Fabric for Overcoats

[kevinw33]

Seems to be a lot of overcoat discussion going on, why stop now?

I am having the A. Smth coat made, and I am really bad at fabrics. What is best?

http://www.bentart.com/prod01.htm

Can someone translate or even better have pictures of any of these fabrics?

[PanzerJager]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

You might just want to give Ben a call and ask for a swatch card. That’s the best way to see what the fabric truly looks like plus you can actually expose the swatches and see how they fade out.

regards,

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

I may be mistaken, but I thought that County Cloth's "FGX" was woven particularly for reproductions of the Archiblad Smith overcoat.

[kevinw33]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

I may be mistaken, but I thought that County Cloth's "FGX" was woven particularly for reproductions of the Archiblad Smith overcoat.

Not familiar with this, but I would love to see about it. Have a link?



Oops, found it, ouch, kinda $$$

[BrettKIllinois]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

Just based on observation the FGX is much darker than the tan jean on the archie smith jacket.

[toccoa42]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

I am having the A. Smth coat made, and I am really bad at fabrics. What is best?

Since you've posted this on the Civilian board, may I ask what you intend to do with this overcoat, or where the overcoat might have originated in your persona?

If it has other than a military origin, none of Bent Tart's or Charlie Childs' fabrics may be suitable.

[kevinw33]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

Since you've posted this on the Civilian board, may I ask what you intend to do with this overcoat, or where the overcoat might have originated in your persona?

If it has other than a military origin, none of Bent Tart's or Charlie Childs' fabrics may be suitable.

This is me from a previous post:

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19868&page=2

[rmassella]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

Gents,

I recently constructed a civilian overcoat using Ben Tarts wheat satinette and I lined it with a wool flannel. It is an extremely warm overcoat.

Mr. Kessler, what leads you to this assumption?

If it has other than a military origin, none of Bent Tart's or Charlie Childs' fabrics may be suitable.
__________________
Lynn Kessler
Lowry's Battery
ANV

If I remember correctly, the Smith and Weller overcoats are both civilian coats and jeans cloth was used for their construction.

[Ian McWherter]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

Gents,

I recently constructed a civilian overcoat using Ben's wheat satinette and lined it with a wool flannel. It is an extremely warm overcoat.

Mr. Kessler, what leads you to this assumption?



If I remember correctly, the Smith and Weller overcoats are both civilian.

Both coats may be of civilian origin, but that doesn't mean they're reflective of the vast majority of overcoats worn by civilians, especially those worn by the middle to upper class. Smith's overcoat was made by his mother from homespun materials, and Weller's overcoat was one of many purchased for the regiment by one of their officer's.

People need to stop thinking about jean cloth and homespun materials in general. Yes homespun and jean were widely available during the period, but mass produced high quality all wool cloth was far more common and even more readily available. For every one original civilian garment made from jean or satinette in existence there has to be at least 50 all wool garments.

My suggestions for overcoat fabric would be:

Cashmere
Chinchilla
Melton
Superfine wool
Doeskin wool
Kersey
Furs

Appropriate lining materials would be:

Alpaca
Silk/Wool Blends
Kerseymere
Satin
Ribbed Silk (I've seen this material used in several original frocks)
Very fine all wool cloth

There are far more options available than simply using jean or satinette. Of course its very important to examine as many original garments as possible before making any decisions, you'll never get a good idea of what's most appropriate until you do.

[brown]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

If the "Archie Smith overcoat" is indeed Archie's wartime coat, rather than his brother's (and there is no reason to believe it is not Archie's), then it has an autumn 1864 date attached it. Anne Smith (Archie's mom) likely made it from material she purchased, not wove. Her big complaint had been for almost a year that all she could buy was UGLY BROWN JEANS. While this was something she could get commercially in war-racked Georgia, it is NOT at all what she was use to purchasing, nor what she wanted her boys wearing at any time, even if it was the fabric of patriotic (their secessionist patriotism) suffering.
On a side note, I have note examined it closely yet, but some have suggested the cape is made of a separate fabric. If so, it may be the cape off of brother Willie’s overcoat, based on Anne’s questions in letters. Also, both overcoats seem to have been based on the same pattern.
No answers, just a little background of “yes they did,” “no they didn’t want to.”

[rmassella]

I also believe that the vast majority of civilian overcoats for the middle and upper classes were made from wool/woolen materials. I also believe that many individuals aspiring to reach the middle and upper social classes would have tried to purchase items as/if they were able to move up the social ladder. I was just trying to make the point that not every civilian overcoat produced during the war was made from wool. I am sure that some were made of other materials as cited earlier. A lot would have to do with the time period and economic status of the individual being portrayed, the availability of materials to construct the coat from, and who is producing the coat (tailor/sent from home). I’m sure that most people wanted to dress with the best items they could afford especially in the class conscience south, and factors such as economics, availability, and supply and demand continually played a role in which items they purchased or produced, but to totally dismiss an item may not always be best.

If it has other than a military origin, none of Bent Tart's or Charlie Childs' fabrics may be suitable.

Interesting discussion, thanks for the information in earlier posts.

__________________
Robert Masella

Chesapeake Volunteer Guard
5th Virginia, Co. K

"Quem Deus vult perdere, prius dementat" (The one whom God wants to destroy, he first makes mad)

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

Not familiar with this, but I would love to see about it. Have a link?

Oops, found it, ouch, kinda $$$

What's the difference, five bucks per yard? Have you sewn with his fabric before? Let me tell you, I've made garments with FHW, woolrich, and now Tart, plus a few others. The only stuff that's more finely woven that Childs' is Hainsworth! Other stuff unravels really bad. I made a coat out of Woolrich jeans earlier this year and easily lost 1/2" off of my seam allowances. The Tart stuff I'm using now is unravelling also, though not as severely as the Woolrich. However, I am finding myself not fully cutting out pieces so the unraveling will not encroach upon the seam allowance.

I'm not ranting here, rather just trying to help save you some frustration. $5 per yard may cost you more than that in sweat and frustration. Whenever possible, I like to help folks learn from my mistakes. :wink_smil

Good luck to you!

[WestTN_reb]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

Another fabric worth consideration, although not on the Smith coat, would be corduroy. Just a thought.

[toccoa42]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

This is me from a previous post:

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...t=19868&page=2

Ok. Having read that now, I'd say the family might have had access to a variety of different materials. You could use practically anything, even the heavier kersey wools. None of them would be out of the possibility of fabric color and weave ranges.

If you were replicating the coat exactly as preserved, you'd have to use jean cloth. I understand that's what the coat is made from, if I'm thinking of the correct coat. The original color is probably indeteminate by now, with fading and aging. I'd pick either a darker gray or blue jeans cloth from either Charlie Childs or Ben Tart. If you use Ben Tart's jean cloth, you should wash it once in cold water and let it air dry, then iron it. The cloth, as I understand it, has not been "finished", meaning what I just described. Finishing tightens up the weave a bit and reduces unravelling at the cut edges. Charllie's will still unravel a bit, but not as much as Ben's. I've worked with both, and I like them both. I didn't "finish" Ben's either, but it worked well enough right off the roll.

I'd like to hear what experience you have with the coat while you are building it, as I would like to do the same, probably next spring or summer.

[toccoa42]

Re: Fabric for Overcoats

Yes homespun and jean were widely available during the period, but mass produced high quality all wool cloth was far more common and even more readily available.

Thank you. Exactly the point I was attempting to make.