pleating to the sett & the elements of the sett - Do I have this right?

[The Wizard of BC]

Just a question.

Are all your pleats the same width of reveal?

It looks from your pictures that you stuck strictly to the elements and did not attempt to keep the pleats all the same size.

If this is indeed true then this would be incorrect.

You can fudge on where the pleat crease is in an element to keep the pleat width all the same. In an extreme case like Maple Leaf you can even fudge on the total sett if you have to. The finished pleating may not line up perfectly with an un-pleated section of fabric.

The thing you should look out for when picking where the pleat crease will be is to avoid having an element that will disappear when you taper.

The Maple Leaf Tartan would not be my first choice to give to a first time kiltmaker. But if you can do the Maple Leaf you can do almost any Tartan.


BTW, did you remember that the Maple Leaf Tartan is asymmetrical and allow for a hem in the other piece?

[jhockin]

Steve ( wow! that was quick! thanks!):

(quote: "Are all your pleats the same width of reveal?
It looks from your pictures that you stuck strictly to the elements and did not attempt to keep the pleats all the same size.")
- Yes, you are right, the reveal DOES differ ( as I think i mentioned, in my post?), as I DID stick to 'the elements - however, there will be no taper ( for now - I live in hope of regaining my once 'boyish figure", or at least some of it; so I plan to NOT cut out the inside of a couple of the pleats, either side of the back - for (hopefully) future alterations (to smaller waist).

(quote:" BTW, did you remember that the Maple Leaf Tartan is asymmetrical and allow for a hem in the other piece?")
- NO, I didn't "remember" ( since i didn't know - but it does explain some of the time & trouble I had doing test pleats) that it is an asymetrical tartan ... back to the 'drawing board', i guess

(quote: "The Maple Leaf Tartan would not be my first choice to give to a first time kiltmaker. But if you can do the Maple Leaf you can do almost any Tartan.")
- I LOVE a challenge! ( and a warm winter kilt!

[jhockin]

You can fudge on where the pleat crease is in an element to keep the pleat width all the same. In an extreme case like Maple Leaf you can even fudge on the total sett if you have to. The finished pleating may not line up perfectly with an un-pleated section of fabric.

The thing you should look out for when picking where the pleat crease will be is to avoid having an element that will disappear when you taper.

OK, so I've marked out the pleats, and (only just) started sewing (the first) pleat. I saw, while marking the pleats, what the Wizard and Barb mean about a challenge. I had to keep adjusting the pleat marks to keep stripes from disappearing, in the fell. It looks like I'll have to keep the tape measure at hand, along with a pad of paper, to keep track of my "fudging", so that I don't end up with the fell too big or too small, or strange angles on one side of a pleat, stripes from disappearing part-way up the fell, stripes centered all the way, (etc., etc.), and still keep the pleats the same ( or, at least almost the same) across the fell.
This is one of those times when it would be so handy to have a couple of extra arms & hands!

[Barb T]

Advice that is not in the book - use lots of pins. That little piece of advice is not in the book, because my co-author is absolutely rabid about not pinning. But I find that, if I pin, I make better pleats and don't wind up taking out half of them. And I can stitch 5-6 pleats an hour even with pinning, so I don't buy Elsie's argument that pinning slows you down.

[jhockin]

Barb (& thanks again) yes, I DO use more pins! I also found some of those 'extra hands", I was wishing for ( we'll haveta see how well it turns out):


the idea occurred to me, and I thought I'd give it a try! Using a 16"diameter embroidery hoop


By the way, Barb, I keep forgetting to ask: why do we wax the thread, for stitching the pleats? The book doesn't say; to reduce snarls?

[jhockin]

well ... using an embroidery hoop was NOT a good idea! Had to ripp out all those stitched (grrrrr!)

[vorpallemur]

Advice that is not in the book - use lots of pins. That little piece of advice is not in the book, because my co-author is absolutely rabid about not pinning. But I find that, if I pin, I make better pleats and don't wind up taking out half of them. And I can stitch 5-6 pleats an hour even with pinning, so I don't buy Elsie's argument that pinning slows you down.

Pins certainly slow me down when sewing anything else. I've not yet done a kilt to the methods in the book, but I'd expect they'd slow me down there, too. I use them when I want to look at how something will look and for hemming and the like, but not during actual sewing.

One thing I'm surprised the book doesn't suggest is using pre-waxed thread. You can get it in a skein, instead a spool. cut it at one end, and you've got a bunch of thread all the same length, of the right length. Saves a heck of lot of time.