K&P Historical Textiles

[CJDaley]

I just got this e-mail today regarding the availability of some new woolen fabrics. If you haven't seen or worked with this fabric you should really call for a swatch today. it's really great stuff. We use it at the museum for our regimental coats and our other wool garments.

BTW: All this stuff is woven and finished in Great Britain and is extensively researched before production as to color, weight and weave. You guys will NOT be disappointed!

Guys, I wanted to let you know that I just delivered four pieces of cloth from our most recent production run of K&P Historical Textiles to Needle & Thread in Gettysburg yesterday. Darlene is considering becoming a regular retailer of our cloth and has started with the following colors, which she informs me will be posted on her website effective today in the Wooded Hamlet section of her website.

The colors that she now has on hand are as follows:

Madder red broadcloth (RM002)--(our standard madder, not the dark madder RM001)
Mixed grey kersey (new weave and color!!)--matched to orig. War of 1812 US and British Nap samples in Nat Archives and in a British archive, but certainly apropos for Civil War and RW usage
Sky blue kersey BL005 (new weave and color!!)--matched to orig. Schuykill Arsenal examples
Dark Indigo (formerly called Federal) Blue Kersey BL003 (new weave and color)

If she is successful at selling in small quantities (she intends to sell at the same retail rate as Najecki and will only list on her website what is actually in stock), she intends to broaden her weave and color ranges. For those of you in need of small quantities at 1/4 yard min., she is an ideal vendor and I hope that you will consider patronizing her for such. I had already mentioned the Williamsburg crowd to her (since many of you already patronize her) and your interest in colors such as brown and British royal blue....

Best regards, Jim Kochan

PS. Coming in to me next week or the week following is the balance of this new run, including a new mid-drab kersey and mid-green broadcloth, as well as black cloth. Superfine production, by the by, is also underway--among other new weaves

.

[FloridaConscript]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

Chris,
Any English Army Cloth on the horizon?

[Tennessee Boy]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

Hey Chris

Where are these guys working out of? A quick web search didn't find them, can't see a website etc.

How do we contact them?

We could sure use a good cloth maker on this side of the 'pond'

Cheers Mate

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

Isn't Jim Kochan one of the "big names" in the world of Revolutionary War scholarship... somewhat akin to Les Jensen in the genre of the Civil War?

[CJDaley]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

Chris,
Any English Army Cloth on the horizon?

A few people e-mailed/PMed me the same question. I have no idea, you'd need to contact Needle and Thread fabrics at 717-334-4011 to find out. I know there is alot of interest in this fabric, so the more requests they get, the better the chance they'll take that project on.

Hey Chris

Where are these guys working out of? A quick web search didn't find them, can't see a website etc.

How do we contact them?

We could sure use a good cloth maker on this side of the 'pond'

Cheers Mate

Not everyone is on the internet. I'm having a pair of Civil War shoes made for me by a shoe maker who's never owned a computer. They are going to be a rocking pair of shoes and yet...they weren't purchased off the internet? :)

To purchase the cloth on hand, you can call Needle and Thread Fabrics at 717-334-4011.

Isn't Jim Kochan one of the "big names" in the world of Revolutionary War scholarship... somewhat akin to Les Jensen in the genre of the Civil War?

Yup, Jim is a publish author, scholar, collector and historian who's worked with nearly every museum in the US on 17th, 18th and 19th century material culture. He's worked along side Troiani to publish research on uniforms and equipment. Our museum uses his fabric for our woolen garments and they wear very well, our interpreters wear them 40 hours a week and are VERY hard on their stuff, yet it has held up very well.


NOTE: This post was a PSA. I don't work for Jim Kochan or Needle and Thread. This wasn't an approved vendor announcement (I'm not an approved vendor anymore). I really just wanted the members and vendors on this forum to be aware of a great source for fabrics. I'll be happy to answer questions if I know the answer, but the best solution is to call Needle and Thread at 717-334-4011.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

FYI: K&P = Kochan & Philips

Paul B.

[Kiev Thomason]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

I will try and call up there...Thanks Chris.You did us all a favor!

