x kilt

[gothmog]

I'm making my first x kilt. Gotten fairly far with it, but now I have a question. I'm bar tacking my pleats. In the instructions, it says that when you get to the first/last pleat, just tack the one edge down for appearance. OK, no problem. Question is, should I fold them straight down and sew, or iron a bit of a pleat under like the others? Thanks. Also, just for giggles, hich way should I have sewn the pleats? Across, or down? I sewed down, using a zig zag, with it hitting both pleats. Thanks!

[sydnie7]

I'm afraid I don't understand your first question.

As for bar tacking, doesn't really matter if it is vertical or horizontal -- as long as it does the job of reinforcing that point where the pleats cease to be open and commence being sewn down. Vertical probably looks better (more in line with the vertical nature of pleats) but horizontal does the job too, if you don't feel like wadding all that material into the machine to get to center back pleats.

(I know, the material can be neatly rolled up vs. wadding, but I'm painting a word picture here -- artistic license!)

[gothmog]

First question, re worded, hopefully.

I have bar tacked all the pleats, where two of them meet. On the first and last pleats, there is not another next to it. The instruction state "when you get to the first/last pleat edges, ........., there won't be another pleat to attach it to. I mean, you're at the EDGE, right? For appearances sake, just bar tack the one edge down, as written above. That way they all look the same."

So, do I just fold them straight down where they are sewn, or pull a little under pleat and iron, like all the other pleats, with maybe half the depth of the others? The other pleats had 5" between them, so pull something like 2.5" under to fold and give the first and last depth? Thanks, hopefully that makes sense.

[gothmog]

Oh, and for clarification, does it matter if you iron the pleats from waist to hem, or just to fell? Pics looked like just to fell, and with not marking any higher than that thats what I did.

[gothmog]

Bump. I'm at a standstill waiting for an answer. Thanks!

[Tartan Tess]

Hang in there.
Usually Alan (The creator; pipes in and he can pick it up from one word....)
but it is Highland Games season and he is an athlete, so maybe traveling

[gothmog]

Roger. Not trying to come off impatient, but its just sitting on the table, mocking me. Can't wait to wear one I made myself! Thanks










And, cool. Never seen any of the games around here. I need to try and find an event at least somewhat locally.

[plaid preacher]

So, do I just fold them straight down where they are sewn, or pull a little under pleat and iron, like all the other pleats, with maybe half the depth of the others? The other pleats had 5" between them, so pull something like 2.5" under to fold and give the first and last depth? Thanks, hopefully that makes sense.

I'll try this one. Across the back you have your 9 or 10 or however many standard pleats, which you have done. At the end of your pleats you have one edge that doesn't get tacked to its neighbouring pleats because there isn't one -- but the edges of your over-apron should line up with these two edges, just as if there was a pleat. On both sides at this transition there is a big apron pleat that extends toward the back in one direction and under the apron on the other. (hope that makes sense). Here is a link to my thread which includes I think a discussion on that very point and a nice picture courtesy of Sydnie of the apron under-pleat. Good luck! Oh ... and all the pleats are stitched waist to hem, as per the instructions, right? If so then there is your "pressing question handled, I think. You should have pressed them way back when as you were measuring and sewing your pleats.

[gothmog]

OK, I think I have a handle on it. At least, I'm gonna press forward and hope I'm right. Thanks for your post. I read it, then found the old post of yours you mentioned and read it a few times. After that, I went and stared at my kilt-in-the-making for a while, probably drooled a little, made faces, and scratched a few things. I think I have it now. I'm planning on just folding my 1st and last pleats straght down at the seam, not folding anything under, and tacking them down. Then after that I'll fold the under apron pleat in and fix the bottom so it doesnt hang out under the bottom of the apron, and sew the under apron pleat edge down as well. Now, I have a different question. Looking at appendix 1 to the left of the drawing, just right of the 16" under apron, is a 3" section before 1st pleat. The description under it says front facing, inner fold of last pleat. Does that fold under the last 3" pleat, or the under apron? thanks again!

[gothmog]

Gues I should have said I think I have half of it figured out, the right side of the drawing. Still fuzzy on the left. This makes my head hurt, and my whiskey supply dwindle...