Knife vs Box Pleats

[Barb T]

If it's your first kilt, you're better off going with something where you can read good instructions (either 8-yard knife pleat or 4 yard box pleat). I wouldn't try a Kingussie if I hadn't made a kilt before.

I agree with everyone that you ought to try an 8 yard knife pleated kilt first, given the tartan that you have. Box pleated kilts are better in 16 oz.

BTW: the instructions for making a 4-yard box pleated kilt are not in the book. Here's the info for getting the instructions (free):
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/m...x.html?t=43498

[Dirk Skene]

Just me, but I prefer the knife pleats.

[Bart_In_A_Kilt]

I tremble and humbly bow at the feet of the kilt gods. The tartan is Stewart Black. I'm not making any decissions untill Barbs book arrives ( which should be any time now ). After a bit of a read, Im hoping that my questions won't be so dorky, and we'll have a mutual point of reference.

I would like to know more about this Fly Plaid mentioned in the earlier post.

[piperdbh]

A fly plaid is (usually) a square piece of tartan, (sometimes) fringed on all 4 sides, (sometimes) on 2 opposite sides, (sometimes) not fringed but purled on 2 or 4 sides. I'm using parentheses because not everyone agrees on fly plaids. The corner of the square is (usually) sewn into pleats, through which a brooch pins it to the left side of your coat, beside the lapel. A fly plaid should be a minimum of 40" square, which is why I said you'd have to sew two pieces together to make it wide enough.
Some people like fly plaids; some hate them. If you search this forum or Google, you'll see pictures which explain fly plaids better then I have here. If you ask opinions of them, the thread will run on for years.
I hope this helps.

[Kid Cossack]

I hasten to (humbly) point out that the choice isn't simply between box and knife pleats, there is also the question of yardage. While the commonly accepted shorthand is that a box pleated kilt will be somewhere on the order of four yards of material, and that the knife pleated kilt will be somewhere on the order of eight yards of material . . . that is simply "commonly accepted shorthand."

As counterexamples, I would offer up both the "double box" pleated kilt (as offered by Lady Chrystel) and the short yardage "casual" knife pleated kilts (as offered by many vendors).

There is no garment to my mind as formal and magnificent as the eight yard knife pleated hand sewn heavyweight kilt. It is indeed the "tank" as we have dubbed it here. (For me, the only thing that rivals it is the USMC dress blue blouse.) At the same time, my personal preference is for short yardage kilts, mostly for reasons of balance and weight.

Getting Barb T's book is a stellar decision for anyone interested in kilts. Her detailed, precise and well illustrated instructions on how the kilt is constructed will blow your mind. A simple twist of cloth has become, through a couple centuries of development and refinement, an engineering marvel. (And the supplement on box pleated kilts, co-authored with Matt Newsome, is likewise invaluable, and available for download on this site.)

It took me several attempts to work up my nerve to try sewing on actual, you know, quality worsted wool tartan. I was scared I would mess something up, frankly. But I quickly found that a quality cut of heavyweight wool is simply marvelous, easier and better to work with in every way than the cotton and poly materials I had used earlier. And remember---ripping out stitches is something everyone does.

I'm not a kilt maker . . . although I have hand sewn a couple of kilts that I really like. I find the hand-sewing to be therapeutic. I take my time and don't mind if I have to cut out stitches and redo them. Plus---and this is said with due apologies to all the kiltmaking artisans at this board----there is simply something special about wearing a kilt YOU SEWED YOURSELF.

I have custom kilts from Rocky at USAK, Matt Newsome, and Jeff from the sadly defunct Pittsburgh Kilts. All of them are better made (in every way) than my own handsewn kilts. Heck, even my off-the-rack Stillwaters are probably better sewn.

But there's just something about MY kilts (including a couple of my own, slightly heretical deviations from kilt orthodoxy) . . .

And I know nothing about fly plaids!

[Tim B]

I personally prefer box pleats. No scientific reason other than I think I look better in them. I really enjoy making kilts - box pleated as well as knife pleated - but just feel more comfortable when I wear a box. I'm new to being kilted but love wearing a kilt and HATE having to put on pants when decorum requires it. Choosing a box vs knife pleat is kinda like choosing between a single or double breasted suit coat - in the end it what feels good on you.

[Carolina Kiltman]

I personally prefer box pleats. No scientific reason other than I think I look better in them. I really enjoy making kilts - box pleated as well as knife pleated - but just feel more comfortable when I wear a box. I'm new to being kilted but love wearing a kilt and HATE having to put on pants when decorum requires it. Choosing a box vs knife pleat is kinda like choosing between a single or double breasted suit coat - in the end it what feels good on you.

And that sums it all up!

If you have that much yardage, you might want to consider a hostess or similar type of skirt (made something like a kilt, overlapping front aprons, but pleats are much shallower), for your SO.

My wife who has 40" hips, has two. Each skirt took about 3 1/3 yards. Then for a finishing touch, do a nice fringed shall from a square of the double/width fabric. She will look absolutely smashing, and make a wonderful kilt accessory to wear on your arm at the next formal ball.