Cloak material problem

[elarges]

In one of the "Pakcet" series, I found a pattern for a type of watchcloack. It looks pretty good, and I'd like to make it out of a single piece of blanket-thickness wool. The problem is that I can't find the required 5 foot x 10 foot piece I need. My only other idea is trying to find two matching blankets, and sewing them together up the back.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Most cloaks are cut as a circle 8-10 feet in diameter, split up the front and fastening at the circular neck opening. This size usually demands that two pieces of fabric be combined with a seam down the back and the edges hemmed and finished at the front.

What does your pattern call for?

 

[musketman]

The problem is that I can't find the required 5 foot x 10 foot piece I need.

That comes to 60" x 120" inches, now a 6 "point" Hudson's Bay blanket is 90" x 100", perhaps that will be close enough to work...

Ghost suggested an circle that is slit up one side with a hole for your head...

An easy pattern for this would be any Christmas tree skirt, just enlarge it... :hmm:

 

[Stumpkiller]

http://jas-townsend.com/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=672

Jas Townsend has "Coating" wool by the yard that is 60" wide on the bolt. His blanket wool is 72" wide, but unfortunately is 20% Nylon.

 

[elarges]

With the circle pattern laid out, it will need a piece 5 foot wide by 10 foot long. That will take care of the cape itself. There is also a shoulder piece and a collar, but those will come out of what is left.
I think I'm going to end up going to a military surplus store to find 2 identical blankets, and then stitch them up the middle of the back.
Now...I'm not sure if I should line it. I don't think so.
Thanks!

 

[elarges]

Good point on the Christmas tree skirt. The pattern in the book lays out a half-circle for the cape, with a half-circle cur out for your neck. There is also a shoulder piece and a collar that will come out of what is left over.
Thanks for the help!

 

[Maestro]

Eric, you actually might want to consider using a lighter weight wool than a military surplus blanket. Stumpkiller mentioned the "coat weight" wool - if you can find something like this material it may be more suitable (IMHO). I have a cloak that I bought from Missy Clark made of "coat weight" wool - even though it's thinner, it's pretty dense and it's still quite heavy to have hanging on your shoulders for any length of time - and it is very warm.
You can contact her at Barkertown Sutlers and see if she can point you to a source or get it for you. Maybe even a local fabric store. Just a thought. YMMV

 

[elarges]

Thanks!
I'll check it out. When I finally get this all put together, it's going on a prize blanket anyway. I might want to make two and keep the first one for myself, just in case.

 

[flm_shooter]

Well, I made this one

from two of these surplus blankets

Now they're discontinued...

 

[ameling]

If you really want to make it from a wool blanket, and don't want to sew two together to get the length you need, then check on ebay for Double Blankets. Some get listed every week or so. They are two blankets that were never cut into separate ones, and can run around 5 or 6 foot wide by 13 to 16 foot long. A lot of the original trade blankets were shipped as uncut pairs, and then cut in half when sold. And in the early 1900's, a lot of "camp blankets" were made and sold as doubles, and never cut apart for use. These double camp blankets do tend to be lighter weight than the HBC's, and might work better for re-dyeing.

Just a thought to share.

Mike Ameling