Hopsack options

[Samuel]

Presently I am considering a few sport jacket and blazer possibilities for early winter and late spring. Very soon I'll seek feedback regarding tweeds that feature a glen check pattern.

I am hoping to replace an old workhorse of a blazer. Navy blue. I can't be sure of the maker of the cloth, but words like durable and sturdy fall short as I try to describe its loyalty to me throughout decades. To repeat, a workhorse.

I am considering four hopsack cloths. The first is a 10/11 oz. Navy hopsack by Smith Woollens, #5464 in the Blue Riband book if my memory serves me. The second is an 11/12 oz. Minnis/Hardy Navy (100's with a wee bit of cashmere) hopsack, #2332 in the Crown Classic book. The third is a 10 oz. Navy blue hopsack by Smith Woollens, #4007. Finally, I am especially drawn to a robust 14 oz. Navy blue hopsack found in the Smith Woollens Steadfast book. The number is 1508.

Are there any other Navy hopsack cloths you can recommend? As an aside, I have also considered the solid (French) Navy in the W. Bill Lamlana book.
Many thanks.

[Gilles Deleuze]

Samuel, have you taken a look at the Smith Botany book? I love this particular book (and have two suits from it), and as I recall there were a couple nice looking navy hopsacks in it.

[Samuel]

I am not sure I have. 12/13 oz.?

Also, doesn't Lovat Mill offer a hopsack, as well as a house fresco cloth?

Mention was made elsewhere of a lambswool-cashmere blend hopsack. Best I recall, the book was called Mayfair.

[Jordan Marc]

Samuel:

The 14 ounce Smith Woolens navy blue hopsack cloth you mention sounds ideal for a double-breasted blazer to be worn in winter weather through early spring. One hopes the cloth is woven in a basket-
weave pattern. Pay close attention to the buttons you choose for the blazer, which is the jewellery
of the coat. Some men opt for low dome stamped buttons in a gold-toned basketweave pattern, which isn't really gold at all, while others spend a fair amount of time in button shops to find just the right
design. You'll know it when you see it. For trousers you might consider a tan-and-brown marled wool
twill, a dark tan wool gabardine, white wool flannel or salmon red linen for springtime, and the
ever popular light gray and mid-gray wool flannel when winter rolls in again.

JMB

[kolecho]

Most hopsack I have seen are suitings, including those you mentioned. They lack a pronounced weave to make a sporty blazer IMHO. If you are going to consider hopsack suitings for a blazer, you could also look into navy serge suitings. The heavier cloths circa 15oz and up are much nicer in a serge than hopsack. Ask for Smith's Wholefleece to see if they have a navy serge there.

[Samuel]

Good bit of advice there. It's true that all but the 14 oz. Smith Woollens hopsack look and feel more like suiting cloth.

Is there a Smith Woollens Whole Fleece in Navy that you could recommend? Is this cloth a serge?

[kolecho]

There was some navy serge Whole Fleece but I think it is sold out already. The other alternative is some 16oz H. Lesser serge.

[tchoy]

The Cloth Club's navy Mistral would be ideal for a navy blazer.Hopefully there will be a reissue. I have the grey Mistral and is one of my favourite cloth from the Cloth Club.


viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9807&hilit=navy+mistral

[kolecho]

The Cloth Club's navy Mistral would be ideal for a navy blazer.Hopefully there will be a reissue. I have the grey Mistral and is one of my favourite cloth from the Cloth Club.


viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9807&hilit=navy+mistral

Agreed that the Mistral is a very nice hopsack option.

[JohnnyB]

Agreed, a reissue of the Mistral would be most welcome.

[Scot]

I am considering a navy blue hopsack suit project for the summer - so possibly around the 10oz weight. The coat would have interchangeable buttons of dark and light horn so it could also be worn as a blazer/ odd coat and would have patch pockets. Two questions arise: firstly how well does hopsack work for trousers in this weight and, secondly, are patch pockets on a suit considered very informal, limiting the use of the suit?

[Will]

I have a suit from one of the Smith Woolens Steadfast hopsacks and the trousers hold their crease well and do not bag. Too few wearings to say how they will hold up.

[hectorm]

I am considering a navy blue hopsack suit project for the summer - so possibly around the 10oz weight. The coat would have interchangeable buttons of dark and light horn so it could also be worn as a blazer/ odd coat and would have patch pockets. Two questions arise: firstly how well does hopsack work for trousers in this weight and, secondly, are patch pockets on a suit considered very informal, limiting the use of the suit?

I own a blue light hopsack blazer with patch pockets which also have flaps. These can be worn in or out giving the jacket slightly more possibilities. I imagine it would work in the same way with a suit. Also consider how the patch pockets are attached to the jacket. In mine, the edges of the patch pockets are turned inside and you can't see the stitches. Pockets where you can see one or two rows of stitches will be make the jacket even more informal.

[Samuel]

Am I correct that Lovat offers a house hopsack cloth?

[soren]

The coat would have interchangeable buttons of dark and light horn so it could also be worn as a blazer/ odd coat and would have patch pockets

Exciting! How does that work?

Cheers,
Soren