Single Box Compared to Double Box pleat in Yardage?

[Bugbear]

What is the difference in yardage or amount of fabric required between the single box pleated kilt and the double box pleated kilt?

Thank you.

[chasem]

A four yard box pleat typically uses 4 yards (or more, depending on size...) of single width fabric.
A six yard double-box typically uses 6 yards (or more blah blah...)

[Bugbear]

... (or more blah blah...)

[Colonel MacNeal]

How does it compare to Knife Pleat? Comparable yardage?

[Bugbear]

I guess it's a third more fabric for the double. I didn't know if there was a formula I could use in estimating fabric amount or cost.

Just thinking over all the options now that I am close to being able to afford the fabric for any of the styles of kilts in my tartan.

[thescot]

How does it compare to Knife Pleat? Comparable yardage?

I think about the same as comparing apples and oranges.

Knife pleats, when done on a tank, are very deep and set up to repeat the sett--unless it's pleatd to the stripe. The the pleats are still very deep . . .

"Casual" kilts are usually knife pleated, but the pleats may not be as deep as a tank, and there maybe fewer pleats, thereby requiring less material. Of course, the actualy thread count in the sett comes into play since pleating requires a certain repeat of something, sett or stripe.

This is all very confusing to describe.

Uh, the blox pleats are just that. The crease is on both sides of the material and the tend to be stacked up across the back of the kilt giving the impression of a smooth piece of cloth rather then pleats, and, therefore, less material is required to make a nice kilt. The museum in Franklin, North Carolina has some very nice examples of box pleated kilts which are quite old, so this is not actually a new innovation.

I am so confused now--as I'm sure you are--that I think I should just stop and lie down for a bit.

[thescot]

I guess it's a third more fabric for the double. I didn't know if there was a formula I could use in estimating fabric amount or cost.

Just thinking over all the options now that I am close to being able to afford the fabric for any of the styles of kilts in my tartan.

Ted, a snappy dresser like you should just buy 8 or 9 yards and get a tank! At least that's my opinion.


I do know that that the exact amount of yardage is determned by both the wearer's size and the sett.

But on the oher hand, having seen those really snazzy double pleated jobs, that's were I'd put my money if I were buying a box pleat. They really do look good.

[Bugbear]

Ted, a snappy dresser like you should just buy 8 or 9 yards and get a tank! At least that's my opinion.


I do know that that the exact amount of yardage is determned by both the wearer's size and the sett.

But on the oher hand, having seen those really snazzy double pleated jobs, that's were I'd put my money if I were buying a box pleat. They really do look good.

Here are my notes from thinking through the options on this:

I am fairly close to being able to afford the fabric yardage for a kilt in the Bear tartan, which is minimum eight single width yards of sixteen ounce "Jura" wool. This has me thinking about my options.

I could buy the fabric, have it shipped to me, then ship it to a kilt maker when I am ready. That would start over with the saving for the cost of having it made etc, and spread it all out in steps.

I could decide to keep saving and have a eight yard traditional made through Bear Tartan, which is the easiest option for me. Not having to worry about shipping fabric around or storing the fabric might be worth the peace of mind. I don't make these kind of purchases without having saved up the money first, so it could be a while before I reach that option.

Still, there are some benefits of being able to work directly with the kilt maker: more customized etc... Plus, I would probably have some left over fabric to play with, or possibly order an extra yard of fabric. I could have the kilt maker order the fabric, and send me the leftover fabric and scraps along with the kilt, and that might work out well.

I'm pretty sure that I would want a hand sewn traditional, at least for this time around, so I will pass on the five yard option through Bear Tartan. However, there is the option of having a four yard, box pleat kilt, hand sewn and traditionally constructed, made up by a kilt maker over here in the States. Same options as before, but I could possibly share the fabric and cost with someone else looking for a box in Bear. However, there is the option of having a double box pleated kilt made, but I don't know a lot about that option.

I'm not exactly sure what to do.

So the conclusion was ask a bunch of questions.

[meinfs]

From my own experience:

For the pleat section only it's 1.67 times more.
The front and under aprons and deep pleats remain the same.

So, for example: (not super-detailed)
a BOX pleat: 75" for aprons etc and 63" for pleats
= total of 138" (3.83 yards)

For double-box, these values translate to 75" and 105" for double-box pleats
= total of 180" (5.00 yards)

This is for a general hip size of about 42", about 7 pleats of 3".

Hope this is helpful, Ted.


Added: Of course, for this kilt's knife-pleat version, it could be anywhere from 5-8 yards.


I'm going to guess that you can ask Chris of Beartartan.com to see if they can make a 10-yd length. Of course, slightly more in cost but that would prevent the "waste" of 3 yds if it came from an 8-yarder. I put quotes on the word waste. It's not real waste - just more difficult to deal with later...

[Bugbear]

Oh ya, Mein, it helps, and thanks. I'm still looking at the numbers, but it doesn't seem like a whole lot more for the double box. I'm around 37" on hips and waist.

From what I understand, the double box has a little better swing than the single box. Is that correct?