DIY Wool Blanket Camp Sweater

[latremorej]

Very nice work as usual Murat! I really like the leather touch, is there anything you can't do? You are a great craftsman sir

Jason

 

[snapper]

Murat - If you'd like a historic capote you might want to look for the old Fleur de Lis patterns from Sussane Gouse. I don't think the company is currently in business but their patterns are still available; although sometime difficult to find. They specialized in 18th century French clothing and one of the pattern sets they sold had the capote, along with other men's clothing, as part of the set. If you know any re-enactors that are on the French side, they might be able to help you find the pattern. I'll see what I can find and will shoot it your way if I do.

That being said, if you're willing to move into the 19th century, those capotes tend to be a bit more boxy. Essentially you're cutting out long rectangles and then sewing them together. I'm not much of a sewer (have never gotten the hang of a machine so all I do is hand sewing) but I made a nice wool overshirt that is essentially a pull over capote without the hood. It wasn't as difficult as I expected it to be. Although the project seemed overwhelming at first I decided to take it one seam at a time. With that as my strategy, that's exactly what I did. After I cut it out I sewed exactly one seam every night and then put it away. This kept me from getting frustrated and allowed me to go with the shorter seams first so I'd be ready for the longer seams in the body. Anyway, two weeks after I began I had a great (and very warm) wool overshirt that I've used on lots of late fall and winter trips. The old "slow but steady" strategy really worked for me with this garment so I'm sure you can do it as well.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[ppine]

Great idea. Blankets make great clothes.
I used to hang out with buckskinners in Colorado and Wyoming. I learned to make a suit of buckskins and lots of other things.
I made a blanket capote with a fur collar. Very warm in the snow.

 

[coldfeet]

I cut up and hand sewed an army green wool blanket and made a large anorak. I saw the idea on the old snowtrekking site. It was ok, my problem was the neck area, didn't really make a gusset (?). then I went a little meh/shu/gana and bought on craigs list an old coyote coat from a guy who used to party in Studio 54 in the 70's and used it to make a ruff for a canvas anorak that I bought cheap from England. I like it but after paying the seamstress and all the trims I probably should have bought something from Empire wool and canvas years ago. But it was fun walking around with that full length coyote coat for a few days. City boy here that probably should have lived elsewhere, but then where would I find my bagels? I would do it all again after thinking about it.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I once met a guy on a canoe camping trip who could fold a wool blanket in about three minutes into a nice, warm hooded cloak. He may have used some cord and his belt to fasten the neck and waist, but I forget.

 

[MrPoling]

When I was a young man in the early '90s polyester and other synthetics were not dirt cheap like now. I took a second hand wool blanket and made long underwear with it. Of course I had to wear cotton underneath the wool. It was so warm it was almost useless in the mid-Atlantic states.

 

[Boatman53]

I just realized at the beginning of this thread I mentioned my blanket coat but never followed up. Here it is.

Jim

 

[Boatman53]

We went to the botanical gardens ‘Gardens Aglow’ last night. It always amazes me how they can wrap so many trees with lights. I decided to wear my capote and it was a hit, I got many compliments.

Jim

 

[snapper]

Glenn - My guess is that guy created a match coat with his wool blanket. Match coats were typically used by woodland Native peoples at least in the 18th century. Great way to use your blanket without having to cut it up. Some folks can wrap them so they don't come undone while others will use a pin or brooch of some kind to keep it shut. Many of my Native friends still use their blankets this way at our living history events. Keeps them warm, dry and you can even tuck your musket in there to keep the lock & powder dry.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time....be well.

snapper

 

[coldfeet]

That's awesome looking Jim! I bought a nice looking orange Hudson Bay blanket with I think one black stripe a few years ago in Brooklyn. I promised the seller that I was not going to resell it for a quick profit. Used it a few times on winter hot tenting trips. I was thinking about sending it to Empire wool and canvas to make it into an anorak but it's a bit to expensive for me to have done. Learned my lesson with my cloth anorak build. You must be walking much faster wearing red.

 

[Bob B.]

Snapper is correct Glenn. I used a match coat all the time a decade ago. I ran the timber hard late fall through winter. I would hunt, hike and sleep with mine. Yup, take a nice blanket, wrap up in it with the blanket over your head, cinch at the waist with a belt, or sash of some sort and cinch off the neck … my blanket had leather ties at the neck for keeping it closed and creating a hood. Lots of items can be used … including blanket pins. It is quiet amazing how much freedom of movement there is as well as how warm and comfortable that simple blanket trick is.

Bob.

 

[Boatman53]

Thanks Coldfeet. I’m not sure it makes me go faster, but ok let’s go with that. I was often waiting for the others to catch up so maybe it does.
I had so many comments that I thought I’d look up up want a 4 point Hudson Bay blanket costs today and holy mackerel I’m glad I was sitting down.
Jim

 

[snapper]

Jim - Yeah, if you are going to purchase an authentic 4 point Hudson Bay blanket you'll be paying what a monthly mortgage payment used to be. But like folks say, "cry once, buy once." Of course, it's still hard to make that first cut into a blanket of that quality (and cost).

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper