First attempt...

[Kilted Taper]

I purchased 4yards (double width) of the Anderson tartan from eBay a few weeks ago, and I finally decided to start the project this weekend.

Ripping was a little interesting. My first piece didn't want to rip, but it finally gave in. Decided on pleating to the stripe, so that's all set. Chalked out the aprons, marked the pleats.

Here's where the trouble begins. Pleat size....First let me say numbers and I DO NOT get along. I tried both methods listed in Barb's book (calculator and traditional). I get different results with each. Using a calculator I get about 1" at the hips, and 3/4" at the waist. Using the traditional method I get about 7/8" at the waist and a hair (as if 1/8 isn't small enough) under an inch at the hips. Is that a big enough difference to be worried about?

OK...so I move on from there and start the basting of the front apron. Right side, no problem, left side, I'm having a hard time keeping the underside stripes parallel, and when I stretch/skew the underside starts to get lumpy. Any suggestions?

[chasem]

unless it's extreme, the lumpinss shouldn't be a big deal, and will flatten out with the pressing.

as for the measurements, there shouldn't be much of a difference between the two (trad vs. calculator), as the trad means is essentially the calculator method, though a little less modern. Are you consistently coming up with a difference?

[Kilted Taper]

I have no idea what I've gotten myself into with this project....When's that Kilt Camp in Vancouver again???

I think it will be fine once I get that first pleat done, but getting that first one....I'm stressing out.

[Barb T]

Hi hi

The lumpiness will press out - that's the beauty of wool.

Why don't you give me the # of pleats that you have plus the measurement at hips and waist across the back of the kilt, and I'll calculate the pleat size for you? I'll also write down in the post how I did it.

The difference between 3/4" and 7/8" really does matter. Suppose that the pleats really need to be 7/8" at the waist, and you make them 3/4". That's 1/8" per pleat times, let's say, 25 pleats. Yikes - the kilt will by 1/8" x 25 or over 3" too small at the waist. Truly, even 1/32" matters.

So, when I'm doing pleats, I actually measure to 1/32" at both waist and hips. And you _definitely_ don't want the whole thing coming out too small.

B

[The Wizard of BC]

For information on Kilt Kamp 2007 see this thread;

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=20630

[Kilted Taper]

Barb-

Thank you so much. Here is what I am working with.

Full measurements:
W=37.5"
H= 44"
TOTAL length (including 2" rise) = 25"

My splits are:
w= 19.5"/apron 18"/pleats
h= 22.5"/apron 21.5"/pleats

Total pleats = 23

Another concern I started having last night while staring at the cloth for an hour, was the shaping of the apron. There is about a 2" "flare" on either side. Is that too much?

There are LOTS more questions, but one thing at a time ;)

Thanks again Barb!

Brian

[turpin]

Ripping was a little interesting. My first piece didn't want to rip, but it finally gave in.

OK, I keep seeing this ripping thing, and can't imagine it actually means ripping the cloth. Will someone please explain?

[Kilted Taper]

Nope, that's what you do. It was actaully quite easy after I got over the initial fear.

[auld argonian]

I've heard that that was the traditional way to get the corect length that you needed but I have to admit that I would be too chicken hearted to just rip along multiple yards of $$$$ cloth...what, if any, are the advantages of ripping as opposed to putting those nice Wiss shears to work?

Best

AA

[mddock58]

OK, I keep seeing this ripping thing, and can't imagine it actually means ripping the cloth. Will someone please explain?

Yes you are ripping the cloth!
What you are doing is splitting the width of the cloth, and the most accurate way is to snip the cloth with scissors at the center of the width, and firmly grasped in each hand, TEAR!

The fabric will tear along the same thread the full length!