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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why choose canvassed jacket fronts over fused?
Published: Friday, August 17th 2007
Why choose canvassed jacket fronts over fused fronts?
The picture below may give a clue to why canvas is better than fused. It looks in good shape. I am not, and do not write off fusing though. I have made my position clear on fusing on previous articles.
The tweed jacket in the centre of the above picture, is the jacket I made for myself to wear on my first US trip back in October 2006.
I wear this jacket for everything, and do all the things you should not do to a bespoke garment. I certainly do not treat it with kid gloves like most owners of bespoke garments do.
On top of working in this jacket, cycling in this jacket, walking in this jacket, etc, I also fully load the pockets on this jacket on a regular basis, I wear it seated for hours on end, I screw the jacket up into a ball and stuff it into a carrier bag for the duration of Atlantic flights, take it out of the bag at my destination, shake it off, and wear it again!
The jacket has become like an old friend, I love it, it is my favourite jacket, ever!
The making was documented on previous blog pages, but, sufice to say, the fronts were VERY lightly fully canvassed.
There is nothing in the shoulders, when worn the shoulder line is my own actual shoulder.
The pictures below show me wearing the jacket, the pictures were taken a couple of weeks ago after I had returned from the US.
So, back to the question first posed. Well, the answer why canvas is better is simple by looking at the general condition of the above jacket.
While I was in New York with my son Thomas on my most recent US visit, the weather was not the best for several days, but we still had to venture out to see the sights.
The above jacket was absolutely soaked, I mean soaked fully through. If I jumped in a swimming pool, I would not have been wetter.
If the jacket had been fused, it would have been the end of the story, and the jacket to be fair, but no, good old canvas fronts. I simply hung my jacket up back in the Hotel room and let it dry off slowly overnight.
I then wore it the next day, it was right as rain. The only problem I could see was the edges of the jacket fronts/lapel fronts looked a little 'blown'.
This is where the edges look a little thick and clumsy, but is no drama.
Upon my return to England, I thought the time had come for a re-press. Afterall, the jacket is almost one year old and it would be the first re-press it has had in this time after almost a year of constant HARD use.
The results are easy to see in all the pictures, the jacket is as good as new.
So, if the dilemma exists with a choice between canvassed jackets and fused, if the purse will stretch to bespoke canvas, go for it! When correctly made it will never let you down!
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Tom shooting, a pint after, and tom making beer mat towers!
Published: Sunday, August 5th 2007
I had an appointment with a client at work on Saturday morning, Thomas had asked me though if I would take him shooting again to my local range afterwards.
The fitting was arranged for 10am, and my client was bang on time.
The fitting was at Hull, and went very well, so we waved goodbye to my client, and Thomas and I were on the road back to Doncaster to go to the range for 11am.
We arrived at the shooting range 12 noon.
There was no-one else at the range, this is no surprise, the club is very small and has less than 50 members
The range itself is situated down a long track, amongst hills in a valley, and is a lovely place to shoot.
The picture below shows Tom shooting my .22lr semi-auto rifle, he is a good shot.
After our shooting finished around 2pm, we closed the range down and decided to go for a pint as it was such a nice day, plus, the Cadeby Inn, one of the pubs I go to, is only 500 metres or so from the gate to the range.
The Cadeby Inn does a lovely carvery dinner, and so Thomas had a good dinner. After the mornings activities, Thomas was hungry!
The picture below is me sat at the bar having a pint of John Smith's Bitter while Thomas has his lunch.
This was an opportunity too good to miss, a picture of a perfect pint of bitter.
The next picture is one of my pint on the left, and the pint of my mate John A on the right. JA met us at the pub and his prefered tipple on the day was Black Sheep Bitter.
The next picture is Tom building a tower using the beer mats, it's two levels higher than I can get Tom!
Then the inevitable collapse!
We had a good day, but couldn't stay too long as my wife Julie, was going out with her friends for the night, and I was babysitting our 17 month old daughter louisa.
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sad end to a good night out
Published: Sunday, August 5th 2007
I went out on Friday night for a pint with my good friends John Heggie and John Armstrong.
John A had been in London all week on a course, so after a couple of pints, left me and JH to it.
The picture below is me on my bicycle early in the evening just setting off to the pub to meet my mates.
I locked my bicycle up securely in the usual place I leave it, next door to the British Transport Police HQ in Doncaster, and not even two minutes walk from the railway station on a main road.
I returned later to collect my transport home, only to find some scum bag had tried to pinch it.
