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FlyingHorker

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No, no ... !

I just meant that there's a lot more to the warmth or experienced weight of a coat other than the weight of the cloth.
Ahhhh ok, that makes sense now, thank you for the clarification.

I too am confused on cloth weight specifications online. I often see things labelled as "32oz" or "620gsm".

The explanation on the previous page definitely confused me even further.
 

marmite

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It's not often the weaver of the cloth gets involved, but Sam Goates of Woven in the Bone up in Scotland — she who knows a Hattersley loom better than the rest of us our laptops — says ...
I just spent an hour browsing their instagram account. Very informative to all curious about the process of making fabric. It has tons of weaving videos, pictures of ancient machinery, incredible cloth and smiling people doing what they love. It's also a good source for browsing cool shops since most pictures of bespoke fabric link the shop that ordered the cloth.

I'm curious how you start the process - do you have a clear picture what the cloth should look like or is it more a collaborative effort with the mill? Either way I think the cloth for your latest coat is among the nicer I saw there and that's saying a lot.
 

sehkelly

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I just spent an hour browsing their instagram account. Very informative to all curious about the process of making fabric. It has tons of weaving videos, pictures of ancient machinery, incredible cloth and smiling people doing what they love. It's also a good source for browsing cool shops since most pictures of bespoke fabric link the shop that ordered the cloth.

I'm curious how you start the process - do you have a clear picture what the cloth should look like or is it more a collaborative effort with the mill? Either way I think the cloth for your latest coat is among the nicer I saw there and that's saying a lot.

She does great, great work.

Imagine starting a woollen mill from scratch, in a small village beside the sea, in a fairly remote part of Scotland. Making cloth, from yarn to finished cloth, singlehandedly, on a couple of cast-iron looms. And then making a living from it. It begs belief.

We've been in touch with Sam for a while, and have always meant to work together. One day, we said to her, "How about you weave for us a cloth that is natural and undyed with strong local provenance of some description" ... and thus the ball starts rolling. We lean on her expertise every step fo the way, and she asks for our input every now and then, and that's that. It's a real highlight of the job.
 

sehkelly

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Ahhhh ok, that makes sense now, thank you for the clarification.

I too am confused on cloth weight specifications online. I often see things labelled as "32oz" or "620gsm".

The explanation on the previous page definitely confused me even further.

It is extremely confusing, and with a high potential for being misleading. You are not alone.
 

ghh923

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Like marmite, I just spent time on her Instagram as well, and it is quite impressive. Especially the herdwick posts—I knew this was a long time in the making, but to see the actual looming (is that right?) process began in, what, March? That is wild. And then seeing the folks that raise the sheep—I don’t know that I’ve ever traced something I wear back this far, and what a provenance at that.
 

sehkelly

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Like marmite, I just spent time on her Instagram as well, and it is quite impressive. Especially the herdwick posts—I knew this was a long time in the making, but to see the actual looming (is that right?) process began in, what, March? That is wild. And then seeing the folks that raise the sheep—I don’t know that I’ve ever traced something I wear back this far, and what a provenance at that.

A force of nature, truly.

The story of the Herdwick breed of sheep is quite remarkable, too, yes. There are a very good couple of books by James Rebanks, a farmer and author, which tells you all about the livelihood in and around these animals up in the Lake District.
 

sehkelly

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We've had a busy time of it the last month or so -- hanging on by our fingernails rather, and aside from wrapping and packing orders, and getting the trench coats finished, and the knitwear, falling out of the groove with other aspects of the business.

Back behind the wheel a bit more now, though.

We have started the development of a greatcoat. It might take a while to get right, as I fear there is a fine line between military reenactment and not looking a plonker on the weekly grocery shop. You want to keep the best parts of a greatcoat without going overboard. I guess it will be like the peacoat but much longer, or like the trench coat but more structured and without the belt.

And we took some photographs of the Styleforum balmacaan being worn. More to come!

balmacaan-donegal-wide-herringbone-tweed-grey-worn-3@2x.jpg
balmacaan-donegal-wide-herringbone-tweed-grey-worn-1@2x.jpg

balmacaan-donegal-wide-herringbone-tweed-grey-worn-2@2x.jpg
 

Thibault S

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That middle grey is greater than I would've expected, bravo to the majority of voters
 

sehkelly

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That middle grey is greater than I would've expected, bravo to the majority of voters

I was nervous of it, and it wasn't a colour we'd choose without outside input (unlike the dark green) — but the wide herringbone pattern on that one really carries the day.

With a standard herringbone you wouldn't be able to make out the pattern in the two further-away photographs above, for instance.
 

Csus2

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I am quite curious to see what you do with the greatcoat, Paul. I recall suggesting one when the possibility of a Styleforum collab was first broached, but later realized that the image I had in my mind when I made that suggestion was more specifically the (aptly named) "ulster coat:" still a a long, double breasted coat, with an Ulster collar, but less military and more country, something that can be done with tweed more than melton. I too would like to avoid looking like a reenactor or a plonker, if possible.
 
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sehkelly

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I am quite curious to see what you do with the greatcoat, Paul. I recall suggesting one when the possibility of a Styleforum collab was first broached, but later realized that the image I had in my mind when I made that suggestion was more specifically the (aptly named) "ulster coat:" still a a long, double breasted coat, with an Ulster collar, but less military and more country, something that can be done with tweed more than melton. I too would like to avoid looking like a reenactor or a plonker, if possible.

Gotcha!

Our tielocken is a type of Ulster coat, just without most of the buttons.
 

sehkelly

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sehkelly

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If we needed to reattach a button on one of your garments, what type of thread would you reccomend?

We use Gütermann polyester thread, so that would be best if you want the same as the other buttons. But any thread should be strong enough to hold a button so long as you sew it well enough.
 

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