london lounge overcheck cloth
Published: Friday, August 17th 2007
I purchased a suit length earlier in the year for myself. It was a blue overcheck cloth that was commissioned by the London Lounge. The cloth was made by the world famous Fox Flannel's.
The fabric is a beauty, colour, texture, weight, everything.
I must say though I was a little unsure if it was too bold for my frame to carry it off so I was a little disappointed from this perspective, as I did want it for myself!
The picture below shows the fabric. Which does not fully reflect the real vidid complex colour of the cloth. It does give a fair idea though.
Anyway, after some deliberation I decided to give it a go.
The next pictures shows my trousers after I have cut them out. I have not cut the jacket out yet.
The topside is on right of the picture, and the underside with all the small parts to make the trousers is on the left.
The top side is the trouser front section and the under side is the back portion of the trouser.
The style I chose for my trousers is two reverse pleats each side, or classic English as I would call the style.
The picture above shows the topside piece laid on top of the underside trouser piece there is no leg inlay on the underside for the sharp eyed among you!
I have made the trousers and still I am unsure as to whether the fabric style suits me. I have not had this dilemma with cloth colour for years with myself or for a client!
I did write the trousers off thinking that was the end of it but the trousers are really growing on me the more I look at them and wear them.
I shall have to get the jacket rustled up and see the whole thing together to really know if I like it.
The next pictures give a much better idea of the fabric, and the colour/s.
The next picture shows a closer shot of the hip pocket.
The cloth jetts were cut to go the same way as the cloth, ie cut up the piece as opposed to along the fabric grain or selvedge so they matched the pocket coming down the pattern the button is of course real horn.
The next picture shows a portion of the right trouser front. You can see the two reverse pleats and these are stitched down for 1 1/2" from the waistband then open out free of restraint.
I have standardised the sewing down of the pleats for a distance of 1 1/2" on all my trousers from now on, I just prefer the look and it holds the pleat nicely when trousers are worn with braces.
In this picture below you can also see the pocket bearer has been 'boxed off', ie, I matched the bearer both vertically and horizontally which really is crucial on a big loud check fabric like this.
The next picture shows the inside right portion of the waistband.
You can see the fastening arrangement, a zip ( metal ) one hook and bar, and two buttons. This buttoning is sometimes called a French bearer and really does hold trousers superbly.
The cheap way to make a French bearer is to simply sew some kind of small extension piece into the trouser fly which then buttons on the inside, my way is the real way to make a French bearer!
There is a join on the waistband extension on the inside portion of this section and the reason for this is simple, I am not as slim as I used to be!
The next picture shows another portion of the inside waistband.
Starting from the bottom of the picture you can see the striped leg lining I use along with the curtain waistband and the rubber 'shirt gripper' I use ( and do prefer ) finally the 6 brace buttons.
The last picture shows one side of the finished trousers.
I m extremely pleased with these trousers and the more I wear them the more I like them.
The colour of the cloth is fantastic, the cloth texture and weight is perfect plus being a Flannel fabric these are also very warm trousers perfect for winter.
UPDATE;- I have today just cut the jacket to go with them 21/12/2007.
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