All measurements are in centimeters. In this view the pleats are pointing downwards and are visible only in the bottom section of the diagram (the 5cm strip). Each pleat, ideally, should show the same lightest stripe in the sett on the edge of each pleat, each approximately a centimeter apart. The last full sett is allowed to go right round the back of the plaid to cover all the pleats at the back of the plaid and the edge (B) is then stitched down on to (A). (See A and B below). This only applies to the stitched section shown above. Although only the middle section is stitched down, the whole should be pinned down and the pleats ironed in along its entire length. On the stitched section the pleats are only held down by six or seven lines of stitching spaced out about 15cm apart.

Making the fringes is by far the most time-consuming part of the job. It requires a lot of patience but the end result is well worth the effort. There are two stages, fraying out and twisting.

Stage 1- Fraying out: If there is a selvedge edge, cut it off. Then make a series of parallel cuts between 1 and 2 inches apart and about 4 to 5 inches deep. I usually go for 5 inches for regimental pipers' plaids and 4 inches for flyaway plaids. If the material is fairly matted the strips need to be no more than about one inch wide otherwise fraying them out will be very difficult. Some materials fray much more easily than others and sometimes you may be able to work well enough with strips about 2 inches wide. When making the cuts be sure to follow the weave as closely as possible to avoid cutting too many of the vertical threads.

Work on each strip one at a time, teasing out all the horizontal cross threads.

Stage 2 - Twisting: Take two groups of threads to make each tassle. On piper's plaids I usually use 6 threads in each group. On lightweight fly plaids where the tassles are not so long I only use 4 threads in each group.

Twist each group individually in the same direction until they are both tight.

Then put the two groups together and twist them back in the opposite direction.

I usually wet the end of the tassel a little and rub it between my fingers to mat the fibres together a little. That is usually enough to hold the tassel together. In time the final inch will tend to fray out again but as you see in the final pictures here of my own plaid, made several years ago, this actually gives quite a nice effect.












 
How to Wear It
 
There are various ways of fastening a plaid. The description given here is taken from the Liverpool Scottish Dress Regulations 1968

Undo the left shoulder epaulette. Lay the plaid over the left shoulder with about 20 inches of the short end lying to the front, pleats pointing towards the neck.
 
Take the rest of the plaid under the right armpit and back over the left shoulder. Adjust until the tassle on the long end just reaches the top of the spats. Rebutton the epaulette.
 
Bring the short end up and over the epaulette and down the back of the tunic, the end tucked under the waist belt behind the tunic left belt support.
 
Bring the first two pleats on the long end round the epaulette to the front of the tunic.
 
Secure with the plaid brooch facing to the front with the badge upright.