New tweeds

[Whidbey78]

This post isn't intended to show off what I've done as much as it is to show off what I've found and what I'm about to do.
I also didn't want to jack Cowher's thread, located here: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...et-bust-64628/

After modifying a handful of jackets, I was left with these two...not my favorites of my thrift-store treasures, but they're serviceable for casual situations and the occasional informal evening dinner. They're also the first ones I modded, and not as good as they really could have been.


Two that were much nicer fell prey to red wine. I'm now a winaphobic. One ruined jacket was my fault due to what I wish could be called a "corkscrew malfunction" but is more accurately described as "operator error." The other casualty was an accident due to dancing too close to the edge of the dance-floor as a slightly intoxicated but very apologetic lady passed by. It's 150 miles to a dry cleaner, the usual spot removal tricks failed, and the most expensive of these jackets was a whopping ten bucks, including materials to modify it. I enjoyed hunting down and converting them so much I decided to scrap them and get new ones.

I had been thinking to myself throughout my search for suitable replacements that maybe it's time to get tweed. After all, that's what all the cool kids are doing, right? Even a year ago I had no desire for one. I didn't even much like the look. Somehow, my tastes transformed and I found myself afflicted with a Jones for tweed. Weird.

Well, yesterday while getting some "sacrificial" work clothes at a local second-hand shop I happened upon these two gems.



They have identical weaves, but the one on the right is done in slightly darker tones. Tonight I'll put fresh batteries in the "fuzz-buster" and see how much sheep I can shave off of them.

They're made by different companies, and have slightly different cuts. The one on the left has a slightly more tailored fit, about 1 1/2 inch higher button placement and a small brown stain near the hem below the left patch pocket, so it's going under the knife soon. I can't say for certain yet, but I might be able to keep both buttons and still make a nice cut-away for the sporran. I plan to keep this one close to sleeve-length, but no more than 1/2 inch above the cuff. That puts the hem in a good spot in relation to the fell, should keep the lines pretty clean, and make a nice smooth "sweep" along the cutout. I would have preferred a three-button jacket to start with, but they're nearly nonexistent in these parts. The brown leather buttons are in rough shape, so I'll hunt down something nice to replace them. I'm not a fan of epaulets, but who knows what I might do with this? I wasn't even a fan of tweed jackets a year ago, remember? Now I gots me two of them bad-boys.

The other jacket, on the right, may not get modified. I think I might keep it as-is for use when I'm not kilted. I'll probably change out the buttons, though those black leather ones are already beginning to grow on me.

Total cost for these two jackets: $5.00
Cost to modify one, and maybe spruce up the other: $10.00 (estimated)
Lookin' sharp on the cheap: Priceless