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

A few pictures in varying light.

http://www.najecki.com/repro/Wool.html

I have a couple of garments made from this good stuff.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

For that who've seen both...

How does the K&P "Officers Navy Blue Superfine" compare to Hainsworth "Dark Navy Blue Superfine"?

I've used the Hainsworth cloth and it is a gorgeous fabric. However, I find that I am apparently the only person on Planet Earth who's had it shrink during pressing.

Also..
I would be curious how the K&P sky blue kersey compares to CRC (or, more specifically, how each compare to originals).

Chris:
Thanks for verifying that info on Jim Kochan and thank you for letting me/us know about K&P!

[CJDaley]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

Also..
I would be curious how the K&P sky blue kersey compares to CRC (or, more specifically, how each compare to originals).

As to the later part of your question, I really like both fabrics compared to originals. I just came back from a trip to Gettysburg and got a few yards of the K&P sky blue kersey. The weave, color, yarn size and finish are an identical match to the original overcoats, trowsers, VRC jackets and 146th NY zouave uniforms I've seen made from sky blue kersey in the 1860s.

I have been using County Cloth kersey for over two decades, in fact I own a pair of trowsers made from County Cloth fabric made in May 1988, that's 20 year old pants and the fabric has held up amazingly well, better than any khakis or jeans you'll buy in the store today.

The K&P stuff looks like it'll hold up just as well. I'm very impressed with Jim Kochan's attention to detail in regards to the research and development end of things.

Again, our museum uses this fabric for our interpreters who wear this clothing 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year. This fabric had held up under sunlight exposure, daily musket/cannon fire, trench digging, rig climbing, farming and other period tasks. The fabric hasn't ripped or faded at all.

BTW: This fabric is only $56 per yard at Needle and Thread which is the same price Jim sells it for directly so if you purchase it from Needle and Thread it'll be the same price as getting it direct from the source, no inflated retail fees.

[Backus]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

I know this is a old thread, and if this should be started in a new thread please let me know.
I was speaking to a friend today, who was speaking to Kochan about doing some custom runs of some wool for Rev War.
Within their discussion the subject of 19th century English Army Cloth was brought up. K&P is very much interested in doing a run of it. They've already located original swatches in England from mid-19th c. clothier books that are exactly like the Tait material.
Their only concern is that no one would buy it. For them to do a mixed wool blend they have to do a minimum of 8 pieces (320 yards). With the sales of their sky blue kersey not exactly being stellar, they are a little hesitant to go ahead with the army cloth.
If there is more interest in them doing the cloth within the Civil War community, and people are willing to pay a little more for the cloth, they may consider doing a run of army cloth.

[CJDaley]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

Their only concern is that no one would buy it.

I think the concern is valid. I think guys would balk at $56 a yard when County Cloth's material is $39, but who knows since CC is out of the stuff maybe it'll sell.

Personally I think $56 a yard is a bargain for the quality of the goods Kochan makes, but will hundreds of guys flock to buy a few yards? That's a financial gamble that I'm not sure I'd make.

[Shockoe Hill Cats]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

Isn't Jim Kochan one of the "big names" in the world of Revolutionary War scholarship... somewhat akin to Les Jensen in the genre of the Civil War?

This reminded me of how the Luks twins and I freaked out Mr. Jensen at the 33rd National Civil War & Antique Arms Show this past summer by running around looking for him, and then asked to have a photo taken with him. Needless to say, I still properly thanked him for his article, "A Survey of Confederate Jackets."

Apparently, he and his wife own a few pieces from the ex-Kurtz Collection.

Okay, sorry to deviate!

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

I think the concern is valid. I think guys would balk at $56 a yard when County Cloth's material is $39, but who knows since CC is out of the stuff maybe it'll sell.

Personally I think $56 a yard is a bargain for the quality of the goods Kochan makes, but will hundreds of guys flock to buy a few yards? That's a financial gamble that I'm not sure I'd make.

Given that there are soooo many great garments that can be made from that fabric and the fact that CRC is out right now, I think it would be a good time to test the waters. If they made a run, I'd pounce on several yards of it!!!

[Malingerer]

Re: K&P Historical Textiles

In the meantime, is there anyone out there who is currently carrying blue-grey kersey?