I looked at KwikSew, and Vogue, and they didn't have a pattern for a pea coat. All this talk about wool got me thinking about one. Except, I can't wear wool.
So, what's the thickest fabric I can use to do this, if I can find a pattern. I know zilch about lining a jacket, whether insulation or poly. No matter how many instructions I've been given. I do have a Belgian military chef's pattern around here somewhere. Maybe I should dust that off instead.
KS3123 would work, I think, if you just redrafted the front to double breasted (it's not hard, honest!!!) and lengthened it a bit.
Do you want thick, or warm? With your wool sensitivity, I'd be thinking about one of the wind block fabrics for the shell, interlined with one of the thinsulate, and then a good lining.
My thought is to get the windproofing as close to the outside of the coat as practical, then a light but warm insulation and lining. Why haul around a heavy coat when a light one can be just as warm?
Dear Kay,
Thanks for the sites with insulating and windproof fabrics. I'm still wearing my wool coat from 1983 (love it, won't give it up), but this stuff makes me want to try something I've never done before. A company in New York asked me to test some proposed thermal underwear fabric it was developing (about 1985). It was made from olefin, and had to be hand washed and air dried. I told them that it would not sell, because people didn't have the time or inclination to hand wash things, especially large items like long underwear. I'm so glad that someone has finally come up with a material that can keep one warm, at the same time it can be machine washed and dried.
Teri
Malden's Windbloc is actually a better wind blocker than WindPro, but Windbloc is kinda noisy and Windpro is not. I also have a roll of Goretex interlining sitting out in the garage that I'd probably use for this sort of project. Turned out to be too expensive for production, so I snapped it up at $0.75/ yd.
Anyhow, how warm do you want to go in coat construction is pretty dependent on where you're wearing the coat. I wander around here in Oregon in winter in what I'd consider to be a fall jacket in Iowa. On the other hand, winter jackets in Oregon really need to be water repellent, and probably have hoods.
You might also enjoy working with a "hard shell" fabric if you ever get the yen for something nearly windproof and fitted. The outside is a "jersey knit" look, the inside a thin fleece. Stretchy and DWR, and fairly warm on their own. Makes good close-fitting work vests and jackets -- low bulk. I wasn't particularly impressed with it as RTW, but as a custom-fitted vest, it was exceedingly comfortable and nearly bulk-free. Warning: I haven't found hard shells amenable to typical tailoring... ya gotta think of it as a knit instead of "coating". Or at least I do.
Oh gads, I remember that stuff. Adsorbed body oils and slowly went rancid over the course of wearing, like polypropylene did... buy it in the fall, bury it in the spring. Bleaggghhhhhhhhh!
I stuck with a couple of layers of silk jersey for long johns until they invented Capilene.
Kay
InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.