How much tweed (29 inch wide) fabric for a suit?

[oscarsfan]

How much fabric is needed if one wants to make a suit from the traditional 29 or 30 inch Harris or other handwoven vintage tweed. I have seen some beautiful fabrics but they are often only 7 yards long. I may have heard a minimum of 8 yards but I am not sure.

I am about 190 lbs, 5-10 or so. Take a 42R in RTW.


Much thanks as always.

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[yachtie]

Harris is usually too soft ( as in unstructured- hand, not "feel") to be useful for trousers. It's really a jacketing for the most part. iammatt posted a tweed sportcoat here "some old tweed" and it was apparent that the cloth really needed a canvas for support. 7 yards would be plenty for a jacket and possibly a waistcoat too.

[RWS]

When I've bought single-width (75-cm.) tweed, OF, I've calculated that a sportcoat will require 4.5 meters or so and trousers, 3.0 or so. But what do I know? I'd ask my tailor, were I you.

I do agree with yachtie: most Harrisses (not all handwovens) are probably too loosely woven to wear well as trousers. I've been tempted to have trousers made from them but never have actually commissioned a pair. (Has anyone in the Lounge?)

[oscarsfan]

I had seen a nice one on the Ben Silver website in a rust? Looked very interesting.

I too feel that keeping a crease will be harder than even in woolen flannels but I am tired of office/business looking suits.

[Bob Badger]

Hello,

Does this then mean than you would need 2.25m of 60inch tweed for an average sized sports coat?

[RWS]

. . . Does this then mean than you would need 2.25m of 60inch tweed for an average sized sports coat?

I've bought as little as two meters (of a plain tweed or other cloth) and as much as two and a half (of one with a large pattern), though I've found that (at least for me, at about 6'1" and 150 or so lbs.) a skilled tailor might use less.