Pleat direction ?

[sathor]

I just realize on my SWK that the pleats all go in what I want to describe as a clockwise water wheel direction.

Is there significance to that direction of pleat? Does that mean there is a difference if I were to spin one direction in it over another? Is the 'handedness' of it unique to knife pleats?

Yeah, I can imagine that pressing would be easier with the uniformity, as compared to two different directions, if that has a part in this.

[ChattanCat]

Knife pleated kilts are one direction because of the way they are pleated, Right-handed. The left hand holds the top of the pleat and the right hand does the stitching. If you were to sew with your left hand, you could reverse the direction of the pleats.

[sathor]

Knife pleated kilts are one direction because of the way they are pleated, Right-handed. The left hand holds the top of the pleat and the right hand does the stitching. If you were to sew with your left hand, you could reverse the direction of the pleats.

ahhh.....

I'm left handed myself, but those things always seem curious to me.

[gilmore]

I bought a great kilt with the pleats sewn in at the waist for a few inches in length, but they are pleated to the left, in the reverse direction of all the other knife-pleated kilts I have seen.

If I wear it in public, will people think I am a transvestite?

[beloitpiper]

The pleats always open to the right. I think it is just to have an industry standard. Now, Kingussie pleats go both ways (like on a Utilikilt).

[Pleater]

I bought a great kilt with the pleats sewn in at the waist for a few inches in length, but they are pleated to the left, in the reverse direction of all the other knife-pleated kilts I have seen.

If I wear it in public, will people think I am a transvestite?

Maybe you are wearing it upside down?

I doubt anyone will notice, but wearing it the other way up will reverse the pleat dierction.

Anne the Pleater

[Robert Lamb]

I am a southpaw and Most of my Lambs Woolly Production kilts are left hand pleated.
I don't think I could pleat a kilt with right hand pleats any more.
The last kilt I made has double box pleats so I did got to do both in one kilt.
Some time ago I had asked about lefty pleats and someone mentioned that there might be less pleat wrinkling while getting into the seat of a left hand drive auto. Well I can say I have found that this is correct..

[sathor]

I am a southpaw and Most of my Lambs Woolly Production kilts are left hand pleated.
I don't think I could pleat a kilt with right hand pleats any more.
The last kilt I made has double box pleats so I did got to do both in one kilt.
Some time ago I had asked about lefty pleats and someone mentioned that there might be less pleat wrinkling while getting into the seat of a left hand drive auto. Well I can say I have found that this is correct..

hmmm.... that's an idea... I have though about when I can afford a high end of going with the box pleat, but I'm sure I will have a few more SWKs before I get that far.

[gilmore]

Maybe you are wearing it upside down?

That must be it.

I doubt anyone will notice, but wearing it the other way up will reverse the pleat dierction.

Anne the Pleater

I too doubt anyone but serious kilters would notice---and those who do would likely think that they had been drinking too much---or not enough.

The problem with wearing it the other way---or inside out---is that the pleats are sewn onto a band of horizontal material of a constrasting color at the waist that I don't think a belt could hide sufficiently. But thanks for the thought. I may be able to work something out like that.

[Phogfan86]

I bought a great kilt with the pleats sewn in at the waist for a few inches in length, but they are pleated to the left, in the reverse direction of all the other knife-pleated kilts I have seen.

If I wear it in public, will people think I am a transvestite?

No, but they may think you're Gaelic.