Unfunded Liabilities: a/k/a The Cloth Thread

[blueandwhite]

I could do with 1.6 yards. Then again I'm ~1.7m tall.

Mind disclosing the contact for this wholesaler? Over PM if you prefer so.

 

[Penfold]

My shirtmaker said 72 inches (i.e. two yards) when I asked him last time but not sure what width that related to. Guess if there is some excess I know where to buy more to finish the job... or get some kind of Frankenshirt made up!

PM sent.

 

[blueandwhite]

It's 1.5m for a 60 inch fabric and 2.3m for a 36 inch fabric for me. Perhaps that might be your case as well.

In any case, excess is better than shortage of cloth I guess!

 

[chobochobo]



I have a black and white houndstooth odd jacket made from a Bower Roebuck worsted cashmere fabric. Loved the swatch and thought it looked absolutely stunning, but it just isn't quite right for an odd jacket. Scale is maybe a tiny bit larger than yours. I do wear it from time to time but it is not nearly as useful as I hoped for. Sometimes the transition from swatch to jacket doesn't go smoothly. Picture of the fabric is below.

I have something like this made into a DB suit, I'm still not sure how to wear it best. It's a heavy fabric so I don't need to think about it until the weather cools.

 

[Shirtmaven]

2 yards is plenty for normal size.
my cutter can get a shirt out of 1.5 for smaller customers and stripes still match.

if the shirtmaker is using automated cutting systems, they might need more fabric then usual.

but if something is damaged in making then you might have to go to the trouble of buying an extra yard later on.

on pre washing fabric.
you would have to tell the shirtmaker that you have pre-washed the fabric.
otherwise, they will still add in shrinkage allowance
collars will still shrink unless the shirtmaker has non shrinking fusible(yes it exists, i have not used it)
the linen is the only fabric of the group that i would wash and dry. linen usually has greater shrinkage. then cotton.

 

[Penfold]

Thanks @shirtmaven. I've found a shirtmaker I can deal with face-to-face in HK and who I trust has some control over the process. Perhaps if there is definitely going to be some excess even for a 6' 1" guy, 44" barrel-chested with long arms (Ape Index +2.5) then we'll cut that first and wash it to get a better idea... and I'll post the results.

 

[add911_11]



After wandering into the office of Hong Kong's wholesaler for Thomas Mason at lunchtime I now find myself the proud owner of five 2.3 yard x 59" lengths of shirting fabric - three cotton on the bottom row and two linen on the top. The cream is actually cream, not a bilious yellow - I checked. They're nothing too fancy in terms of thread counts but at a cost of about $20 US per yard for cotton and $28 US for the linen it seemed like good value to take forward for CMT somewhere in HK. I was wondering whether to throw each length into the washing machine but I see from page 406 of this thread that that might involve some risk to the useability of the cloth and/or more ironing than I am prepared to contemplate, (unless I take them to be cleaned as bedlinen perhaps). Rather than let my shirtmaker just guess at shrinkage allowance though I'd like to ask: Does anyone have experience of the shrinkage factor of Thomas Mason shirting in the cheaper cottons or in linen that they can kindly share? Also, gosh but isn't 2.3 yards at 59" a lot of cloth for a shirt? The bed in this photo is 180cm by 200cm...

I think in this case bringing it to the shirtmaker will be fine. Why try to be clever to do shrinkage yourself?

 

[Penfold]

Fair point, just the speculations of an idle mind and a convenient washing machine.

 

[Fishball]



Why try to be clever to do shrinkage yourself?

I do the shrinkage by myself since I know many except two or three shirtmakers in HK do shrinkage. Even AC said they did, but I still experience quite a lot shrinkage from their shirts.

It is also a easy job, just put in to washing machine then drying machine, then iron it flat.

BTW, I normally just bought 1.7yds, and I got some left returned and save it for later collar and cuffs exchange. I think more then 2yds is just wasted and go all the way on the floor, if the shirtmaker didn't return it for you.

 

[archibaldleach]



I have something like this made into a DB suit, I'm still not sure how to wear it best. It's a heavy fabric so I don't need to think about it until the weather cools.

I am seriously considering having trousers made and just wearing this as a suit a couple of times per year. I have serious concerns about how long the fabric in question would last as trousers, but I doubt I would wear a suit that bold particularly often in any event. In general I prefer the jacket with pale blue and pink shirts.

 

[jrd617]



I'd be very surprised if that was actually Minnis Fresco fabric, given the cost of that cloth and the typical pricing structure of PRL (I.e they still make good money at 70% off)

@gdl203 I remember you saying this awhile back. You really think they made good money?

Was thinking about the recent shift to Hickey. Polo's margins on the Corneliani probably sucked. You think they made good money at 70% off?

 

[mactire]

I was wondering whether to throw each length into the washing machine but I see from page 406 of this thread that that might involve some risk to the useability of the cloth and/or more ironing than I am prepared to contemplate, (unless I take them to be cleaned as bedlinen perhaps). Rather than let my shirtmaker just guess at shrinkage allowance though I'd like to ask:

Does anyone have experience of the shrinkage factor of Thomas Mason shirting in the cheaper cottons or in linen that they can kindly share?

Also, gosh but isn't 2.3 yards at 59" a lot of cloth for a shirt? The bed in this photo is 180cm by 200cm...

Congrats on the find. To be honest I'd take issue with the link to the discussion on pre-washing, I believe it essential to do so, it is certainly far better to find out how the cloth will behave before the garment is made up. Have the edges overlocked before doing so in order to prevent fraying.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Does anybody experience their linen suits fading in color? I had one years ago that in every place I would sweat eventually faded and it looked awful. Admittedly it was a very cheap linen suit, but I am afraid if I get one my pits will begin to fade.

 

[archetypal_yuppie]

I have a lot of linen pants and a few linen shirts. No signs of fading thus far. I have heard that washing in water, rather than dry cleaning, can cause fading (particularly at seams), however.

You sweat enough in them to soak through your shirt into the suit? Consider undershits, if you haven't already...

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I'm a guinea, I sweat like it's my job. Also, the sweatiest part of my body is my knees for whatever reason, days like yesterday I sweat right through my trousers at the kneecaps. It's so bizarre.