Single Box Compared to Double Box pleat in Yardage?

[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...

[WClarkB]

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.

Another consideration is the pound<-> dollar conversion
the pound is the cheapest it has been (in dollars) now as it has been in at least 5 years. It is wandering at 1.4 to 1.5 USD per pound and has been ast high as 3. With the Obamania running as it is; manipulation of these rates may occur rapidly and they are likely to be unfavorable.

My recommendation is: find a kiltmaker u can deal with and buy the cloth, save the price of construction once the cloth is on this side of the pond.

Secondly, how good are u with a needle and thread? I am just finishing my first kilt using "The Art of Kiltmaking" and altho not an "easy" thing; it is entirely do-able.

[Bugbear]

Well, I am still saving a little bit here and there toward the first goal of affording the cost of the eight yards of Bear tartan fabric, but the stack of money is not quite high enough yet. As I said before, "I don't make these kind of purchases without having saved up the money first, so it could be a while..."

However, I have had time to think over all of this. It's looking like the regular box pleat option is the best way to go for a number of reasons. It might be easier
to deal with, now that I think about it...

I doubt that I will throw my Stillwater half-sett Lamont in the trash, especially after all the work and modifications I have put into it.... I did have some worries about having and wearing the two tartans, but the Bears probably won't care.

[piperdbh]

Ted,
Here's another option:
If you don't find someone who wants the rest of your Bear tartan, you could have a half-plaid made from the remaining yardage. It's approximately 2 yards long, double-width, and has belt loops or a long hem in one end, which a belt passes through and secures around your middle. The unbelted end then lays over your shoulder, either through an epaulette or pinned to your jacket with a broach. In your neck of the woods, though, it might be cool enough to wear the half-plaid for about twenty minutes a year.

By the way, will the non-symmetric nature of the Bear tartan require more yardage than a symmetric tartan would need?

[Bugbear]

Ted,
Here's another option:
If you don't find someone who wants the rest of your Bear tartan, you could have a half-plaid made from the remaining yardage. It's approximately 2 yards long, double-width, and has belt loops or a long hem in one end, which a belt passes through and secures around your middle. The unbelted end then lays over your shoulder, either through an epaulette or pinned to your jacket with a broach. In your neck of the woods, though, it might be cool enough to wear the half-plaid for about twenty minutes a year.

By the way, will the non-symmetric nature of the Bear tartan require more yardage than a symmetric tartan would need?

I think the other half of the tartan yardage will find a home. And yes, the heat out here is a part of the consideration with this, but perhaps more that a box would be half the weight.

Meinsf would need to answer the question about the non-symmetric tartan and yardage. He's made a couple of box pleated kilts in Bear tartan, so he knows all that stuff.