Farquharson tartan/pleats help

[The Wizard of BC]

And I lay out pleats using a different method.

If I may offer - This method was knicknamed "The Magic Starburst" by two of my students.

You begin by cutting a strip with the same Tartan element that you have chosen for the apron center in the center of the strip.

This strip is long enough to reach around the back from side seam to side seam



On the back of your strip, iron on a piece of fusible interfacing, to insure that the strip is stable and will not stretch and also to give you a good surface to mark on.

Then on any table you lay out a set of lines.
These start at a single point at the top.
And at the bottom are equally spaced.



(masking tape used only to highlight the lines)

Up near the top you find where the spacing between lines is equal to your chosen minimum pleat reveal. ie 5/8 inch.
Lower down you find where the spacing between lines is equal to your chosen maximum pleat reveal. ie 7/8 inch.

Then lay your strip on the lines anywhere between the minimum and maximum spacing.



Move the strip up and down until the pivot points of the Sett are on any two lines.



This divides the Sett into equal spaces.

Then move the strip side to side looking at where the creases of the pleats will fall within the Sett.



What you watch for is that no element will disappear when tapering creating spear points, and if possible, that no element falls right on the edge of a pleat. (an element can be along a pleat edge, you just must be careful in tapering.

When pleating to Sett you also want an odd number of pleats so that the same element that is centered on the apron, is also centered in the back center pleat.

This method insures that the full Sett is maintained and that the relation of the elements of the Sett retain their relationship to each other.
This method also allows you to divide any Sett into any number of equal pleats that you desire. If your first try does not work simply repeat the "Up-Down - Side-to-Side" again.

Draw marks at each line of the magic starburst.



Then when you are laying out your pleats on your fabric you can just lay the strip right on the fabric aligning the Tartan and directly mark out your pleats.





I know and understand that some people do not like my method but I have used it on hundreds of kilts, hundreds of different Tartans, and it has worked every time flawlessly.

[OC Richard]

That is so cool Steve! That's always been a Dark Art for me.

I only took Elsie's class once. My kilt was pleated to the stripe so I never had to understand that stuff.

(BTW though in Elsie's class The Art Of Kiltmaking was our textbook your AKA TAOK went right over my head too!)

[Kiltsnquilts]

And I lay out pleats using a different method.

If I may offer - This method was knicknamed "The Magic Starburst" by two of my students.

You begin by cutting a strip with the same Tartan element that you have chosen for the apron center in the center of the strip.

This strip is long enough to reach around the back from side seam to side seam



On the back of your strip, iron on a piece of fusible interfacing, to insure that the strip is stable and will not stretch and also to give you a good surface to mark on.

Then on any table you lay out a set of lines.
These start at a single point at the top.
And at the bottom are equally spaced.



(masking tape used only to highlight the lines)

Up near the top you find where the spacing between lines is equal to your chosen minimum pleat reveal. ie 5/8 inch.
Lower down you find where the spacing between lines is equal to your chosen maximum pleat reveal. ie 7/8 inch.

Then lay your strip on the lines anywhere between the minimum and maximum spacing.



Move the strip up and down until the pivot points of the Sett are on any two lines.



This divides the Sett into equal spaces.

Then move the strip side to side looking at where the creases of the pleats will fall within the Sett.



What you watch for is that no element will disappear when tapering creating spear points, and if possible, that no element falls right on the edge of a pleat. (an element can be along a pleat edge, you just must be careful in tapering.

When pleating to Sett you also want an odd number of pleats so that the same element that is centered on the apron, is also centered in the back center pleat.

This method insures that the full Sett is maintained and that the relation of the elements of the Sett retain their relationship to each other.
This method also allows you to divide any Sett into any number of equal pleats that you desire. If your first try does not work simply repeat the "Up-Down - Side-to-Side" again.

Draw marks at each line of the magic starburst.



Then when you are laying out your pleats on your fabric you can just lay the strip right on the fabric aligning the Tartan and directly mark out your pleats.





I know and understand that some people do not like my method but I have used it on hundreds of kilts, hundreds of different Tartans, and it has worked every time flawlessly.

Yes you are right - that is very different to the way I was taught. I will have to study it and read your explanation more carefully but it is certainly an interesting method!

I do have that book and have used it for reference on occasion - mainly for m/m splits as I have made a lot of dancers kilts with a lot of shaping but I also use the method for the hidden pleat because I like the fact that both sides of the front apron have a similar weight. Most of her method is similar to the way I was taught but the method taught at Keith Kilt School when I was there (the tutor was previously a tailor in the Scots Guards) uses much more structure behind the pleats and a lot more stitching on the canvas that supports that pleated area.

It is always interesting to see how other kilt makers do things.

[Patty Logan]

I am about to make a kilt in Farquharson tartan and would love to see some photos of the pleats if anyone has a kilt in this tartan?

I realise that all the kilts I have made with this huge sett with uneven repeat have been to stripe and I am a bit stumped - it is for a 13 year old and the pleats will be so small that I will struggle to get all the elements in cleanly. I am definitely having a brain fade moment!

I can substitute but I would be keen to see how others have been pleated before I make a final decision please?!

Thanks in advance

could we see pictures of the making of this kilt?