Best way to sew a Great Kilt?

[Orvis]

I would have to disagree on the Army blanket weight, its really more like modern 18oz cloth. Earlier this year I made a joined plaid from a special run of slightly wider than single width cloth that Issac Walters had made. I used a normal back stitch to join the pieces. I also following the information in Peter's paper on the Geo IV'th joined plaid put in a drawstring. Im quite happy with it. The draw string loops were made with some of the Inch wide wool twill tape that Wydean makes, and in the same green like what you see some MOD Kilts finished off on the top.

A great kilt is never going to look like a modern kilt, and the pleats will most likely be covered by the back draping of the plaid, so they are not the design element that they have become in the modern garment.

I've joined a couple of plaids from 18th c.-style off-set tartan obtained through Peter. Although original 18th c. plaids were joined with various types of thread (linen and the like), I've found that that it's best to join your plaid with yarns stripped off one end - the "stretch" of the yarns will allow them to hold the plaid together without ripping the cloth. I always used a blunt-pointed needle to avoid cutting any yarns in the tartan. Then, I counted two or three threads in from the selvedge and inserted the threaded needle, put the needle through the tartan, then counted up two or three threads and insert the needle through other piece of cloth, &c. Once you get the hand of it, it'll take you about four or five hours to join your plaid. The ends of the plaid can simply be folded under and tacked down, as they did it in the 18th c. Then you add your drawstring and voila!

My experience wearing belted plaids for reenactments is that for wear in the hot, humid summer weather, you might want light-weight cloth, with heavier cloth for cold weather. As has been noted above, you don't need to get precise pleats for a belted plaid - they are more properly called folds. But they give one the freedom to move around, and the upper part, when worn as a cloak in cold, windy or rainy weather, really does fulfill its function and keep one warm.