[Hothir Ethelnor]

I'm not sure whether to post this here or over in DIY but I thought I'd start it here.

I am making a Maple Leaf tartan PV tank and I decided to pleat it to the sett. (since there wasn't a nice thin stripe at the turn of the pattern.)

I already have one set of pleats done and am back to where I started. (in the pattern that is.)

I am sewing it by machine but basting each pleat in place before doing so. I have found that a very small zigzag is close to hand-stitching although not quite as invisible.

Each pleat is 1" at the hips and tapers to 3/4" at the waist.

Besides using a machine to stitch the pleats and not having an outside left apron buckle I am following the Art of Kiltmaking.

pics.

The apron edge and the first pleat basted and sewn.



Progress...



The fell at the waist. I have been using safety pins to mark the center of each pleat and making the chalk markings as I go along.



The fell at the hips. I decided on future kilts with traditional shaped aprons to hand stitch the apron as it is difficult in the extreme to match a curve with a straight-ish line while running the fabric through a machine.

[NorCalPiper]

Nice!

[ccga3359]

Looking great so far and on a difficult tartan. Thank you for taking the time and to honour. It will be a beautiful kilt. Now if you on the NE side of the state you are more than welcome to show it off a a SOKS kilt night.

[Hothir Ethelnor]

I'm on the NW side of the state...

What is SOKS kilt night?

[ccga3359]

Southern Ontario Kilt Society whereas the Maple Leaf tartan is the unoffcial Official tartan. We generally get together about an hour and a bit north the NY/Ontario border but have moved around from Toronto to Niagara. Kilts, beer and me trying to get kilt checked = good times.

[Barb T.]

See this thread under DIY for lots of discussion about pleating the Maple Leaf:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/p...493/index.html

[Hothir Ethelnor]

Thanks, I looked at that right after ordering the tartan (I hadn't at that point known that it was asymmetrical...) I figured since I would be hemming it any way (PolyViscose without a selvage...) and the sett is small I wouldn't have problems, and it's turned out pretty good.

I'll post some more pics when the entire fell is sewn down.

[Hothir Ethelnor]

And here are some more pictures.

I finished sewing the pleats and I am half done basting them I also hemmed the bottom of the kilt.

[nh_maclean]

looks good!

[jhockin]

Originally Posted by Hothir Ethelnor

I am sewing it by machine but basting each pleat in place before doing so. I have found that a very small zigzag is close to hand-stitching although not quite as invisible.


Besides using a machine to stitch the pleats and not having an outside left apron buckle I am following the Art of Kiltmaking.

So, did you cut out the extra material, from the back of the pleats, before sewing the fell?