what a week!

Published: Monday, October 9th 2006

UPDATE:- I shall be in New York 28th October- 1st November and staying at the Benjamin Hotel. Please email me if you are interested in meeting me. I shall also be bringing various suit lengths from one of my Yorkshire cloth merchants. All are for sale and fabulous quality.

I went to the races as mentioned on Saturday part of the reason for a break was this.

Last week was unbelievable I had nothing but problems with my very small number of machines.

The first thing to go was my boiler the pump packed in.

I have a self contained Veit boiler that gives me around 80psi of steam.

As a one man band doing everything it is extremely important for me to have 'steam' at all times as I press my garments a little at a time as I go along to save me time when pressing off, I also use steam continuously through the day under pressing the garments as I make them.

I did however manage after stripping the pump down to get the boiler going again.

Then, the vacuum table decided to throw one. The vac table is in my case a rectangular table with a movable arm that I use for my pressing and under pressing.

This table is operated by pressing a long bar with my foot which then starts a fan or impellor style of blade to spin very fast.

This has two effects, firstly it holds the work in position by sucking the work to the table and removing all the steam that is used pressing the garment, again I use this vacuum table all day every day.

I have no idea how I found the electrical fault with this, but I did and managed to get it going!.

This table of mine is at least 40 years old and like everything in tailoring as we say, " there is a good yard of cloth in it yet"!.

The singer 269 bartack machine was next to go by starting to throw stitches enough was enough now it was time for the heavy mob.

I was straight on the phone to my father as he has over 50 years experience within the tailoring sector and was a former head engineer for the late Sir Montague Burton.

My father is a fabulous sewing machine engineer and before retiring was one of, if not THE most respected sewing machine engineers in the wholesale trade.

Dad checked all my machines ensuring they were set up correct and making minute adjustments here and there, I thought my job was complex but moving parts, cogs, wheels, bearings, cams, belts, levers, and electrics, the check list was endless!.

All turned out fine after around four hours of tinkering and tweaking and I was ready to get stuck in again.

How appropriate my father mentioned a previous discussion regarding a double breasted Navy overcoat he was after!.

Pictures below are my father at work.

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york races

Published: Sunday, October 8th 2006

Despite being very busy at the moment I had Saturday off to go to the races with friends at York.

One of my friends is in the Army the Coldstream Guards, and the Guards Regiment have the last race of the day, The Coldstream Cup.

This Race is a very good day out and to top it off the Guards Regiment has a private function room for serving and former serving soldiers who meet up to see old friends and have a drink, or in our case, attend as guests of David.

The picture below is me with some of my friends who are a mixed bunch of character's to say the least, David I have known since I was 9 and Richard nearly as long.

We are all also members of one of the most exclusive clubs in the world, Goole Mountaineering Club!!!.

The first picture shows, 'milkey', Elton, 'dobby', David, Richard ( in a suit I made him ) and finally me.

The second picture shows Richard with some of the Coldstream Guards soldiers.

David is the Company Sergeant Major and Tom on the far right is a Physical Training Instructor ( PTI ) for the Guards.

The third picture above, is Guardsman Fulton in his Tunic and Bearskin watching the door to the function room.

'milkey', Tom and David deep in serious conversation!. 'Milkey' had better not be drinking my beer he's holding.

David as always is dressed for the occasion with bulled shoes but you must try harder CSM!

And finally the smartest young man in Goole, Richards son Zak and our driver to and from ( for some! ) York.

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smoking jacket

Published: Sunday, October 1st 2006

The last smoking jacket I made was about 2 years ago and I was at that time a 'trade' maker making for other tailors.

The smoking jacket order came to me from an establishment with the royal warrant for clothing HRH The Queen and It was a beautiful wine velvet to be made with a shawl or roll collar lapel and satin gauntlet cuffs.

The firm that sent me the order dealt with the frogging themselves but it was a beauty when finished.

Here I have a smoking jacket that has come into me from a client for an alteration and a BIG alteration at that.

My client asked me if I could take this jacket in for him and as there needs to be around 4 inches taking out from the chest and waist sections these are BIG alterations for any jacket.

My client has not really had any kind of wear from this garment due to the bad fit.

The jacket I was very surprised to find from the inside label was made by a very well known tailoring firm in London.

The ill fitting finished garment came about as my client was unable to attend a fitting at the tailors due to work commitments and was told, incorectly in my humble opinion as he is not an easy figure to accommodate, that a 'straight to finish' would be fine.

This is the result, an unhappy client who will never use them again. "Fittings make the tailors way safe" say I.

