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  1. #1
    Join Date
    3rd August 09
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    US Army Blues Jacket to Doublet Conversion

    Hello fellow Xmarkers. I recently found myself with an extra uniform jacket that I would never wear again and realized that I could probably create something like a Balmoral Doublet with it. I have embarked upon my journey and am starting to realize why doublets cost $600-1000 and higher. Of course, as is the case with many renovation projects, it is frequently harder to remodel than it would be to make something from scratch...but I really didn't want to get into making lapels and shaping the chest, etc...so in this case, I think there's a benefit to using a previously constructed jacket as a starting garment.

    I've invested about $25 in materials so far (still need to buy some grosgrain silk and buttons). My time investment...well...we won't talk about the amount of time it took to cut and then rip all those stitches and press everything flat as I selvedge fabric for reconstruction...but the tashes have proven more time consuming than I had anticipated. I'm very happy with how my first one has turned out though, so I'm driving forward.

    Here's the facing of my first skirt flap showing the basting that I'm using to install cording as trim.

    Here's one section of cording blind stiched and the remaining two basted.

    A view of the flap from the back side...showing Hymo stitched to facing and blind stitch along the right hand side.

    Completed front section of first tash, minus buttons

    And finally...my first completed set of tashes...only three more to go!!

    Check back in from time to time...I'll try to update this thread as I continue to make progress on my project.
    "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." -- Thomas Paine

    Scottish-American Military Society Post 1921

  2. #2
    Join Date
    25th January 11
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    Winfield, MO (originally from NE Scotland)
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    Looks good, are you planning on posting a template for them?

  3. #3
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    Man, I can't wait to see this take shape, the tash looks great. What a nice teaser for the project.

    You're a braver man than I- When fabric and I get together, TERRIBLE things happen.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by madmacs View Post
    Looks good, are you planning on posting a template for them?
    Hmmm...a template is problematic. I guess I could try to draw out my patterns that I cut out of cardboard and then add some measurements. The measurements will vary based on your waist, etc. The outer flap on these is 7.5" wide x 5.75" tall (finished vertical and horizontal measurements...not on the angle). The inner flap is 8" wide x 6.25" tall. The cant on the flap is 15degrees off the vertical (75 degrees from the top edge). The inner flap (larger one) uses that same 15 degrees, but I tapered them in about 1/8" on each side because I wanted the bottom of the flap to be slightly wider than the top...so it's 8" at the top edge and about 8.25" wide at the bottom.

    Quote Originally Posted by artificer View Post
    Man, I can't wait to see this take shape, the tash looks great. What a nice teaser for the project.

    You're a braver man than I- When fabric and I get together, TERRIBLE things happen.
    Scott...Fabric and I have the same relationship as you and leather! And I'm putting to use some of the tailoring skills that I've learned over the past few months through my online research.
    "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." -- Thomas Paine

    Scottish-American Military Society Post 1921

  5. #5
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    31st March 11
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    That looks to be shaping up wonderfully and its sure to look magnificent once completed.
    What will be, will be.

  6. #6
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    By the way...

    For those unfamiliar with what a Balmoral Doublet is (and since names vary so widely from maker to maker), I'm talking about a jacket designed by Highland Clans (ostensibly a copy of a jacket the HRH, the Prince of Wales, Duke of Rothesay wears). Here is an image of it:

    Found at: Highland Clans Balmoral Doublet

    This version is made from velvet. Mine will be blue wool with a black velvet collar. I like the shape of my flaps better than this example. I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be putting Argyll-style button cuffs on my jacket vs. the flap style seen here. Cuffs and lapels will be faced in grosgrain silk most likely...still trying to decide on a color (black, red?). My kilt is bottle green (US Army Tartan)...I know that many think red will look fine with anything...for some reason it seems the only color that doesn't look good with my kilt in my eyes. I don't even wear red flashes with that kilt when I wear it...opting instead for light blue or navy blue typically. I think purple might look nice, but some have indicated this is a rather unusual color choice. Feel free to offer your thoughts on facing colors.

    Here's a new pic of the center back flaps. I "re-purposed" the front breast pockets (pleated patch pockets) for these. Regular doublets typically have unadorned flaps...I thought the pleats added a little something extra and I like the end result.
    Last edited by longhuntr74; 4th June 11 at 07:11 PM.
    "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." -- Thomas Paine

    Scottish-American Military Society Post 1921

  7. #7
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    Oh my!

    What beautiful, even stitching.

    I'm jealous.

  8. #8
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    I can't wait to see the finishes product here. Definitely keep those pictures coming.

  9. #9
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    Since you asked...

    Quote Originally Posted by Spartan Tartan View Post
    I can't wait to see the finishes product here. Definitely keep those pictures coming.
    Well since you asked nicely...I have been working on the flaps over the past 10 days as I've had spare time at the end of the academic quarter (which has been limited). I finished them up this morning. Please be patient...I'll be moving on to reinforcing the bottom of the cropped jacket next...which will be somewhat of an adventure...and will do my best to take pics along the way as a sort of "HOW TO". But that is all still to come. As for what has been done so far...

    There are four sets of double flaps (and then the two small flaps that I posted three posts ago). The two rearward sets of flaps are essentially just decoration and non functional. The front two sets, however, have pockets set into the inside flap and concealed by the outer flap. Here is a couple of pictures of how I cut the slots and then turned back the facing material to get ready to set in the pockets (which, of course, were the recycled pockets from the bottom front on the original jacket).


    So here's the three remaining inner flaps; two with pockets set in and a second plain one for the other rear side. This is before pairing them up with the cord-decorated outer flaps.

    And a picture of the outer flaps that get paired up with them and stitched together.

    Here they are completed (all sewn together).

    And finally a picture of the pocket under the outer flap after they were sewn together.
    "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." -- Thomas Paine

    Scottish-American Military Society Post 1921

  10. #10
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    Wow - I am endlessly impressed! You have fantastic attention to detail. Kudos to you!!!
    Kiltmaker, piper, and geologist (one of the few, the proud, with brains for rocks....
    Member, Scottish Tartans Authority
    Geology stuff (mostly) at http://people.hamilton.edu/btewksbu
    The Art of Kiltmaking at http://theartofkiltmaking.com

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