Harris Tweed is it the British Swandri?

[robin wood]

What do you think?

I went through a phase of picking up Harris Tweed jackets in charity shops for £5, there are still plenty about. It really is a wonderful material although the style is often 40 years out of date.

 

[Mike Bowler]

I would wear Harris tweed if I could find my size in the Charity shop

 

[John Fenna]

Style?
Out of date?
If my clothing depended on style or fashion, I would never tie the laces in my Lundhag boots, my Fjalraven trousers would be hanging off my *rs*, showing acres of my Woolpower thermals, my Swandri shirt would be untucked, I would wear the hood of my Ventile smock low over my eyes and my Woodlore Bushcraft knife would be for stabbin - not whittlin!

Blud!



If I could find it to fit Harris Tweed would be part of my wardrobe!

 

[korvin karbon]

Style?
Out of date?
If my clothing depended on style or fashion, I would never tie the laces in my Lundhag boots, my Fjalraven trousers would be hanging off my *rs*, showing acres of my Woolpower thermals, my Swandri shirt would be untucked, I would wear the hood of my Ventile smock low over my eyes and my Woodlore Bushcraft knife would be for stabbin - not whittlin!

Bushcraft neds, hrmmm there is a great comedy sketch there, glasgow ned goes upto the bushcraft ned with a 4 inch blade, bushcraft ned brings out the 9 inch leuku and the splitting axe

 

[johnnytheboy]

I agree here with Robin, Barbour recently brought in a new contemporary range of clothing that makes you look less like a farmer, and appeal to younger generations. Harris tweed could be doing with something like this, more modern less like compo. Joey D in Edinburgh makes some crazy jackets from old harris tweed ones but they are fashionable rather than practical.

 

[treadlightly]

Harris tweed is great, so are other "brands" like Donegal. Surprisingly water resistant and so tough. I've picked up a couple of jackets from charity shops and love them. I'm now of an age when the vagaries of fashion are less important.

 

[Seoras]

Finally got my good wife Alison to finish my Tweed smock over the christmas and tested it out at the weekend at the Reading Meet.

I will post a picture soon but I am in work at the moment.

My sister who is a Harris Tweed weaver wove the cloth and Alison sewed it up for me.

Needless to say I am very happy with it as not only being very warm has plenty of pockets where I wanted them.

Cheers

George

 

[Klenchblaize]

There is definitely a small market for the right range of wool outdoor apparel and that is designed above all to be comfortable but rugged in construction. To my mind Bison Bushcraft are on the right track with their Guide Shirt that, if redesigned with a fixed hood that zipped high like the Paramo Hoodie, would be a wonderful bit of kit.

Just a thought

K

 

[andy_e]

Does Tweed still smell of wee when you get it wet?

 

[warthog1981]

It all depends on what you wet it with

 

[mr dazzler]

Interesting thread Robin
As far as I know the harris tweed is related to the same sort of weaving as the vikings, I saw some scraps of viking cloth once, I thought at the time, that it looked like harris tweed. I saw a show on history chanel they went a sailing in norway or somewhere and one sailor used modern plastic materials for his suit, the other used traditional which I think included woven wollen. Guess which turned out the best insulation. I have a couple of tweed jackets, one is worse than compos, the sleeves are just about still on. But it is solid, warm even if its wet, thornproof (or at least doesnt get shredded if you walk in among a hedgerow). And seeing as I think "fashion statements" are toatlly stupid, the old fashioned style isnt an issue. And the weaving is traditional and British, not far eastern rubbish

 

[British Red]

Style never goes out of date - fashion does however.

A Harris tweed jacket, proeprly cut, is not properly broken in until the third generation of owner.

The same is true of a moleskin waistcoat or good pair of brogues.

Anyone who cannot know the inherant value and style of such things will never learn it. Anyone who does, never needed to be taught. It has no bearing on class or status - anymore than well made tweed flat cap does - you could be the Lord of the manor or the under gardener. A classic is a classic.

Red

 

[Toddy]

My husband was a Physics teacher, and his standard garb was a Harris Tweed jacket and cords He actually wore out jackets, at the rate of one every three years. They got so scruffy I refused to let him out the door in them, but he insisted that new ones were broken in gradually.
I'm sure there are still two hanging in the wardrobe in the spare room.

Leather patches and cuffs used to be a sign of a good jacket well repaired, latterly our,"latest fashion, throw away society", has condemmed perfectly serviceable clothing to the bin. We could save a fortune if we just hung onto things a little longer, I suppose.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Seoras]

Here is my Tweed Smock. Seems cuddly enough for my son Finlay.

It has two top pockets with flaps, two bottom pockets without flaps so I can be lazy and stick my hands in them easily. Their is also a pocket at the back which is good for storing maps or any sort of tinder on the way.

[/IMG]

It is big enough to go over my Swani which I really needed last weekend with the temperatures we had.

Any way thanks to my sister Tina for weaving it and my wife Alison for sewing it all together. My bit I suppose was making the buttons.

George

 

[drewdunnrespect]

nice looking jacket matey

ps thats coming from a supposed fashion throw away aged 21 year old and well as some one else said a classic will never be beatten

 

[Tubbyfraser]

Here is my Tweed Smock. Seems cuddly enough for my son Finlay.

It has two top pockets with flaps, two bottom pockets without flaps so I can be lazy and stick my hands in them easily. Their is also a pocket at the back which is good for storing maps or any sort of tinder on the way.

[/IMG]

It is big enough to go over my Swani which I really needed last weekend with the temperatures we had.

Any way thanks to my sister Tina for weaving it and my wife Alison for sewing it all together. My bit I suppose was making the buttons.

George

'Ere, yon's a braw jayket! Seriously though, I really like it. Got a Harris Tweed blazer a few years back and funnily enough went reaching for it today then this thread pops up - weird.

Ended up chickening out and donning the £20 Trespass. Felt like a real cop out!

 

[robin wood]

Here is my Tweed Smock.

Any way thanks to my sister Tina for weaving it and my wife Alison for sewing it all together. My bit I suppose was making the buttons.

George

That is really nice and all the nicer for knowing where it was made.

 

[big_swede]

Here is my Tweed Smock. Seems cuddly enough for my son Finlay.
*snip*

It is big enough to go over my Swani which I really needed last weekend with the temperatures we had.

Any way thanks to my sister Tina for weaving it and my wife Alison for sewing it all together. My bit I suppose was making the buttons.

George

Your sister weaved it? Seriously, that is impressive! Is she a professional or just a DIY-maniac? I remember my mother weaving some carpets when I was a kid, but a fabric, that is really neat.

 

[Seoras]

Thanks for the comments folks.

My sister is a Harris Tweed weaver by trade so it was just a case of waiting for the right type of tweed to come along and bag a piece.

Alison is very nifty on the sewing machine and enjoyed the challenge.

I did a lot of hanging around saying "is it ready yet?"

Cheers

George

 

[chas brookes]

Hi George
cool smock, when does Finlay get his !!