The Official Tweed Appreciation Thread

[Slewfoot]



This thread has put me over the edge, all of the sport coats I now buy will be tweed.

fixed that for you...

 

[SpooPoker]



one of my fav SF pics all time. i remember when you fist posted it. fantastic!

+1

Citified Tweed

I miss you in WAYWRN. Don't care if Ive seen it before.

where the hell is this from?

 

[tweedydon]



Very interesting read Don, thank you for sharing

Thank you!

 

[Renton]



fixed that for you...

If it didn't stay 90 degrees until November, I'd gladly have nothing but tweed in my closet.

 

[NOBD]



I miss you in WAYWRN. Don't care if Ive seen it before.

Thanks, Spoo. I was in MC Casual this week.


Edit: Oh and thanks, Parker! You provided the inspiration...

 

[Leonel Dante]

One of the nicest fabrics. Now I feel like getting a checked tweed jacket made!

 

[JonathanCWalker]

Charles Campbell Bespoke

 

[Cuttingboard]



I couldn't get away with it but I like it!!

 

[Holdfast]

One day, someone knowledgeable will educate me on the actual definition of a tweed.

I've seen it used interchangeably for any roughly-finished rustic-looking fabric, be it a cheviot, donegal, thornproof, harris, etc, etc. Is that actually the case, or is there a more precise technical or geographical definition used within the textile world? More recently, it's also been used to describe blends of wool with other yarns even including stuff like angora and cashmere, which strike me as rather untweedy in feel but appear tweedy from distance.

In any event, leaving aside technicalities, I like the appearance of some of these country fabrics, though many generally come in too heavy a weight and too coarse a hand to be suitable for my own wardrobe needs. I do have a few jackets and a suit in the lighter stuff (14-ish and under) though, with a grey cheviot (I think it was a cheviot, from memory) currently being made up.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Quote:

One day, someone knowledgeable will educate me on the actual definition of a tweed.

I've seen it used interchangeably for any roughly-finished rustic-looking fabric, be it a cheviot, donegal, thornproof, harris, etc, etc. Is that actually the case, or is there a more precise technical or geographical definition used within the textile world? More recently, it's also been used to describe blends of wool with other yarns even including stuff like angora and cashmere, which strike me as rather untweedy in feel but appear tweedy from distance.

It's not a trademarked term - only certain geographical variants such as Harris Tweed are protected - so manufacturers can get away with almost anything these days, but fundamentally, it's not that it's 'rustic-looking' just that the wool is technically 'unfinished' sheep's wool twill fabric (historically from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Celtic fringes of England - it does seem to derive from rather ancient cloth-making techiques). So mixing in other kinds of finished wools or other materials does dilute the 'tweediness' but of course adds other qualities that are desirable to some. There are a lot of other people around who know far more than me though, I just like the stuff...

Quote:

Charles Campbell Bespoke

Absolutely stunning.

 

[Tweedy]



One day, someone knowledgeable will educate me on the actual definition of a tweed.

I've seen it used interchangeably for any roughly-finished rustic-looking fabric, be it a cheviot, donegal, thornproof, harris, etc, etc. Is that actually the case, or is there a more precise technical or geographical definition used within the textile world? More recently, it's also been used to describe blends of wool with other yarns even including stuff like angora and cashmere, which strike me as rather untweedy in feel but appear tweedy from distance.

In any event, leaving aside technicalities, I like the appearance of some of these country fabrics, though many generally come in too heavy a weight and too coarse a hand to be suitable for my own wardrobe needs. I do have a few jackets and a suit in the lighter stuff (14-ish and under) though, with a grey cheviot (I think it was a cheviot, from memory) currently being made up.

Tweed is a rough, unfinished woollen fabric, of a soft, open, flexible texture, resembling cheviot or homespun, but more closely woven. It is made in either plain or twill weave and may have a check or herringbone pattern. Subdued, interesting colour effects (heather mixtures) are obtained by twisting together differently coloured woolen strands into a two- or three-ply yarn.

 

[Parker]

Mmmm....tweed. HF, that's a good question. I've always thought the one criteria of tweed is having a rough, unfinished hand. Stuff like Harris, Donegal and cheviot. I've seen much softer lambswool and even cashmere fabrics that look like tweed (e.g., herringbone) but I wouldn't really call them tweeds. I'm sure Manton or Sator would be able to explain the technical differences and what qualifies and what doesn't. I came across this stuff which looks kind of like a tweed but in an open hopsack weave. It's rough, but is it a tweed? I dunno.




Here's a few tweeds I like. I guess these are mostly 'citified' in their simple color palette.

 

[SpooPoker]

^ Nice pics, but the pic of you in the OP is still my favorite. That tweed challenge was a good one.

 

[Parker]

 

[Nonchalant]

Great thread Spoo....

PSGuy- I picked up a couple tweeds from the Tweed Lady at Alameda a couple years ago but I hadn't seen her recently. Glad to hear she is still in the biz.