Northwest Traders Capote

[Omahkapi'si]

Thinking about having one made. Any thoughts on these folks?

 

[appalichian hunter]

Wife has one very nice capote.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Looking at the N’or Wester style with simple hood.

 

[Ames]

Well, I started there........................
Seems a lot of supply chain problems a few months ago made getting what I wanted sketchy at best. I moved to plan B.
I bought a 6 point Hudson Bay blanket off Fleabay. Not a fan of the candy stripe point blankets I bought a green one with black stripes. The standard leprechaun green wasn't going to work for me, so I gave it a hot bath for an hour with 2 bottles of dark green Rit and a cup of vinegar. Perfect color. Now you can sit under a conifers branches in the forest and nobody will pick you out till you move.
The final move was to ship it to Christine Unique Custom Apparel. Working with my measurements she had it done in a couple days and into a box on its way back.
Highly recommended if you run into any snags and have to try another route.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

The one on her website is pretty much what I am looking for. Don't really need the hood. Might just give them a call. Easy to get a blanket various places. Thanks for the info.

 

[andy52]

Personally I find a capote to cumbersome for my liking. I had a Macintosh style coat made from a brown Witney with black stripe. It has no hood and is shorter then a capote just seems easier to move in vs the longer copote.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I have an 1880’s style wool mackinaw from an original pattern that is great. Comes just below the seat in length. But I would also like the capote for shooting and cold winter winds.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I have contacted the gal at Christine's apparel. Will let you know how it goes.

 

[tenngun]

Look at their website. They do several based on the blocky Indian style. Look at their ‘trapper’ style. The shoulder seam is on the back and it makes a fit to open or closed. It’s a style that goes back to at least 1810

 

[Omahkapi'si]

What I know about capotes wouldn't fill a thimble, but the Northwest Traders ones look pretty simple and period correct to me. There's another guy in Idaho that makes them but they look a little whimsical to me, maybe not from any period?

http://coyotescapotes.blogspot.com/p/capotes.html

 

[tenngun]

While nice looking none of those are historic. Capotes were mostly made from blanketing instead of blankets. Then they were not simple robes, most were tailored to have a good fit.
Lots were made commercially. Few went past the knee and some could be mid thigh. Woolen leggings were often worn to protect the legs, and some time capotes came with matching leggings
The robe like capote is from the late days and reservation period. Dressed up with leather fringe is mid to late twentieth century.
Blankets. In ‘Indian patterns’ are also late and drawn from Navaho blankets. Up until the 1840 s such blankets were plain with stripes on the sides or across the ends like trade blankets. By the 1860s a few would have the ojo design in them in just two contrasting colors. After the reservation period for Navajos they started making more complex designs for trade. But the very designed blanket dated back to the 1970s also, the mix of colors owes much to Carlos Castaneda more then older blankets.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I like the Voyageur style in this pic. Thinking I might avoid buttons.

 

[tenngun]

I THINK the Voyager and Duffel are the same cut as the Trapper. The duffle has its shield on the shoulders.
You can always add buttons if you want later. Ties and toggled frogs were known too

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I emailed them about their "Plew" blanket as well to see if they can send pics of the colors. I like brown but don't want the brown stripe lost on it. Gray might be ok too. Could use it tonight...zero F tonight headed to -20F this weekend.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Christine’s just emailed me back and we are discussing. We’ll see where it goes...

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Coincidently NWT just sent me a pic of the plew blankets....the brownish one at the bottom of the stack might look good...

 

[Ames]

That brown one would get me shot in the woods.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Haha...guess that’s why the bright colors.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Christine’s is sending me pics of blankets she has tonight.

 

[Ames]

During my search to have one made I considered dying one blaze orange to comply with our pumpkin code up here. I think I could have done it with a fawn colored Hudson bay 6 point I saw on Fleabay. I talked myself back out of the idea. What would I do with a blaze orange capote the other 46 weeks of the year?
I decided to wear an orange vest over it while deer hunting. I can still wear it as just green and black while hunting small game in the snow, but with an orange voyager hat for my own piece of mind.