After a short discussion we decided the velvet is a good quality and it would be a shame to not have a go at correcting it. This was an expensive garment in the first place and the frogging is not too bad a job so it is a shame it is not being worn and enjoyed.

I have stripped the sleeves out completely to enable me to get a good run at all the seams, the armholes needed reducing in diameter to have any chance so the sleeves had to come out.

I am also posting these pictures for you to be able to see the sleeve crown seam which has been cut on both sides and pressed open. This is quite a good method for velvet as it gives a nice flat crown.

I re cut the side seams and also reduced the centre back seam I had seen this on him before any attempt at the alterations to give the best results.

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new york visit and suit lengths for sale

Published: Monday, September 25th 2006

I am looking forward to my New York trip. The dates are:- 28th October- 1st November. If you would like to see me whilst I am in New York, please email me. I can be contacted in New York on my mobile/cell phone, 07980541235.

I understand there are a few problems from an independent tailor from the UK. Therefore, I am going to briefly outline my plans to make the Atlantic transition a success. If anyone requires more information, please email me. The process will be this:- any orders placed will have to be secured with a deposit, I am a genuine 'one man band', I can't work without deposits, I would be bust. I will prepare any garments ordered for a skeleton try-on, not a forward, including trousers. I will then return to New York to give you your fitting, I am not sure yet whether it will be 9 weeks, or 12 weeks. At the first fitting, I would like customers to be able to give me 45 minutes to do any alterations with baste cotton and needle there and then. I will then re-try your suit on. If you have not got 45 minutes, you can call at the end of the day, or at another convenient time to suit. I will hopefully pick up new orders also. I shall then return home and prepare for a forward fitting and return again to New York to try you on, pick up new orders and try-on the customers for a skeleton fitting, a round robin basically. When the suit is finished, I will invoice the balance, upon cleared funds, will either courier your suit to you, or deliver it at my next visit. By giving two fittings, three really, alterations should be an absolute minimum. If there are any, of course they will be done.

As indicated on my website, I am a one man band. I INTEND TO ONLY TAKE AN AMOUNT OF WORK I CAN DO. It is first come, first served.

I have been asked by one of the gentlemen I am seeing in New York about Yorkshire fabrics and to look out for different suit lengths for him. So.........I have been to one of my cloth suppliers based in Yorkshire and photographed various suit length fabrics. Most are woven in Yorkshire, most are unique and not found anywhere else. They are fabulous quality, as you would expect coming from Yorkshire mills. The fabrics vary from 20oz all wool, to super 160s wool and cashmere and mohair.

There are also some Scottish woven tweeds, fabulous colours and quality. ALL ARE FOR SALE. The photographs below show some of the lengths and fabrics available.

If you would like to purchase one of the fabrics, select one from the photographs below and please drop me an email. I shall bring your chosen fabric with me to New York. You are of course, more than welcome to purchase a fabric and take it to your tailor of choice. Please note:- If you choose a fabric that has to be cut from a piece, I will be unable to return it. The price for these suit lengths vary from £120-£175, I am only able to accept cash for any fabric purchased. I am also going to bring with me an assortment of other various suit lengths, so please feel free to call and see me for a chat and maybe find that suiting you always wanted.

Does anyone have a request for a fabric not pictured here?, let me know, I shall try my best to locate it and bring it with me.

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me, ready to visit a client

Published: Friday, September 22nd 2006

I have had a few questions regarding my style of cut and shoulder. I am no slave to any style and I try my best to give the client what they want and a shape that hopefully is best for them.

I certainly do not claim to be all things to all men either.

Here I am below suited and booted ready to visit a client to conduct his fitting.

This is an older suit I made about 2 years ago. It is a full handcrafted suit cut by me made by me finished by me and pressed by me!. What other tailor can say that?

I have been everywhere in this suit, horse races, dinners, weddings, I have even cycled to the pub in it and even after all this it is still in very good shape as a Bespoke suit should be.

I tend to have the same style of jacket that I feel suits me best which is a button 2 front, centre vent at back and straight flaps.

This style of jacket really makes the suit a 'bread and butter suit' ie good for everything.

The fabric for this suit is a 13oz herringbone wool worsted and made in Yorkshire.

The cut for the jacket neck point is straight, as I prefer for myself a straight cut neck point/shoulder because my measures for a jacket are 49 chest 41 jacket waist and a back roughly 10.5 inches.

As well as these other large measures I am also 'stocky' or broad shouldered and I am certainly no shrinking violet!

A straight cut gives me the small fold of cloth ( front chest drape ) at the front of my armhole (scye)

I also cut the back of my own personal jackets with a bit of drape.

