A little help box pleating please? :)

[keepoffgrass]

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've started working on a 4 yard box pleated kilt, out of a piece of light green tweed. I have the kilt pretty much laid out. I have my lines drawn, a couple of the pleats basted in to the fell. I have my over apron drawn out to the specks in Barbs book. I've figured out my taper and all of that.
I'm wondering about a few things though...Attaching the over apron to the first pleat, the under apron to the last pleat. Is making the apron the same process as is on a knife pleated kilt ? How far down to you stitch on the apron? All the way down the fell or do you stop short? Also placement of the buckles. How do you guys do it? Where do you place the hole for the belt on the left side? And with less material in the back of the kilt, is it still a good idea to cut away the excess and line it with canvas?

Heres what I have so far... measured in metric (mostly) to keep the math easier.
I have a waist of 105 cm
hips are 116 cm
length of 24 inches.
length of fell as 8 inches

my split at the waist is Apron 53 cm Pleats 52cm
my split at the hip is Apron 56cm Pleats 60cm

I have 8 pleats, the pleat size at the waist is 6.5cm and the pleat size at the hips is 7.5cm.

I may be totally off my rocker here with the layout and my math, so if I'm messed up big time, one or two or three of you pros in here, feel free to chime in and tell me if I'm going about it all wrong.

Thanks for the help guys :-D

[Barb T]

Fell should be the same proportions as a knife-pleated kilt, and the apron edge should be stitched to the bottom of the fell.

When you're laying the kilt out, remember that the first pleat will be a box pleat (i.e, will have both a fold under the apron edge and a fold the other way). Just be sure to leave enough material.

I just posted the following under another thread. To stitch box pleats:
-Hold the kilt with the top edge to your left, and the apron in your lap. Baste the apron edge.
-Locate where the center of the first pleat will be, and measure half the pleat width at the waist and hips toward you (toward the apron edge). Line the basted apron edge up with the marks you've just made, and hand stitch through _one thickness_ of the pleat using a blind stitch (a very closely-spaced hem stitch).
-Locate the center of the first pleat again, and measure half the pleat width at the waist and hips away from you, and fold the edge of the first pleat (this doesn't need to be basted).
-Locate the center of the next pleat, measure half the pleat width toward you, line the folded edge of the first pleat up with the marks, and stitch through one thickness.

If you've made a trad kilt before, it's the same thing that you do for the very last pleat when you stitch it to the underapron. It differs from stitching the other pleats in a trad kilt because, for all of the other pleats, you fold the next pleat and stitch through two thickness of the next pleat.

Anyway, once you've worked your way across the back of the kilt, you just turn the kilt over and make boxes out of each of the loops of fabric instead of folding them all one way. If this is confusing, just let me know, and I'll try to explain again.

Matt puts the buckle for the underapron strap on the inside so that he doesn't need a buttonhole. I've made box pleated kilts both ways. When I've put in a buttonhole, I've put it in after the first pleat. See photo below (ignore the text on the photo - I did that for another post).

And no, you don't cut out the pleats in the back. I just put canvas interfacing over the existing fabric and lining over that.

Gotta run and catch a plane. I'll check your math later!

[keepoffgrass]

Fell should be the same proportions as a knife-pleated kilt, and the apron edge should be stitched to the bottom of the fell.

When you're laying the kilt out, remember that the first pleat will be a box pleat (i.e, will have both a fold under the apron edge and a fold the other way). Just be sure to leave enough material.

I just posted the following under another thread. To stitch box pleats:
-Hold the kilt with the top edge to your left, and the apron in your lap. Baste the apron edge.
-Locate where the center of the first pleat will be, and measure half the pleat width at the waist and hips toward you (toward the apron edge). Line the basted apron edge up with the marks you've just made, and hand stitch through _one thickness_ of the pleat using a blind stitch (a very closely-spaced hem stitch).
-Locate the center of the first pleat again, and measure half the pleat width at the waist and hips away from you, and fold the edge of the first pleat (this doesn't need to be basted).
-Locate the center of the next pleat, measure half the pleat width toward you, line the folded edge of the first pleat up with the marks, and stitch through one thickness.

If you've made a trad kilt before, it's the same thing that you do for the very last pleat when you stitch it to the underapron. It differs from stitching the other pleats in a trad kilt because, for all of the other pleats, you fold the next pleat and stitch through two thickness of the next pleat.

Anyway, once you've worked your way across the back of the kilt, you just turn the kilt over and make boxes out of each of the loops of fabric instead of folding them all one way. If this is confusing, just let me know, and I'll try to explain again.

Matt puts the buckle for the underapron strap on the inside so that he doesn't need a buttonhole. I've made box pleated kilts both ways. When I've put in a buttonhole, I've put it in after the first pleat. See photo below (ignore the text on the photo - I did that for another post).

And no, you don't cut out the pleats in the back. I just put canvas interfacing over the existing fabric and lining over that.

Gotta run and catch a plane. I'll check your math later!

Thanks Barb! You're the best!

[keepoffgrass]

oh, one more question.... anyone know where I can get the belts and buckles? we dont have any leather shops over here, and I dont have any leather tools, so if someone has just simple sets for kilts, or you know where to find them, that would be great. I know Stillwater was or is saling them, but Im not a real big fan of those ones, they seem a little to wide and thin. I'd like something like you would see on a nice, well constucted kilt. Any ideas?

[way2fractious]

I know Stillwater was or is selling them, but Im not a real big fan of those ones, they seem a little to wide and thin.

There is nothing at all wrong with the Stillwater straps and buckles. They are fine quality, so much better than some I've seen on old military kilts, or Ebay specials, and such.

If you truly prefer narrower straps made from thicker leather, then thrift stores (belts, boots, purses, women's kilted skirts, etc.) or mail order houses such Tandy/Leather Factory may be sources for you to cut your own.

w2f

[Barb T]

Best sources for buckles and straps for kilts is Highland Xpress in Las Vegas. Their URL is

http://www.highlandxpress.com/

and they are very prompt about shipping orders.

[keepoffgrass]

There is nothing at all wrong with the Stillwater straps and buckles. They are fine quality, so much better than some I've seen on old military kilts, or Ebay specials, and such.

If you truly prefer narrower straps made from thicker leather, then thrift stores (belts, boots, purses, women's kilted skirts, etc.) or mail order houses such Tandy/Leather Factory may be sources for you to cut your own.

w2f

I have a stillwater heavy weight, I love the kilt, its great for the money, but I dont care for the straps. The qualities ok, just not great. I want something a little thicker and narrower. thats all. No insult to Jerry or his kilts. I love um, just not what Im lookin for. thanks for the suggestions too I'll look into those.

[keepoffgrass]

Best sources for buckles and straps for kilts is Highland Xpress in Las Vegas. Their URL is

http://www.highlandxpress.com/

and they are very prompt about shipping orders.

Thanks again Barb! As I said, you're the best! I'm still holding onto that piece of tartan I want you to turn into one of your works of art for me, times are a little tight right now tho, thats why i haven't sent it your way yet. One of these days tho :-D