The pictue below is the result of the attempted theft.
My bike is a write off. The frame tube has ripped and the other section as you can see, has been twisted and buckled.
The good thing I suppose about this whole episode is the lock never gave way, so the scum who tried to pinch my bike went away empty handed.
I would however like to meet the thieving coward for a 'discussion'.
The kind of talking I have in mind resembles the picture below.
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today is yorkshire day
Published: Wednesday, August 1st 2007
Today is Yorkshire Day!
I would like to wish all fellow Yorkshire men and women, wherever they may be, a very enjoyable day.
I shall raise a glass in celebration to our White Yorkshire Rose which was picked from the hedge rows by Yorkshire Soldiers in 1759 after defeating the German Army at Minden.
I shall also have a drink for all the Yorkshire Soldiers serving in theatre's around the world.
Cheers!
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floods, finishing school, and shooting
Published: Friday, July 20th 2007
I am away to America in the morning, Saturday the 21st July, if any US blog followers would like a suit, please contact me direct on my cell whilst I am in the US. +44 798 0541 235.
I shall not be on my own however as the six weeks school holidays have now started here in the UK so I am taking my son Tom with me.
Tom is very excited about going with me and I am hoping we can get out a little before and after work each day.
The north of England, particularly South Yorkshire, has had a massive amount of rainfall in the past few weeks. The result of this has been widespread flooding.
To say I have had a lucky escape is an understatement.
The picture below shows the entrance to the street I live on, the water the Police van is going through is less than 200metres from my home.
Luckily, my house is situated on a slight rise from the bottom of the road, so the water never reached me. If the rain had not stopped we would have had it also.
It is however, 'chucking' it down as I type this!
The Police van is heading towards the main road through Sprotbrough, ( my village ) where the water is around 3ft deep, lots of homes very close to me were flooded.
On a positive note, my daughter, Laura, has finished school now.
She is waiting for her exam results and hoping to attend Doncaster College, both Julie and I have every confidence Laura will achieve the results she is after.
The picture below shows Laura on leavers day with the mandatory 'limo' that all school leavers seem to require nowadays!
Tom asked me last weekend if I could take him target shooting to my local range.
So, we were up and out early Saturday morning. First stop, to get some ammunition from the local dealer I use, then we were on to the range.
Tom and I, mainly Tom! got through a 'brick' of ammo, that's 500 rounds to non shooters, and had a really good morning.
We took it steady as the weather was glorious, even though we were on a covered firing point it did not detract from the day but we would have preferred to be outside.
Picture below shows Tom who is fully under my instructions shooting with one of my rifles.
The rifle he is shooting is a Ruger model 10/22 .22Long Rifle calibre 10 shot semi-automatic.
I have rifle has a Parker Hale sound modeorrat ( silencer ) fitted.
The static target he is shooting at is 25 metres away.
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dates for new york and atlanta
Published: Monday, July 9th 2007
I SHALL BE IN NEW YORK SUNDAY THE 22ND OF JULY UNTIL NOON 24TH JULY. I SHALL BE STAYING AT THE HOTEL BENJAMIN.
PLEASE EMAIL IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MEET ME FOR A SUPERB SUIT WHILST I AM IN NEW YORK OR ATLANTA.
des@desmerrionbespoketailor.com
I SHALL ALSO BE IN ATLANTA WEDNESDAY 25TH OF JULY UNTIL NOON 27TH JULY, AND STAYING AT THE INTERCONTINENTAL BUCKHEAD.
I CAN BE CONTACTED DIRECT ON MY MOBILE/CELL WHILST I AM IN AMERICA.
+44 798 0541 235.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING NEW AND EXISTING CLIENTS!
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odd pictures of recent tailoring activities
Published: Saturday, June 30th 2007
I SHALL BE RETURNING TO NEW YORK AND ATLANTA SHORTLY.
PLEASE EMAIL ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MEET ME WHILST I AM IN NEW YORK OR ATLANTA.
des@desmerrionbespoketailor.com
I can be contacted directly on my cell/mobile whilst in the USA, my number is +44 7980 541235.
Well, with one thing and another, I have been very busy of late, so I have not really documented any real 'articles' for my blog. I am correcting this and collecting pictures of my work in progress to use for future articles, so keep posted!
So, I am publishing a few snippets of day to day activities that have been happening at the Merrion tailoring room.
After moving my new workroom around for the 5th time, I have finally got the floorplan cutting table/fitting table/machinery layout correct for my needs.