This front and back drape while not being excessive gives me a nice comfortable jacket and yet still quite fitted at the waist as I like it without compromising movement.

I have also cut the base or bottom of the armhole quite high, it cannot really be much higher as I am also quite 'thick through'.

This is a term relating to the back section on the body at the widest section under the arms more or less. I hope you can get an idea from this about my finished suits.

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comments and requests

Published: Thursday, September 21st 2006

Readers, if there are any!

The thinking behind my website is to give an insight into English tailoring. It is also to show total transparancy with my business, I really do the cutting and making, many others also say it and it is untrue. I hope my site conveys this message.

I want to publish and photograph what you want to read.

There is a comment section at the bottom of each article I publish, please feel free to give me any feedback about my articles and website, it would be greatly appreciated.

I will also be very pleased to write and photograph ( if I am able to ) about anything you may be curious to know about tailoring and how something is done, ie shooting jacket backs, machinery, pockets, anything. This is a simple blog documenting my day to day tailoring activities, there is nothing cloak and dagger!

But please remember and bear in mind, I am a very small business, I ALSO DO ALL THE WEBSITE BLOGS PERSONALLY, you do not get much smaller than one!!.

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a lucky tailor?

Published: Wednesday, September 20th 2006

My apologies to the various people who have emailed me for further information regarding my tailoring visits.

There is a reason for my slow response......................

The picture below shows the remains of my Saab 95.

I was involved in a road traffic accident on Saturday the 16th September. I would like to thank the driver of the tractor that was driving on the wrong side of the road, around a bend!

Main thing no-one hurt, only the car and thats only plastic and metal. This one I shall have to put down to experience.

If you are looking for a solid, safe car.........I walked out of this with a couple of cracked ribs.

Many thanks to my friend Darren Barker, he drove me to retrieve my personal effects from the car. Thats him in the background laughing!!!

Any-one want to buy a car, I know one thats going cheap!.

UPDATE:- I am in the process of replacing my car. I have done the deal....... you guessed it, a new Saab!.

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cloth bunches

Published: Tuesday, September 19th 2006

I have just received three new bunches from one of my cloth merchants, they are lovely quality. Made in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England, the home of world excellence for fabric producing.

I try my best to only use fabrics made and sold by cloth suppliers in Yorkshire, they are fantastic quality and can last you a lifetime. I use the well known branded cloths also, but feel they are becoming pushed a little too hard, as 'the' cloths to use, similar to the designer clothing bought off the peg.

One is a plain-weave cloth, which will let air move through the garment helping to keep the wearer cool and have the added benefit of helping to shed creases.

One of the other bunches is a very nice super 130s, 9oz weight, with a real nice feel, not soft or hard, but perfect for airconditioned offices in the city.

The final bunch is a Merino 10/11oz wool classic. Perfect for everyday wear. Classy, traditional stripes and good solids.

These are the 2006 fabrics, I have made suits from the previous 2005 bunches and have every confidence the new cloths will perform as good as the last.

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a short break from tailoring

Published: Sunday, September 17th 2006

I try my best to take my youngest son Thomas walking 2 to 3 times a year.

I am definitely no rambler, but find the time spent with my son very calming, no noise, traffic or general hustle bustle of everyday life. I have to get fitter though, the hills seem to get steeper every year we return!.

This is Thomas standing at the waterfall at the mouth of Langsett reservoir. We normaly go to the Peak District as it is only 40 minutes from home and you really can feel like the only people on the planet at the top of the hills in the Dark Peak area.

We stayed at a nice Bed and Breakfast but a different one from usual haunt, it was the Dog and Partridge a place with real character and history dating back to medieval times.

The Dog and Partridge of years gone by had been used as a temporary morgue for people that died on the moors! (as spotted by Sean in the brochure).

Thanks Sean for telling me that, I did not sleep as good on the second night as I had on the first!. Tom's favourite hostelry and our usual haunt is the famous Yorkshire Bridge at Bamford, next to Ladybower reservoir, fabulous home cooking, lovely place.

It was a suprise to be joined by my eldest son Sean 20.

Sean is in the British Army the Parachute Regiment. He came home unexpected on leave so I suggested he join us.

It was nice of Sean to be prepared, they are my combat trousers and my boots he is wearing.

Thomas and I had already been away for a day before Sean met us and we had had a good walk around the hills on the Dark Peak side. This picture really does not reflect the weather on the day. It was blowing a gale and we got absolutely soaking wet as soon as we got out of the car to start our walk.

There was some joy to be had though, on the other side of the mountain, there was a championship fell run competion and they had it much worse than us!.