Kingussie Kilt by Lady Chrystel

[Ancienne Alliance]

As promised, here are photos of Lady Chrystel's Kingussie kilt.





The fabric is a old and rare Culloden Muted tartan from House of Edgar.








Generally the Kingussie kilt uses from 4.5 to 5.5 metres of fabric and will contain 10 to 16 large pleats.








Being a modern person, influenced by the way kilts look today, Chrystel wanted to narrow down the pleats and add deep reversed pleats at the apron edges for a better fit.





The back centred box pleat would have to blend harmoniously with the knife pleats on each side.





Chrystel wanted to be able to pleat her Kingussie kilt to the sett as well as to the stripe, as much as possible.





At things evolved, it was becoming obvious this wasn't going to be a light weight, economical, sport like, casual kilt. Rather it was developing into a full bodied “8 yarder” , closer to the typical modern kilt most people know.







More to come...

[Ancienne Alliance]

Needless to say how proud Lady Chrystel is to present this new edition of the Kingussie Kilt, with modern shaped aprons ; a thin, slick central box pleat and 14 to 16 deep knife pleats fanning on each side!





The final test was to wear it for a full day... It turned out to be interesting in quite a few ways.





In the upright position, it provides a nicely balanced fit. The centre box pleat gives it a “slimming effect” in spite of the important yardage, which I confess I sort of like.




But the true revelation came whilst sitting down : Each knife pleat pushing outwardly on the other brought comfort, a feeling of security.

Merci Madame.


Best,

Robert

[cessna152towser]

Very nice indeed, one beautiful kilt there.

[Redshank]

now that is one fine looking kilt,

I very much like that

[Pleater]

Ah - I see - a central box pleat and then two overlapping knife pleats form the centre back, so that there are 7 layers - minimum.

That is a beautiful tartan, and a really lovely kilt.

It must do the opposite of my reverse Kingussies - which fan out when I sit down. (After sewing 20 or 30 yards of lace onto a kilt liner am I not going to show it off?) The Kingussie kilt must fold down like a bird's wings.

Anne the Pleater

[McClef]

Quelle un absoulement bel kilt!

[Jack Daw]

A joy to see the process in pictures. Thanks, Robert.

[KFCarter]

A very beautiful kilt. Once again, Lady Chrystel has created a work of art! Great pictures, too.

[OC Richard]

A gorgeous kilt! What a nice tartan! Culloden can be so garish, I'm glad Edgar produced a lovely muted version.

I also really like your choice of shirt and hose, which bring out the colours of the tartan nicely.

And that 18th century style sporran is very fitting indeed!

[Rollo]

Absolument fabuleux !!!