Jacket conversion help.

[Friday]

I am larger than the average bear (excuse me Yogi) and have not been able to come up with the price of either an off-the-rack or made to measure kilt jacket. Yesterday, my wife stopped at the outlet mall in Gettysburg, PA. While she was shopping I made my usual stops at the leather store and Casual Male Big and Tall. As I walked down their discounted clothing rack, this is the rack for discounts on their already discounted outlet price, and saw a Black suit jacket. The hanger said it was my size. I tried it on and found out the hanger was right, it fit very nicely. I then looked at the original price on the tag. Not bad but more than I would spent to turn around and cut it up. I then looked at the discount tag and started to go weak in the knees. The price was below my choking point. I am an improving my sewing skill, but at this price if I really destroyed the project I can live with it.

I am rereading the conversion threads and other information at hand, but, two items are not as clear as I would like.

1) The hem of the jacket is a little higher than the fell line of the kilt.
2) Are kilt jackets ever made with patch pockets rather than slash pockets? I believe that I have seen older pictures of Argyll with patch pockets, but would an Argyll with patch pockets still be exceptable as semi-formal wear?

I hope to have this complete in time for the Southern Maryland Celtic Festival.

[MNlad]

Patch pockets make the conversion easier, since the flap is usually just sewn over the material at the front of the jacket rather than being part of the pocket construction itself as in many slash pockets (often it is hard to tell until you rip into the project). Thus, it's just a matter of removing the flap and moving it higher to get the right proportions. If you want to retain the pocket itself, you just move it up and cut it to the proper length. Many conversions just ditch the pockets entirely, retaining the flaps. I seem to recall one conversion tutorial here (Panache?) that retained but shortened the pocket.

As for the acceptability of patch pockets, I'll leave that to others.

[Chas]

I rather like patch pockets. On a country/tweed/daywear jacket, I would go as far as saying that it was expected. Mainly because the Scots are like everybody else - a hardly worn or out grown jacket is passed round the family. Why waste? And if the pockets needed moving, well patch pockets were easier to move.

A black formal jacket for an adult is somewhat different. Slash pockets will work and if the hole is in the wrong place it can be covered up by the flap. Remember, the pockets don't have to work. You might be better off, just having the flaps for show. Most new jackets these days come with the (working) pockets sewn up. It stops men putting 15lbs of assorted junk in their pockets and ruining the line of the suit. If men want to use the pocket, then they unstitch it.

The main thing is camouflage. If you invest in a full set of good quality buttons - no one will be looking at your pockets.

Regards

Chas

[Friday]

Thank you gentlemen. More things to thin about.