When you cut and make, as I do, it is important the work 'flows' from one stage to the next with the minimum amount of walking between stages.
This not only saves a lot of time, but also helps keep the handling of each garment down which aids turnout.
I am now getting more and more clients calling to the workroom.
This causes a slight issue, the fitting area, a mirror on the wall, nothing fancy or glamourous is ok but needs to be better really.
Graham and I shall have to give this some thought, there is space in the back, but it is away from the work area and I want to keep the fitting of the garments within the actual workroom.
Picture below shows the now corrected workroom set up. If this picture is compared to previous ones of the workroom I have posted, you will see the changes.
The next pictures show me basting the bottom vent section on one of my American clients jackets. I am basting the linings in place ready to hand fell them, The cloth mitre of the turned up vent can be seen .
The cloth is a super 150's all wool, always a challenge to hand finish without showing through to the right side!
They have been felled, and the jackets completely finished since these pictures were taken.
The next picture shows quite an unusual dinner jacket I made recently.
The customer did not want full silk lapels, but just a small piece of silk, facing off one of the collar tabs, the left one,as below.
The breast welt was silk, it also had silk jetts, and the same small piece ( as per the collar ) of silk was also put on the back centre vent and on the edges of the vent of the jacket cuffs.
The fabric as you can see is a black shadow stripe wool and cashmere blend. The whole job came out rather nice to be fair, and was definitely another first for me!
The next pictures show my son Sean doing a bit of hand felling for me.
Sean was home on leave from the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment for a week, so came and helped me out.
I must admit, his hand sewing has suffered somewhat since he joined the Army, no suprise there, but the consequence was I had to re-do a fair bit of the sewing he did, it was tatty, and wasn't good enough.
So, there it is. A lot going on, and a real sense of moving the business forward to enable me to deliver the best suits to our customers at home and abroad.
Drop me a line if you are in need of a first class suit!
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london lounge gun club cloth
Published: Sunday, June 24th 2007
I SHALL BE RETURNING TO NEW YORK AND ATLANTA VERY SHORTLY, DATES TO BE POSTED SOON.
PLEASE EMAIL ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MEET ME WHILST I AM IN NEW YORK OR ATLANTA.
des@desmerrionbespoketailor.com
I have just cut and fitted up this London Lounge cloth for a client's first fitting.
The fabric is a 'gun club' pattern orange/brown main with black and green smaller check's and finished with a prominent red over check a very nice cloth and a good weight.
The picture below shows the clients jacket marked in ready for cutting out.
This is a jacket only and because of the large check pattern I shall cut a one piece forepart with this jacket to preserve the complete matching of the cloth. The one piece forepart is to the left on the jacket lay.
It is a little hard to pick the smaller colours out from this picture but they are quite vivid in 'the flesh'.
Below is a picture of the front of the jacket worn by my client.
Not too bad for a skeleton baste no major drama's to worry about and not much, if anything to correct just a little 'fine tuning' really.
The jacket waist needs to come in slightly but my client does not want a very fitted waist but 'just so' a little reduction from the back drape, and the front quarters opening up slightly.
I removed both the sleeves and reduced the shoulder width while my client was in the workroom, and then re-basted the sleeves in before this picture was taken. I prefer to do my alterations in 'real time' with the client in front of me to re-try on as opposed to later.
Doing things this way takes a lot of the guess work out of the job and keeps the customer happy hopefully! and finally I think it gives a better finished fit to the garment cutting down on expensive and time consuming alterations.
There is a very slight 'drop' to the right shoulder ( left as looked at here ) but there is nothing at all in the shoulders, we may just add a little wadding to lift this shoulder end to level it or leave as is.
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a unique whisky?
Published: Sunday, May 20th 2007
You pay your money, and you take a chance!
I do already have a website link to this particular 'venture', but I thought I would mention about it again here as I think it deserves it.
I joined the 'vision' several years ago and consider myself lucky to be one of the first 250 members.
I can say it was a big gamble and I could not really afford it at the time, but it was something that appealed to me on several levels even if it was only one man, James Thomson's 'dream' at that point.
My wife Julie went nuts when I told her I had bought into the non existant club.
Things have really moved on since the early days and the dream is becoming a reality.
So I hope for once I can prove to Julie I am not an idiot, but I doubt that very much!
The venture is looking for other people of vision, although actual bricks have now been laid along with plenty of other work which also been completed so I would presume it's not quite the same blind 'leap of faith'!!
Take a look at the link below.
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