thank you so much for your help. If you PM me your address, I shall send you a genuine Minnesota Lake Superior Agate for your troubles. All I want to know is why on earth would they choose Iceland for their conference?