Box
pleated kilts made from four yards of cloth, in the style of the late eighteenth
and early nineteenth centuries.
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Some Details regarding Construction of our Kilts
To answer some common questions, here are some details about the construction of the kilts I offer. If you have any questions about the kilts that are not covered here, please just ask. Note: this is the way my kilts are normally made. As each one is custom made, if you have any special requests, just ask. The worst that could happen is that I might say no! If at all possible, I will try to accommodate your needs.
Typically, my kilts are made of 100% worsted Scottish wool, twill weave, in a medium or heavy kilting weight. This is the same cloth that any kilt you purchase from a reputable Scottish kilt maker will be made from. I also offer kilts in a variety of Scottish tweeds, of a suitable kilting weight. Kilts can be made from any cloth, as long as it is of a suitable weight and will hold a pleat well. (But nothing, in my opinion, beats a good heavy worsted wool for look, feel, and durability).
My kilts are made using an average of four yards of cloth. The actual amount of cloth in any particular kilt is dependant upon both the size of the gentleman it is being made for, and the size of the repeat of the sett of the tartan. Four yards is the average, but your kilt may have slightly more or less. If your kilt is being made from double width cloth (which is most common), there will be a hidden seam where the two cut widths of cloth are joined together. This seam is hidden inside the center pleat and will not be seen. This is commonly done by all kilt makers today when double width cloth is used.
Your kilt will be box pleated, just as the original tailored kilts of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century were. Modern kilts are almost always knife pleated (also called side pleated). This means that the pleats all run in the same direction. A box pleated kilt has pleats that lie in alternating opposite directions, so that each pair of pleats forms a little "box" (hence the name).
A knife pleated kilt, seen from the bottom.
A box pleated kilt, seen from the bottom.
Traditional box pleats compared to contemporary knife pleats. These two kilts are both made from the same tartan (Moffat), woven by the same woolen mill (Lochcarron of Scotland). The kilt to the right is a typical 8-yard knife pleated kilt, made by Lochcarron's own kilt makers. The kilt on the left is a 4-yard box pleated kilt made by this kilt maker.
Sometimes people want to know how wide their box pleats will be, or how many pleats will be in their kilt. Each kilt is a bit different. The width and number of the pleats will depend largely upon two factors: the size of the man the kilt is made for, and the size of the sett of the tartan. The only answer I can give is that your kilt will have the right number and width of pleats for your size and tartan.
Though made in an historic style of pleating, my kilts do have some modern conveniences. I line my kilts with 100% natural silk cloth. Early kilts had no lining. My kilts are tapered from the waist to the hips, to allow for a better fit. The first tailored kilts were not tapered. My kilts have a waist band. Early kilts, made from hand woven cloth that was typically 25" wide, were made selvedge-to-selvedge and so did not need a waist band. My kilts are fastened with leather straps and buckles. Early kilts were held on only with the belt, or with pins. Later, some had buttons or ribbon ties. (If it is your desire to have a kilt made with no lining, with no tapering, or with no fastenings, I will be glad to accommodate you).
The inside of a four-yard box pleated kilt.
A note about straps and buckles: Most modern kilts you see today have three; one on the left hip, and two on the right hip. My kilts only have two, one on either side. Why? Because the lower strap on the right hip is completely superfluous, and can, in fact, cause the kilt to pull across the apron and not fit properly. So why do other kilt makers use it? It began in the military, where kilts used to have a very high rise above the waist, sometimes as much as four inches. Kilts were held on with pins; one at the waist, and a second one up at the top of the rise. When leather straps replaced the pins, two were used on the outside apron; one at the waist, and one higher up at the top of the rise. When civilian kilts adopted this style, since they are typically made with only a two inch rise, the upper strap was at the waist, and the lower strap was placed down on the hip, where it served absolutely no purpose. So I leave it off, and have never missed it.
I put no fringe on the apron edge, as the earliest tailored kilts did not have a fringe, and it serves no real purpose. I also do not put on belt loops, as they likewise have no real purpose. If you absolutely have to have belt loops, I can add them, but most never miss them.
Just about all four-yard box pleated kilts I make will be pleated to the stripe. This was the original style of the first tailored military kilts, and was adopted fairly soon by civilian kilts, as well. The original tailored civilian kilts were pleated to nothing ― that is, to no particular pattern. I can certainly pleat your kilt to nothing if you request. Pleating to the sett is a style that developed very late in the nineteenth century, and usually requires the greater amount of cloth that was being used at that time. Certain tartans can be pleated to the sett in a four-yard kilt, but most of this time this cannot be done.
Each kilt is completely hand made, with all stitching being done by hand, by myself. You are getting an entirely hand crafted garment, that, properly cared for, should last you a lifetime and beyond. These kilts are modeled after box pleated kilts in the Scottish Tartans Museum that are 200 years old, and still in wearable condition. There is no reason your kilt could not be worn by your grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and beyond. |
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All content ©2005-2008 Matthew A. C. Newsome Albanach.org | The Scottish Tartans Museum | District-Tartans.com Member of the Scottish Tartans Authority
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I
also attach the strap and buckle on the inside apron (the left hip) differently
than most. The fastening is completely on the inside of the kilt, so there
is no hole cut into the cloth. This is done by attaching the buckle to the
edge of the inner apron, and attaching the strap to the inside of the kilt.
This method was taught to me by kilt maker Bob Martin, who first observed it on
a kilt at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum
