Fabric Help - Swedish Army Snow Smock

[BushEd]

Hi Guys

Not sure if this is the right area to post this in (mods feel free to move if not); but I'm looking for some quick advice about fabrics.

I have a Swedish Army snow smock which I intend to use a lot this winter - I have at least two winter expeditions planned and it will be a key garment for both I imagine!!

But following on from other threads on here there are a few adjustments I plan to make -

1. To add gussets to the arms to make it easier to put on and take off, and so layers can be adjusted without removing the smock.

2. To add a zip to front (and a covering flap) so I can use the smock like a big pocket down to my sash.

In order to do these I need to get a bit more of the material so here's my question:

What sort of material are these smocks made from? (I'm guessing its some medium weight canvas) And what can I buy that best approaches it?

I have been looking at this as an option:

https://www.profabrics.co.uk/shop/show_product_info.php?id=CW7-37 but as a waxed cotton it is probably very different from the material of the smock.....

One idea I had was to just buy another smock...seems like a bit of a waste tho :S

Any help would be much appreciated
Ed

 

[oetzi]

I would recommend a normal can vas or polycotton, which is easy to sew and can be waterproofed like the rest of the smock.
A waxed canvas at the armpits may not be a good idea, its not the driest area of the human body.

 

[BushEd]

ahhhh goood point!! Especially important with winter use!

How about this stuff:

https://www.profabrics.co.uk/shop/show_product_info.php?id=CDB-30

There's just too many different varieties of cotton and weights for an ignoramus like myself

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Would it not be cheaper to buy a 2nd snow smock to use for spares. mine was only about a fiver a few years back.

FYI, I tried dyeing mine, a few years back (with Dylon) I wanted to dye it an khaki/brown:
1st attempt, ( I dyed it as per Cotton instructions) it hardly did anything, just a vague grey.
2nd attempt, (I dyed it as per instructions for nylon) it partly dyed, now it's a very pale sandy/pinky colour.
worst thing of all. the buttons dyed, patchy pink.

not wishing to wear pink clothing, it now acts as a dust cover for my push-bike, lol

 

[oetzi]

I had the same experience with dying my smock and this is what I did with my second one:
wash the garment two times before the dying,
take more dye than necessary for the given weight of the garment,
replace all the buttons afterward with new ones (that way I really learned to sew on buttons).
Give your smock another ago, its worth it.

 

[Rabbitsmacker]

i died my over the head snow smock with dylon with a pair of over trousers, the trousers took the dye great but the smock was a bit patchy, still looks ok, but on use of it i hate the arm gussets, so am also planning to enlarge these as well as adding woolly cuffs