box pleat call for help

[Ronusan]

It sounds like these all assume every pleat (for to-the-sett) will look identical on box-pleat. Is it possible to break up certain patterns over 2 or more pleats, like knife-pleating does, or is that why a large internal overlap of the hidden portion is required? I wish this thread had come up 2 or 3 weeks ago before I started my first box pleated kilt! These formulas are great!

[The Wizard of BC]

Thanks Matt. I knew it was a simple thing I just couldn't come up with it at the moment.
I had Logarithms running thru my mind. Can anyone say KISS?

[Erisianmonkey]

Thanks Matt. I knew it was a simple thing I just couldn't come up with it at the moment.
I had Logarithms running thru my mind. Can anyone say KISS?

OK. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Good advice for me when I work on this again today. Given that no one has challenged my math, I'm guessing that 1 1/16th" pleat depths aren't uncommon on box pleat kilts. Still a bit shallow for my taste, though. And considering I'm approximately the size of a small car, a 2 1/8th" box width may be too narrow to look good on my frame. I'm still trying to figure out the best way of getting the deep pleats made as well. I think when I start work on this later today, I'll start taking pics and see if I can't cobble together a pictorial of how I'm working out my problems as I go along.

Thanks for the help, guys.

[The Wizard of BC]

Well, 1 1/16" Pleat depth is perfect if your Sett is 9.75"

If you have a set amount of fabric and you are trying to get the deep pleats in try this. Fold your fabric in half and mark the center of your length. Then find the nearest prominent line that you will use for the apron center and start your box-pleats there. Then work left and right from back center. As you get near the ends mark out your aprons. Anything left over is your deep pleat.

[fluter]

It sounds like these all assume every pleat (for to-the-sett) will look identical on box-pleat. ...

I think we're working with every second pleat being identical (in the part of the sett that is showing. Thus we have half the sett on the outside of one pleat, a whole repeat concealed, and the other half on the next pleat. This gives Matt's 1.5 repeat divided by 3.

I freely admit that last night I was mumbling & counting on my fingers as I re-re-read MacWage's posting.

[MacWage]

Sorry Jamie.

I have the flu and am partially drugged. I meant nothing bad.

So, EurasianMonkey, how wide is the tartan center stripe to centerstripe?
Off the top of my head, I wonder how well that material will hold the pleating. I hope it will be fine.
Generally, I tend to like box pleats to stripe, though the MacNeil looks good either way and the USA Bicent. looks pretty good to sett.
Personally, I like boxes in the 2.5-3.5 range, though 4 works OK (just doesn't leave many boxes).

Here is my Wallace to stripe:

My X-Marks:

(I used the white stripe and a double repeat for a HUGE pleat.)
And Carolina:

To Sett:
USA Bicentennial:

(I just realized I have NO pictures of the back of my MacNeil of Barra!

[McFarkus]

Sorry Jamie.

I have the flu and am partially drugged. I meant nothing bad.

So, EurasianMonkey, how wide is the tartan center stripe to centerstripe?
Off the top of my head, I wonder how well that material will hold the pleating. I hope it will be fine.
Generally, I tend to like box pleats to stripe, though the MacNeil looks good either way and the USA Bicent. looks pretty good to sett.
Personally, I like boxes in the 2.5-3.5 range, though 4 works OK (just doesn't leave many boxes).

Wow! you've been busy. Family, hockey, and all these great-looking kilts plus the one you made for Turpin. When do you sleep?

Hope you feel better soon.

[McFarkus]

Sorry, Double post.

[MacWage]

Let's get back to topic. This is NOT about ME!

What is the center stripe to center stripe measurement of the Irish tartan?
For a lighter material, a larger box tends to "work" better, unless the while pleat edge is sewn down (like on the canvas and mixed-fiber kilts, like the X Kilts).

[Erisianmonkey]

Center stripe to center stripe is ~6.5". Now everything I've seen has said to divide that by three for the size of the box. That would mean 2.166666666..." as the box size, right? That would mean the depth of the pleat would be 1.0833333333...", near as I can figure.