Pleat to stripe or sett

**big davy** · 10th December 09, 06:11 AM

Hi to you all,
I am thinking about having a kilt made.
And was just wondering if i should have it pleated to the stripe or sett,my own preference is to the stripe,
I intend to have it made in my family tartan "Inglis".
Does the size of the check make any difference on how the kilt will look ie the size the pleats will have to be in order to pleat it to a stripe.or would i be better off just pleating it to the sett.

Here is the tartan i intend to use it is Inglis modern

**RockyR** · 10th December 09, 06:29 AM

I use the 'Christmas tree method' when deciding whether something will look good pleated to the stripe.

You know how you fix lights on an Xmas tree by squinting at the tree while lit to see where there are too many or loo few lights? Do the same here...

Squint at the cloth. If a particular stripe really jumps out at you, it would look good pleated to that stripe. If nothing really jumps out by itself, it would probably look better pleated to sett.

In the case of the tartan above, the white and / or yellow jump out at me. I would pleat it to one of those 2 if pleating to the stripe. If you pleat to something a different stripe, you'll have the 'lawn chair effect' of horizontal stripes.

**Tobus** · 10th December 09, 06:34 AM

Does the size of the check make any difference on how the kilt will look ie the size the pleats will have to be in order to pleat it to a stripe.

It depends on how much of the stripe (and which stripe) you want to show. Looking at your tartan (and not knowing how wide the sett is), if you pleat to, say, the yellow stripe, you may or may not get the red stripes visible on the outside of the pleats. You could go with wider pleats so the red is seen. Or center the white stripe on the pleats.

The cool thing about pleating to the stripe is that you can enhance a certain color over others. If you pleat to the yellow stripe, the sides and back of your kilt will take on a darker look. While if you pleat to the white stripe, it will enhance the green color (the blacks and reds and yellows will mostly be hidden).

Personally, I like the look of being pleated to the stripe because it plays a visual trick. When you move, kneel, or do anything to open the pleats up, colors come popping out and it catches the eye. Plus it makes the front apron (where all the colors are visible) stand out differently. Pleating to the stripe just seems to make a kilt more interesting to me.

Pleating to the sett makes the whole kilt look the same all the way around and you don't get any 'dazzle' when you move. Or, I should say, the only 'dazzle' is the swish of the fabric itself, not necessarily any hidden bits of color showing themselves.

**big davy** · 10th December 09, 06:54 AM

Thanks for all the advice.
Pleating to the stripe it is
It was a choice between Inglis tartan and Black Watch tartan as my grandad was in the Black Watch,but loads of people wear Black Watch tartan and it would be nice to wear something a bit different.
By the way i am scottish but live in London

**bricelythgoe** · 10th December 09, 07:30 AM

I don't have such a methodical method for choosing stripe or sett. I already have a one pleated to the sett, so my new one coming from Norcalpiper is going to be pleated to the stripe.

Brice

**dfmacliam** · 10th December 09, 08:10 AM

I am not the expert that Rocky is, by no means, but honestly, I like pleating to the sett. I like the way the sett shows all the way around.. Sometimes I feel the stripe changes the dynamics of the tartan... not a bad thing, it can bring out colors you wish to accentuate. Like I said, I am no expert, it's only my preference.. and since you are asking for opinions, this is mine.

LOL by the way, since my Leatherneck is a 4 yd box pleat, it's pleated to the stripe (as it should be) and I like it a lot..lol but refering to a knife pleat kilt.. I normally like pleating to the sett, as long as it's pleasing to the eye, and feasible.

Reguardless how you choose, you will have a very nice kilt.

**RockyR** · 10th December 09, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by peacekeeper83

I am not the expert that Rocky is, by no means, but honestly, I like pleating to the sett. I like the way the sett shows all the way around.. Sometimes I feel the stripe changes the dynamics of the tartan... not a bad thing, it can bring out colors you wish to accentuate. Like I said, I am no expert, it's only my preference.. and since you are asking for opinions, this is mine.

LOL by the way, since my Leatherneck is a 4 yd box pleat, it's pleated to the stripe (as it should be) and I like it a lot..lol but refering to a knife pleat kilt.. I normally like pleating to the sett, as long as it's pleasing to the eye, and feasible.

Reguardless how you choose, you will have a very nice kilt.

Everyone has a differing opinion on it and that's completely fine!

ALL tartans look good pleated to the sett... some just lend themselves to being pleated to the stripe as well.

**Highlander31** · 10th December 09, 10:08 AM

I don't think I can add much to the above. Look forward to seeing which way you pick.

BTW. Welcome to the forum.

**piperdbh** · 10th December 09, 10:12 AM

I'd suggest knife-pleating to the white stripe. That will hide the red and yellow until you move, causing those colors to "flash", as has been mentioned already.
Kingussie pleats with the red section centered would like nice, as well.
Who's going to make this kilt?

**big davy** · 10th December 09, 12:11 PM

I am thinking of having it made by the www.thekiltcompany.com
there seems to be endless kilt makers out there and i suppose one is much the same as another,
the reason i chose them is because i asked a couple of different places a few questions and the came back with the answers asap so i thought i would choose them.