Thursday, September 9, 2010

Happy Day


Cardboard + Mass-production = Happy Day

Quick update:
  1. Drafting series on hold for a week or two while Jen and I consolidate our ideas for the next few posts. Also on hold because of school-start and E's birthday prep.
  2. Desperate to sew some school clothes for E after shopping and not buying as much as we'd like. Clothes-sewing also on hold till after the weekend.
  3. Fridge devoid of cook-able food. Slowly getting our groove back after our houseguests left. Must hit the supermarket tomorrow.
  4. Need to start thinking of wool coats to sew for the girls for winter. Have two questions - one, where to buy the nice almost-felt-like wool that pea coats are made of? I don't want to use wool suiting (which is all that JoAnn seems to have, bah) or fleece if I can help it. Two, what sort of insulation layer does one use between said wool and lining - is it fusible fleece, thinsulate or something else? If anyone knows, please share?



10 comments:

  1. Lorraine, I found this on eHow.com.

    What Are Peacoats Made Of?
    By Gigi Starr, eHow Contributor

    What Are Peacoats Made Of?
    Peacoats are no longer just the purview of naval officers. The double-breasted, simple design is popular throughout cold climates, and a well-tailored jacket is a great addition to a fashion lover's wardrobe. Although they began in the 1900s as navy blue wool garments, peacoats are now available in myriad fabrics, with buttons and closures of all sorts.

    Types
    Since the name "peacoat" refers to only a coat's cut and design, practically any heavy outerwear fabric may be used to make a peacoat. The most popular textiles are medium- or heavyweight woolens, with polyester satin for the inner lining. However, to create other looks, a designer may use fashion fabrics, including velvet, linen or cashmere blends.
    Features
    Traditionally, peacoat materials are substantial and sturdy, crafted to withstand cold temperatures and years of hard wear. The strong wool shell wicks away water, while the thick buttons and double-ply thread resist breakage. These days, the double-breasted peacoat may have a zipper closure or a hood, unlike traditional designs; however, most models still attempt to stick to the old standards of durability by using thicker-weight fabrics and strong trims.
    Geography
    The cooler the climate, the more woolen and heavyweight peacoats a shopper will find. Locales with milder weather may have more designs made of linen and denim, while the Northeast might stock the tried-and-true navy woolens. Army/Navy shops always stock traditional pea coats. For modern peacoat designs, shoppers should look at stores like Express and Macy's; they often carry coats made from lighter-weight wool and other fabrics.
    History
    Traditionally, peacoats were made of thick navy wool. The signature large, round buttons were made of plastic or brass, and the coat was lined. Military style has always been popular in general fashion, so fashion designers borrowed the design and spun it into other fabrics, colors and variations. Now, the peacoat ranges from classic winter weight to a thin, almost dress-like fabric.
    Significance
    The peacoat is a design that has permeated the outerwear market and will not be going away anytime soon. The old-style wool peacoat is still a cornerstone of men's winter fashion, with trendy discounters like H&M selling several versions every season. Expensive designer peacoats made from luxury textiles sell out quickly, and people often pass the garments down through several generations. The woolen, or fashion fabric, peacoat is a cornerstone of American apparel.


    Read more: What Are Peacoats Made Of? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5139992_peacoats-made.html#ixzz0z2cH0dcG

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lorraine, I found this on eHow.com.

    What Are Peacoats Made Of?
    By Gigi Starr, eHow Contributor

    What Are Peacoats Made Of?
    Peacoats are no longer just the purview of naval officers. The double-breasted, simple design is popular throughout cold climates, and a well-tailored jacket is a great addition to a fashion lover's wardrobe. Although they began in the 1900s as navy blue wool garments, peacoats are now available in myriad fabrics, with buttons and closures of all sorts.

    Types
    Since the name "peacoat" refers to only a coat's cut and design, practically any heavy outerwear fabric may be used to make a peacoat. The most popular textiles are medium- or heavyweight woolens, with polyester satin for the inner lining. However, to create other looks, a designer may use fashion fabrics, including velvet, linen or cashmere blends.
    Features
    Traditionally, peacoat materials are substantial and sturdy, crafted to withstand cold temperatures and years of hard wear. The strong wool shell wicks away water, while the thick buttons and double-ply thread resist breakage. These days, the double-breasted peacoat may have a zipper closure or a hood, unlike traditional designs; however, most models still attempt to stick to the old standards of durability by using thicker-weight fabrics and strong trims.


    READ MORE HERE: http://www.ehow.com/about_5139992_peacoats-made.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. www.fabric.com and www.farmhousefabrics.com are two of my go-to sources when I'm looking for something like that. As for the interlining, with the wool, you may not need one like you would if you were doing a corduroy or twill. I guess it would depend on the weight of your wool. Well, and it would depend on your climate. How cold does it get?

    ReplyDelete
  4. i'd check fabric.com for their wool melton
    As for lining, perhaps try thinsulate or thermolam?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh! And Dorr Mill in New Hampshire has wool coating fabrics too -- dorrmillstore.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think you've got wool melton in mind - fabric.com always has some this time of year and lots of other places do as well although for quite a bit more.

    If you use melton you may not need an intlerlining, (we don't here in NY) -- but if you do need even more warmth what was suggested to me was flannel!

    ReplyDelete
  7. As to the wool, try denverfabrics.com. The problem is of course, you can't feel it with your hand to judge its thickness, but their prices are nice. The last time I made a wool coat, I lined it with a special insulated lining that looked like satin on one side, and fuzzy flannel on the other. I'd try to find something like that. 20+ years later, it still looks great and is as warm as I'd ever want, even in Colorado.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, please share the answers to your pea coat question if you get them?

    I'm quite curious to see what you plan to do with all that cardboard...

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm also interested in the answers you get for #4, so I'm going to subscribe to your comments for this post!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What beautiful pictures of the party! Great tutorials. I hope to make the little granny purses for my little girl. Thanks! I love reading your blog.

    ReplyDelete

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