I am just ironing/pressing my 50 (yes fifty) pleat reverse kingussie kilt after washing it, and I can assure you that the smaller pleats do not guarentee crispness.

I don't sew the edges of the pleats, as a rule - and the one kilt I have tried that with requires redoing as the pleats roll outwards - perhaps the sewing shortens the edge.

I do wash my kilts a lot, as I get them dirty fast, but for the cotton ones I find that ironing and pressing using spray starch keeps them well enough for several days wear.

I find it easiest to have maybe 20 to 22 pleats, which means about an inch reveal at the waist. If you mark the hem where the folds should be for your hip measurement, both the outer and inner folds, it is easy to put pins in along the hem to hold the pleats. You need to be careful not to create a flare from waist to hip if you do not sew the fell, but it is not too difficut if you use the shape of the ironing board to get the lower part straight and the top tapered.

I also find it a good idea to press in the outer folds before starting to sew.

The 50 pleat kilt is a striped material and the fold should be exactly on the edge of a black stripe, but I was not certain it would work and did not press it before sewing, and there are some folds which show the red or white stripe which should be underneath. It is only a tiny line, but it should not show.

I have thought about, but not yet tried using fusible hemming tape to set pleats on cotton kilts. I have the tape already, just not got around to making the xperiment, Maybe cut it to about 1/4 inch and when I have the outer folds perfectly placed, fix them. It can be removed or moved by heating with an iron so it is not permanent, and it is light and fairly flexible - at least the one I have is. I think there are different weights, as the one I have is marked 'lightweight'. It needs to be flexible so the pleats don't stand out like a lampshade.

Anne the Pleater