Farquharson tartan/pleats help

**Kiltsnquilts** · 23rd July 20, 06:44 PM

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

**The Wizard of BC** · 23rd July 20, 10:08 PM

As the Farquarson Tartan has a base of Black Watch with red and yellow overcheck - may I ask what the Sett size is of the fabric you have?

And may I also ask what size pleat reveal you would like to go for?

**Kiltsnquilts** · 26th July 20, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by The Wizard of BC

As the Farquarson Tartan has a base of Black Watch with red and yellow overcheck - may I ask what the Sett size is of the fabric you have?

And may I also ask what size pleat reveal you would like to go for?

The sett size is 30cm and it's an asymmetrical tartan. Not sure what you mean about pleat reveal? Doesn't that depend on how many pleats there are? I would prefer to not go below 24 pleats but I can only get 21 out of this by back pleating when marking out.

It is a fairly small kilt for a teenager so the pleated area at the seat will measure 45cm with 35cm at the waist. (17.75" Seat and 13.75" waist)

**Pleater** · 27th July 20, 12:36 AM

You seem to have given yourself a difficult task pleating to the set - I can only suggest cheating wherever possible so as to give an impression of the set but at smaller intervals than the actual repeat.

Anne the Pleater

**Kiltsnquilts** · 27th July 20, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Pleater

I can only suggest cheating wherever possible so as to give an impression of the set but at smaller intervals than the actual repeat.

Anne the Pleater

Yes that is my intention but I just wondered if anyone had any other suggestions. I can achieve 21 pleats by back pleating but will probably substitute (what you call cheating lol) to get more.

My customer wants it pleated to sett so I will do my best to give them what they want.

**Katia** · 28th July 20, 06:06 PM

I wonder if you might be able to get advice from someone who makes dancers' kilts. They tend to be pleated to the sett, and are also made for some pretty small kids.

**Kiltsnquilts** · 28th July 20, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by Katia

I wonder if you might be able to get advice from someone who makes dancers' kilts. They tend to be pleated to the sett, and are also made for some pretty small kids.

Haha I make dancers kilts too......I think I have it sussed though, just having a brain fade moment ;-) I rarely pleat to stripe but the last 12 kilts I have made have been for a pipe band and all pleated to stripe so I just needed to get that out of my head :-)

**The Wizard of BC** · 28th July 20, 08:37 PM

Not sure what you mean about pleat reveal?

Pleat reveal refers to that portion of the pleat that is exposed. The part that you see.

This is to separate that part of the pleat from the "Pleat depth" which you do not see.

The average pleat reveal on a kilt - AKA TAoK - is between 5/8 inch and 7/8 inch.

With a hip circumference of 17.17 inches (which is amazingly tiny) you would probably have between 20 and 24 pleats.
If the reveal were 1 inch you would have 18 pleats.

**Kiltsnquilts** · 28th July 20, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by The Wizard of BC

Pleat reveal refers to that portion of the pleat that is exposed. The part that you see.

This is to separate that part of the pleat from the "Pleat depth" which you do not see.

The average pleat reveal on a kilt - AKA TAoK - is between 5/8 inch and 7/8 inch.

With a hip circumference of 17.17 inches (which is amazingly tiny) you would probably have between 20 and 24 pleats.
If the reveal were 1 inch you would have 18 pleats.

I don't know what AKA TAoK means and we obviously have different terms for things as far as making kilts goes....but there isn't really an average size for a pleat. That is dependant on the size of the wearer and how many pleats the sett size allows. I have just made Mackenzie kilts for a pipe band with about 31 pleats on each - the size of those pleats varies depending on the size of the person wearing it.

The kilt is for a 13 year old boy so yes it is small - although not the smallest I have made.

**The Wizard of BC** · 29th July 20, 01:31 AM

Ah, I forgot that you are Keith School trained.

AKA TAoK means In Accordance With "The Art of Kiltmaking".

This is a bit different as it is the method taught at Gordon & Son's where Elsie Stuehmeyer began her 5 year apprenticeship in 1949.
Elsie taught kiltmaking all over the world but sadly is now retired.

But Barb Tewksbury took Elsie's course. Twice. And then wrote "The Art of Kiltmaking".