An idea.

[Dreadbelly]

Image goes clickity pop.

The poncho scarf. A long L shaped knitted piece of fabric. Hung over shoulders. Buttoned in front. Cords for wind. A backpack pounch in the central square. I'm thinking those chemical heat packs can be added in to the backpack pocket and the two hand pockets. On the front flaps, there will be pockets on both the inside and the outside.

I am buying looms (which should be delivered any day now) to create the knitted weave to make the fabric.

In my mind, I see something that would probably look pretty good with a kilt, probably even better with a great kilt. I see it as being practical and old worldly. Something good for men and women.

Need opinions. Need advice. I have the idea, about to have the tools, now I need to make it happen.

Sorry for the crude picture.

[cavscout]

on first glance I thought you were going for a PC Coat look.

After pondering it a bit more...

You might consider putting some kind of collar at the top, perhaps a standing color like on a nehru jacket...taing that a step farther, maybe make the front to look like a crail jacket or one of the waist coat styles (in fact something like this http://kiltstore.net/sr_swhdr_lowlanderwaistcoat.html )

My initial thoughts are, it's an interesting idea. Could I see wearing it around town? I don't know. It could be a handy hiking item though in certain weather when you don't really need to shed a lot of water but just need to trap a bit more heat than a t-shirt.

Would I use it as a scarf? Probably not. I'd just pull it over the head. I would keep the buttons though because of the look it offers unless you replaced it with some kind of design.

I'd also square of the back horizontally, I think it would look more masculine.

[Dreadbelly]

I have thought about a collar or a hood. All in time. Start with basics on the prototype and then work my way up to fancy stuff.

This is designed for activewear. Hiking, woodsy stuff, going out and about. I plan to make it from heavy wool in a knitted weave. It'll provide warmth even when wet. Think of it as a blanket, poncho and scarf all at once. Hangs over the shoulders. Will look like a vest in the front I think. Could be worn under a coat (of whatever weight) and probably look like a vest or a scarf.

The L shaped design I think can be made with the two long sections overlapping in the middle with an opening to provide a stash pocket space in the back. I think it would be a good spot to stick one of those chemical heat packs, especially if you wore this under a shell coat.

I could see sleeves being hung off of the shoulder areas, but I don't know if I like it personally. I'd wear mine sleeveless and wear mine like a wrap.

The two sections would probably be several feet long and I am thinking about 20 inches wide, maybe wider or narrower based on sizing, small, medium, or large. (Also available in Tartanic and childrens sizes)

It is not so much a piece of clothing designed for looks, but practicality. Would probably be real nice when you are standing around for a parade or something in freezing weather.

[cavscout]

Your chemical heat pack pocket is an interesting idea. You may also want to consider that in a hiking scenario, the wearer will probably have on at least a day pack if not a hydration pack so the pressure could create a hot spot on the wearers back. You might consider having internal breast pockets to serve the same purpose. This would function better to keep the body core warm as well as make the heat packs accessible for hands to be warmed if needed and to be replaced more easily if your in the cold that long.

If the natural design of the back allows for a pocket it would be great to keep it as an added feature but in function I'm not sure most people will use the pocket since they would have to take the garment off to get stuff out of the back. I only use my back pants pocket for a wallet and that's only when I don't have a jacket with a internal breast pocket. I just prefer carrying stuff I use frequently on my front where I can get to them easily and keep an eye on them.

Once i put something on I tend to want to leave it on if I can rather than carry it in my hand, and I'm not a fan of having to put things on and take them off to regulate my body temp thru-out the day. I'd rather be a little cold for a while or a bit warm knowing I'll adjust once I'm back in the predominate temperature

Please don't think I'm slamming your idea, I think it's got a lot of potential and I'm just throwing a bunch of ideas out there to be used or not used when you're ready.

[Dreadbelly]

There would be pockets on the front flaps, you can see them crudely drawn in. Front and back of the flaps. Chem heat packs could be put inside pocket, leaving the outside pockets for your hands.

The back stash pocket could be used for, well, anything. A map. A snack. Or nothing. I just plan to put it there so people could have the option of using it. You could smuggle in a bag of potato chips to have something to eat while sitting in the bleachers watching a football game. Sneak a big bag of candy in to the movie theatre. I dunno. Stash pockets are endlessly useful.

And nothing is taken as a slam. I need somebody to bounce ideas off of. This is helpful. I have an idea in my head that really needs to come out. It is making me CRAZY. More importantly, I need for it to be practical and work.

[Dreadbelly]

Another clicky poppy picture.



Somewhat better scale size I think. On something that vaguely resembles a human form.

[cavscout]

Add a couple of organizer compartments to the back pocket and a couple of thong and toggle fasteners on the sides to anchor the front to the back in heavy wind and you have a pretty good start there.

[Dreadbelly]

Knitting organiser compartments... Ugh. I might be able to do it though. Anything is possible. The idea was to overlap the two sections where it naturally forms of a square and leave a section somewhat open when sewing it together. (Hand sewn by the way) I guess I could just stitch section dividers in?

The cords would connect the front flaps with buttons. Or hooks. Or something. I can see the bridge from here, crossing it should not be hard. I could even add buttons to the corners of the back square and have them connect to the front flaps just under the arm pits.

I'm thinking this is going to be pretty heavy... If I double strand or even tripple strand my weave with a good wool yarn, we are looking at something that will weigh anywhere from 4 to 8 pounds, maybe even 10 with a tripple stranded ultra dense weave. Would probably use up several thousand yards of fibre. If I went and made it from hemp and wool blends, it'll probably hit the 12 pound mark easy and would cost me hundreds of dollars to construct one. So that probably wont be happening. I'll offer a light weight single weave wool option and a heavier weight double weave wool option. I could so a synthetic like acryllic, but I really don't know if I want to do that. I'm thinking that one of these might use 50 to 75 bucks worth of yarn, so I don't even know for sure what to price them as where people would even buy them. A double weave would use up 100 to 150 bucks of yarn. Which would mean that the prices would be, well, high. I don't know if I could do this and have them sell.

But the idea is good. I'd like to at least make one prototype to see how it does.

[cavscout]

make the prototype and then start trying to sell it to a major chain store. Never know, they may jump on it and have it in production for next winter.

[Dreadbelly]

Um... I hadn't thought of that. I don't have production facilities. I was just planning to try and make a few of these here and there to sell online.

I wouldn't even begin to know how to approach a big chain store and ask them to start selling something like this.

On a side note, I wonder how these would turn out felted?