Newbie Pipers Plaid project

[serenitylala]

Congrats on making your own kilt!

If you need extra guidance, this is the best book to buy. It's the one used in Elise Stuehmeyer kiltmaking workshops:

The Art of Kiltmaking

http://www.celticdragonpress.com/

[Nate Brown]

Congrats on making your own kilt!

If you need extra guidance, this is the best book to buy. It's the one used in Elise Stuehmeyer kiltmaking workshops:

The Art of Kiltmaking

http://www.celticdragonpress.com/

Yes, I purchased The Art of Kiltmaking before anything else.

[Nate Brown]

Here are a couple of pics of the completely basted Pipers Plaid.





I now have to wait for the Rowenta DG5030 to arrive, and then I can press the pleats into the plaid. Does anyone see any issues? At some areas of basting, the cloth is puckered a very tiny amount, that won't transfer through to the pressed pleat will it? Thanks for looking. Only 5 more of these to make!

[Elf]

At some areas of basting, the cloth is puckered a very tiny amount, that won't transfer through to the pressed pleat will it? Thanks for looking. Only 5 more of these to make!

First of all, good work. I was worried about the slight puckering in the basting when I made my first kilt too. As it turned out that was not a problem. With a good healthy wet press cloth, wool is amazingly pliable, squooshable, tolerant of working. Perhaps those slight puckers just shrunk themselves down to nothing and "went away". I'd be careful trying to push this theory to larger puckers however. Best wishes.

[Pleater]

When making kilts I find it easiest to put the creases in first, so I am working on just two layers of the fabric. With a heat reflecting surface on the ironing board the folds are really sharp.

Once creased I fold and secure the pleats, and as the fabric is already partly shaped it is easy to place them correctly.

As your plaid will have straight pleats, you can press the creases in on both sides all the way along.

Do press - as opposed to ironing. They are two different processes and should not be confused. Use 'Search' if you are not sure of the process.

I made a deliberate decision not to buy 'The Book' but to go with my own methods of working, just to maintain a tradition of 'boldly going', plus I am getting too old to be hammering in pleats through multiple layers of wool.

Divide and conquor still works.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Nate Brown]

Here's some more pics of the Pipers Plaid project in progress.


Plaid is basted, and ready to be steam pressed.


First 12 inches or so have been pressed using the DG5030 and a tailors clapper. I have never done this before, but it was fairly easy. I'm using a teflon ironing sole on the iron.


The whole plaid has been pressed, and the basting removed. Here I have marked the locations for the stitching.


My initial attempt at "purling".....not hard but tedious.




It's not tied properly, but here's a general ideal of how it will be worn.