Box and Knife.. Pleats that is

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Which is easier... depends. Assuming you are talking about two kilts of eaqual yardages, then it would be knife pleating. The reason is because to make a box pleat, you first have to make a knife pleat -- the "boxing" of it is another step.

However, when you factor in that most box pleated kilts are four yard, and most knife pleated kilts are eight yard, then I'd have to say a box pleated kilt is easier to make, because you are talking about far less pleats in toto.

Aye,
Matt

(take your time, Hamish)!

[RockyR]

Which is easier... depends. Assuming you are talking about two kilts of eaqual yardages, then it would be knife pleating. The reason is because to make a box pleat, you first have to make a knife pleat -- the "boxing" of it is another step.

However, when you factor in that most box pleated kilts are four yard, and most knife pleated kilts are eight yard, then I'd have to say a box pleated kilt is easier to make, because you are talking about far less pleats in toto.

Aye,
Matt

I agree with Matt... depends.

As he pointed out, box pleating uses less fabric and has bigger (and therefore fewer) pleats. However, IRONING this type of kilt is a bit trickier and making a 4 yard box pleated kilt look GOOD is VERY difficult. My hats off to you, Matt. If you hate to iron and are not VERY patient, BOX PLEATING is harder.

The other thing not taken into acct. on 4 yard knife pleated "casual wool kilts" is that the kiltmaker often has to "make up" a pattern to pleat the kilt to that looks GOOD (because you don't have as much material to work with and often times can not pleat to the true sett). I've found this tricky on a few 4 yard wools I've done.

8 yard wool kilts have MANY more pleats, but are easier to iron. If it's hard for you to match the horizontal lines of the tartan while sewing and the thought of sewing 30 to 35 pleats (vs. 15 to 20 of a box pleated kilt) gets your stomach in a knot, then TRADITIONAL 8 YARDERS are harder.

As Matt said... it depends on what you like to do vs. HATE to do while making a kilt.

[herminator]

I have just made a box pleated kilt of the same material I made a knife pleated some months ago. I say making a box pleat is more difficult, as you have to plaet in two directions AND they have to meet exactly. You always are switching direction, as opposed to knife pleats where you always work in one direction! But I think it looks great and in our warm weather now it is very light to wear!

see here