A new consolidated Jacket Conversion Thread

[MacLowlife]

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In Mechanical Drawing Class we always talked about Brigitte Bardot as the French Curve...

The French curve is invaluable to anyone contemplating a conversion. I got one after my second attempt and it made all the difference in the world in getting the sweeping curve for the sporran to look right. Gone is all the guesswork involved in trying to eyeball it and getting both sides to match.

[Benning Boy]

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In Mechanical Drawing Class we always talked about Brigitte Bardot as the French Curve...

Geez, you must be old. How many young kiltoids actually know who BB is? Of course, just thinking of her still makes me feel like I was 14 again -- I'm old.

My Ex, who drafted many of her own patterns regularly used a French Curve. I don't don't see how you can tailor and not use one -- or more. I've seen some pretty big ones of various shapes. Splined curves, like naval architects use -- ask Wizard -- would be handy. They are easily found in lengths up to three feet.

I have a Hugo Boss sport coat in dark blue, a blend of linen and wool, I want to convert to a kilt jacket. It has no vents, and patch pockets. It will be easy to do, ounce I get better with the machine. I don't mind patch pockets, they can be recut to an appropriate size. And, I'm not interested in duplicating some item from a highland clothing catalog of the 1930s, I want to keep my kilt stuff up with the times. A casual patch-pocketed sports coat ought to be just fine.

You have to stay on top of things, but nice double vent, or no vent sports coats in all kinds of fabrics can be had on Ebay for good prices. I've only bought a couple, but there are linen, corduroy, tweed, etc. I always look for patch pockets. If your goal is to look like a laird, these are no go, but if you merely want to look well dressed, there are lots of options out there.

[Nathan]

I have a Hugo Boss sport coat in dark blue, a blend of linen and wool, I want to convert to a kilt jacket. It has no vents, and patch pockets. It will be easy to do, ounce I get better with the machine. I don't mind patch pockets, they can be recut to an appropriate size. And, I'm not interested in duplicating some item from a highland clothing catalog of the 1930s, I want to keep my kilt stuff up with the times. A casual patch-pocketed sports coat ought to be just fine.

You have to stay on top of things, but nice double vent, or no vent sports coats in all kinds of fabrics can be had on Ebay for good prices. I've only bought a couple, but there are linen, corduroy, tweed, etc. I always look for patch pockets. If your goal is to look like a laird, these are no go, but if you merely want to look well dressed, there are lots of options out there.

Benning Boy,

You repeatedly take shots at traditional attire as looking like a Laird or like something form the 1930s. It's pretty insulting. I was born in the late 70s and have no desire to dress like I live in another decade. Standard Argyll jackets are sold in plenty of catalogues from 2014. Just because it was worn then and is still worn today doesn't make it an anachronistic costume.

You could say the same about dress shoes, silk neckties, collared cotton shirts, most styles of hat, men's single and double breasted suits, tuxedos, overcoats etc... All of these classic garments could have been purchased in the 1930s.

I don't think you're trying to be constructive. I think you're trying to insult and put down a large portion of the membership. Cut it out.

Here are some pics of traditional cut kilt jackets from today's vendors. Two of these are xmarks advertisers. Not a Laird among them.



Burnett's and Struth



Scotweb




Kinloch Anderson





This has the potential to be a very useful thread for a lot of members, so please don't stir up crap like this needlessly.

[Benning Boy]

Benning Boy,

You repeatedly take shots at traditional attire as looking like a Laird or like something form the 1930s. It's pretty insulting. [snip]

This has the potential to be a very useful thread for a lot of members, so please don't stir up crap like this needlessly.

I beg your forgiveness. I did not mean to stir you.

[ThistleDown]

Keep in mind our Rule 2: posts which provoke quarrels, escalate contention, or are hostile or insulting are subject to removal.

[brewerpaul]

Ok to avoid flame wars and other issues I feel it is time for a comic aside. With all grand intentions of having a nice Harris tweed kilt jacket I had obtained one from Goodwill for a few bucks. The issue was the sleeves, as is always an issue with my long arms. After getting it home I found a few moth holes that were no issue to repair and the actual conversion was going well. Sorry no photos of the conversion but the lower part of the jacket looked nice and the pocket welts were still placed well. My issue was when I decided to let the sleeves out and try to make them work for my long arms. It wasn't going to work in any way shape or form. I was a bit frustrated because this was a niced grey herringbone Harris tweed. Being someone who grew up without much I wasn't going to waste this effort. Below are the photos of my Harris tweed jacket conversion. When you have lemons you make lemonade.

Flatcap that is quite smart. Yes I used a cabbage to display, it was a step up from doing a selfie.

And a nice fore and aft for the winter. I dont care for the ear flaps so I just make a fore and aft.



Sometimes you just have to do what you can with needle and thread and in this case it was a true conversion from a jacket to a couple of hats. My head will appreciate it this winter.

[MacLowlife]

Thanks BrewerPaul,

I have often wondered, when attempting to lengthen jacket sleeves beyond their reach, if maybe an attached cuff might help- that is, taking a little fabric from somewhere (behind your ear, might be as good a place as any) you could make a separate pair of cuffs and then sew them on, making the seam and the act of attaching an ornamental feature, or at least, hiding the patch job.

I am thinking of using the same fabric, probably taken from the back of the jacket, but it might work with some jackets to use a contrasting solid, maybe even solid velvet, as is seen on some mess jackets.

And that brings me to my next trick.
As nearly as I can tell, the total length of a Prince Charlie is the same as the total length of a saxon jacket, so why not turn one into a PC?

bw pc 001.jpgbw pc 002.jpgbw pc 003.jpgbw pc 005.jpg

The lapels might need some reshaping and simply chopping off the front might prove more complicated than it sounds. The pocket flaps become the cuff facings. In order to do it properly, you'd have to chop the back and reattach it, as there ought to be a seam between the back and the flaps...

[GrainReaper]

I'm liking the thread! I want to do a conversion, and having a wealth of different takes on it in one thread is just what I need!

[CMcG]

...

And that brings me to my next trick.
As nearly as I can tell, the total length of a Prince Charlie is the same as the total length of a saxon jacket, so why not turn one into a PC?
...
The lapels might need some reshaping and simply chopping off the front might prove more complicated than it sounds. The pocket flaps become the cuff facings. In order to do it properly, you'd have to chop the back and reattach it, as there ought to be a seam between the back and the flaps...

Why not, you ask? Because that sounds like a lot of alterations and, if you take it to a tailor, the price could quickly add up to what it would cost to just buy a PC... at least a used one. If you can do the conversion yourself or have a VERY affordable tailor is might be worth it. You show a Black Watch tartan jacket, which is a special reason to do the conversion: a fabric or pattern that wouldn't otherwise be available without the expense of going bespoke.

[MNlad]

Nicely done, brewerpaul. While frowned upon by some in this community, I especially like that flat cap. I used some of the scraps from one conversion, along with some scrap leather, to make a nice flask cozy. It seems there is no end to the inventiveness and skills displayed by the members here.