Worsteds with surface interest

[jb]

My recent post on the handwork in an Oxxford suit from the 1930s got me thinking about another unique aspect of that suit rarely seen today -- its cloth. It was a substantial worsted in a blue-gray color that had the slightest hint of green to warm it up. What I rarely see today though, is the texture of the cloth. It was not the typical flat worsted, but was woven with a texture, like a Bedford cord, only much finer and was worn for business.

My evening suit of 30+ years ago was in a midnight blue clear-finish worsted woven with a raised stripe like a pair of railroad tracks an eighth inch apart with a barathea weave in between them. The stripes were spaced about three eighths inch apart with a different weave in between, and caught the light very nicely. (It's probably worth a whole separate thread to discuss the demise of the evening suit that fit into the wardrobe between black tie and a blue business suit).

Currently, the worsted cloths offered are not only lighter, but not woven in as many interesting ways as older cloth. I would like to see some offerings with at least some woven stripes between herringbones, and other interesting options. With the wonderful job the Cloth Club has done creating cloths to a very high standard, I wonder if others have interest in creating a worsted like this.

Joel

[davidhuh]

Dear Joel,

having tested a worsted LL cloth recently, I would guess that something is cooking

Michael to explain

Cheers, David

[jb]

That's good news! Suffice to say, I am intrigued.

[lordsuperb]

Something like this?

[jb]

Thanks lord superb. That looks like a nice old heavy worsted. It's hard to see in the photo, so I can't tell what the surface is like. Certainly those old heavy glen plaids, etc. had texture and were not entirely flat like what I see in today's books. The ones I am talking about could be a single color or patterned and had ridges or stripes woven lengthwise (unlike a cavalry twill which is diagonal) and sometimes across also, adding interest to the cloth.

[lordsuperb]

I'm hoping LL releases some nice worsted fabrics similar to this picture. I've been underwhelmed by the heavy english fabrics.

[alden]

lordsuperb

You may have liked this one we did a few years ago. It is just about the design you have posted and wore very much like a tweedy worsted.

"Lee Marvin" Check


Like you, I am very underwhelmed by the selection of heavy English worsteds, even among those actually made in England! In the clothclub we are trying to remake some of the old qualities in great designs. so stay tuned.

Cheers

Michael

[jb]

Michael, I know you have posted before about the difficulties you have had in trying to produce heavy worsteds. Please let me know if I am wrong, but as i understand it the high quality yarns are not being produced that are needed for this type of cloth and the old machinery has in many cases been scrapped. Reed and Taylor's Silver Gander is the closest that I have seen in recent years (my double breasted in this cloth from Chris Despos is my favorite suit) and the mill can no longer produce it. I know you are working on it and I hope that you can find a way forward.

In the meantime, the Cloth Club is creating fabulous cloth for our other projects. Many thanks.

Joel

[alden]

Michael, I know you have posted before about the difficulties you have had in trying to produce heavy worsteds. Please let me know if I am wrong, but as i understand it the high quality yarns are not being produced that are needed for this type of cloth and the old machinery has in many cases been scrapped. Reed and Taylor's Silver Gander is the closest that I have seen in recent years (my double breasted in this cloth from Chris Despos is my favorite suit) and the mill can no longer produce it. I know you are working on it and I hope that you can find a way forward.

In the meantime, the Cloth Club is creating fabulous cloth for our other projects. Many thanks.

JB

Thanks very much.

The case of the old R&T fabrics is shut and closed as far as recreating the actual qualities from the past for the reasons you cited. The Silver Gander, which was a lovely cloth, was a similar fabric (though not identical) and really the best that could be done given the circumstances. But even the Gander has flown the coop.

The real problem is demand. There isn't any. The clothing industry wants light cloth for gluing. Customers want the same. Tailors and tailoring has all but vanished. I understand that the H. Lesser 16 ozs book (not even heavy by my tastes) is being let to run out. And Smiths tried to make a gritty old style Hudderfield Super 60s in their "Whole Fleece" offering a few years ago that took ages to sell and then could not be made for lack of the whole fleece yarn.

Worsteds to have good surface interest and depth in the pattern have to be made sufficiently heavy. But nobody wants heavy anymore. And it is an expensive and time consuming process for us to make them ourselves in very small bespoke quantities..but I am going to try and keep doing it for awhile just because my dander is up.

Cheers

Michael

[lgcintra]

Dear Michael,

I remember your video with Mr. Graham on the whole fleece cloth, about 5 years ago. That was one the most beautiful mid-gray worsteds I´ve seen. Could not get it in time... got 5.5m of the dark grey, which is also an incredible cloth.

Do you know if there are any leftovers of that wonderful mid-gray? Would be so kind as to tell us if there is hope?

Best,
Luis

[davidhuh]

Do you know if there are any leftovers of that wonderful mid-gray? Would be so kind as to tell us if there is hope?

Dear Luis,

I went to Smith Woollens a year ago, for exactly this reason. All what was left in the whole fleece quality was dull black

Cheers, David

[Concordia]

When I last checked a few years ago, they only had dark charcoal and Oxford grey left. Now even those seem to be gone. The only other colors of that series were a very good navy and mid-grey. Definitely good things to hope for on re-issue. If you don't mind sobriety, that set could cover you completely for a cold London winter.

[lgcintra]

Concordia,

I´ve got 5,50m of the dark charcoal you´ve just mentioned. I plan to have it made later this year. I hope my tailor in Rio is able to stretch those 5.5 into two suits (SB and a DB), but I´m losing hope there would be enough cloth...

Best,
Luis

[lordsuperb]

Like you, I am very underwhelmed by the selection of heavy English worsteds, even among those actually made in England! In the clothclub we are trying to remake some of the old qualities in great designs. so stay tuned.

Thanks Michael, I look forward to see what you come up with.