Sewing straight pleats

[Robert Lamb]

I haven't sewn but a couple of mono color kilts out of the eighteen I have done.
I was wandering how do you get a truly straight pleat with no vertical lines to follow? I have done it (but not very straight though).

[Pleater]

Folding the fabric and ironing in the crease before you start to sew helps if you are careful to keep everything straight and flat.

Anne the Pleater

[Barb T]

I haven't sewn but a couple of mono color kilts out of the eighteen I have done.
I was wandering how do you get a truly straight pleat with no vertical lines to follow? I have done it (but not very straight though).

If you're talking about sewing a traditional knife pleated kilt, it's rare that the edge of a pleat actually follows a stripe, because pleats typically taper from hips to waist. So, pin the pleat at the hips and at the waist at the right size (I would *not* press first), pull the pleat straight and taut, and put in some more pins. And then be sure to keep the pleat under tension when you sew.

[ChattanCat]

I have made a solid black kilt. I measured and marked each pleat at the top and at the selvage. I used the marks as the center of each pleat. You just need to make sure that your top and bottom mark are in line with each other.

[Robert Lamb]

Thanks for the help all.
Barb What you suggested is purty much what I do. I have a waist that is larger than my hips, so tapering is not a problem.
I have found in my kilt making, I never do any pressing until after I have sewn down all the pleats to 9ins.
So I guess I must be doing something correct.

[The Wizard of BC]

Robert,

Are you asking about sewing a solid color Kilt or a Tartan Kilt?

And what sort of fabric please?

[Pleater]

With a solid colour kilt, without pressing in a crease I'd be lost.

When using a patterned fabric I find it easy to use the distance from a stripe as a guide, but on fabric with nothing to give an eyeline, no chance.

I made a start on a black kilt recently, but the light is too poor even with pressing in creases - I have set it aside until Spring. I will try a DPM one in desert camo colours so I can see what I am doing.

Anne the Pleater

[kmehrtens]

I measure the pleat with a thin cardboard "jig" and steam iron the heck out of it and then use a "blind-hem foot" for the sewing machine to hold a straight line.

[SteveB]

In self-coluor cotton denim, I have pressed first, then pulled and sewn.

In self-colour wool, I sew first, press later. (Basting stitches left in to aid in the alignment during the pressing) I also have made a cardboard jig to help me keep the pleats straight.

In tartan fabric, I always sew first, then press the pleats. ( made easy by the basting stitches that I left in.) again.

But then I am not a kiltmaker like Barb T, Steve Ashton, or Wally. I have only made about a dozen kilts for myself and family, using Barb T's book for procedure now. (Kilt quality improved)
Slainte

[Robert Lamb]

I have if I press before I sew I find if I press a little off I find if very hard to unpress the pleat. So sew first and I can make the ajustments as I sew along, then I press. This goes with plaid or mono color.