Pleated to the stripe

[Barb T]

I think it often depends on the tartan in question. Unless someone specifies one or the other, I pin up a chunk both ways and see which looks the sharpest. Some tartans are ghastly pleated to the stripe and others are blah pleated to the sett.

Cheers!

Barb

[Mike S]

I've got 9 yards of Sutherland Modern tartan (the tartan pictured in my avitar), and want to pleat it to the stripe. Would I chose the red stripes that are in the middle of the sett or the white stripes on the outside of the center sett to pleat to?

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Mike,

Though technically you should be able to pleat your kilt to any stripe you desire, it is usually much easier, and looks better, to use one of the pivot points. In your case, this could either be the red line, or the double white lines.

Mind you, I'm used to dealing with box-pleated kilts, where the pleats are much wider -- two inches, say, compared with maybe half an inch in the standard knife pleated kilts. The size of the pleat can also affect what looks good.

You can always just fold up a chunk of the tartan to whatever stripe you have in mind and get a "preview" of how it will look.

Aye,
Matt

[Mike S]

Cheers Matt, and thank you.

[beerbecue]

I've got 9 yards of Sutherland Modern tartan (the tartan pictured in my avitar), and want to pleat it to the stripe. Would I chose the red stripes that are in the middle of the sett or the white stripes on the outside of the center sett to pleat to?

From what I can see from your avatar, not only would the stripe be different, but the fields behind the stripes are vastly different, as well. Pleating to either stripe would create a vastly different look....

So, have you tried a test chunk, and if so, what stripe will you use??

[Jimmy Carbomb]

I think it often depends on the tartan in question. Unless someone specifies one or the other, I pin up a chunk both ways and see which looks the sharpest. Some tartans are ghastly pleated to the stripe and others are blah pleated to the sett.

Cheers!

Barb

Ain't THAT the truth!!!

It's also infinately easier to pleat to the stripe for a kilt maker. If you're going to try to make your first kilt... try doing it to the stripe. It will also cut off a LOAD of time in the kilt making process.

This is why I (personally) prefer to have ALL of my kilts pleated to sett. It's an art that's dying, and one that takes real talent to do correctly. I have traditionals that look like the pleats are a solid wall of tartan since the kilt makers took the time to work the taper and pleats the right way. I have a BearKilt in Cape Breton that is another PERFECT example of how a "pleated to the sett" should look. There are pictures that honestly look like I'm wearing a solid material wrap. What a thing of beauty!

I prefer to honor the designer of the tartan and maintain the meaning in the weave... but that's just me. I also know that I love the look of the "Leatherneck Tartan" with the sewn to the stripe look. That's just unreal!!!

All I ask is that a kilt does NOT have the pleats with horizontal striping. I've seen it too many times, and it looks like a "Where's Waldo" or "Freddie Kruger" garment!

[beerbecue]

All I ask is that a kilt does NOT have the pleats with horizontal striping. I've seen it too many times, and it looks like a "Where's Waldo" or "Freddie Kruger" garment!

In that case, Mike S. should choose the red stripe to pleat to, otherwise there will be a green/black/green/black horizontal pattern if pleated to the double white stripes....

I agree, pleating to the sett is much more difficult - that's why I will be ordering and buying my kilts pleated to the sett - I am all fine and dandy doing them to stripe myself.... I started laying one out to sett, and it gave me too much of a headache!!!

[chasem]

All I ask is that a kilt does NOT have the pleats with horizontal striping. I've seen it too many times, and it looks like a "Where's Waldo" or "Freddie Kruger" garment!

Not sure what you're describing here, Jimmy. Can't quite picture it. Have any examples?

[beerbecue]

Jimmy and Chasem, Would it be something like this??

http://www.macgregorandmacduff.co.uk...iltpleats1.jpg

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Mike is going to have the same pattern in the horizontal of the kilt no matter how he pleats it. That's just the way it works. :-)

What I think Jimmy is talking about is a kilt pleated, not to a line, but to a solid color. That picture of the MacGregor kilt that beerbeque posted is not an example of this. It is pleated to the white line. Now, imagine that kilt pleated to the solid red block. You would not see *any* vertical stripes on the back of the kilt. All you would see is the horizontal pattern of the sett.

So, the same pattern is always there in the horizontal. It's just if you choose a solid color to pleat to, rather than a stripe, it stands out all the more.

I don't agree with Jimmy 100%. Pleating this way can look good. Again, it all depends on the tartan. Pleating this way is *very* unusual, though, so you will have a different looking kilt.

I, personally, favor pleating to the stripe, just because I think it looks better. All my kilts are pleated that way.

Aye,
Matt