Warm anorak made from an old wool blanket

[WildHog]

I published this on BushcraftUSA already, I hope it's allowed to quote myself, if not, please delete it.

I will try to make a little "making of" from my blanket anorak. Please excuse wrong terms or words... i am not a native english speaker.

As outer material I took an old german army blanket (price: 12 Euro). For the lining I used a cheap and coarse linen cloth (price: 10 Euro). The seams where hemmed with buckskin leather which i had here from former leatherworks. On the collar opening I attached simple eyelets. The buttons from the chest pocket are 18th century style pewter buttons.

Heres the complete blanket, it measures 2,10 m x 2,00 m and is made from wool (2/3) and Rayon (1/3). As ground pattern i used the "Fairbanks Anorak" from "the green pepper" that whas changed a little bit (a bit longer and an other attachment of the pockets)


anor01 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr

This is one sleeve, I used the cutted cloth as pattern for the lining:


PA140011 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr


anor04 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr

the body of the anorak consitsts of 4 parts: front, back and two sleeves. The cut has no shoulder seams:


anor03 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr

I sewed together the outer shell, the same I did with the lining:


anor12 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr


anor13 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr


PA150031 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr


PA140023 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr

ATTENTION! If you want to attach pockets, you have to do it before you sew sleeves and body together! I had the anorak in use for a year without pockets and hood, when the anorak is finished, its quite difficult to attach the pockets!


PA150053 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr

marking the front opening:


PA150055 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr


anor20 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr

behind the opening I attached an additional layer of cloth, then I took small stripes of buckskin leather and eyelets:


PB040044 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr

I used a snap fastener from an old backpack for closing the collar:


anor33 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr

In the last days I attached two pockets and the hood. On the lower side of the anorak I stitched a simple "cangaroo pocket". For the chest area i have sewn a simple rectangular pocket out of one piece and attached it just on the upper and the lower side. So i can put my hands behind the pocket for warming. The hood I made from to pieces of cloth and attached it on the collar:


Army Blanket Capote 2.0 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr


Army Blanket Capote 2.0 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr


Army Blanket Capote 2.0 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr

et voilà: the final result:


Army Blanket Capote 2.0 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr


Army Blanket Capote 2.0 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr


Army Blanket Capote 2.0 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr


Army Blanket Capote 2.0 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr

yesterday I attached our bushcraftportal.net-patch on the chest. The squirrel represents the "wild living" and the knot stands for our community. "miteinander - füreinander" is german and means: "together - for each other"


P2070001 von wildhog9910 auf Flickr

 

[salad]

That looked like the warmest jacket at the meeting last weekend

 

[udamiano]

Very good, a superb top there As Salad remarked looks very warm. well-done

 

[RonW]

Tach Wildhog,
That looks like a professional job!
Really good. I also like the "Bundes-eigentum" texts....

Just had a look on the mentioned forum, too...

 

[sasquatch]

Looks great, very tidy work! It does look very warm, I'd love one like that with the liner buttoned in so it could be removed to give it flexible use. That would be a lot of work though and not much need when you can layer anyway. I too like the use of the bundes-eigentum text. Great stuff, thanks for sharing!

 

[Dreadhead]

great work looks very cosy!

 

[sasquatch]

Looks great, very tidy work! It does look very warm, I'd love one like that with the liner buttoned in so it could be removed to give it flexible use. That would be a lot of work though and not much need when you can layer anyway. I too like the use of the bundes-eigentum text. Great stuff, thanks for sharing!

 

[WildHog]

I'm glad that you like it ^^

With the "Bundeseigentum" it's a funny thing... it's german for "federal property"... and in the job I'm a public servant

 

[topknot]

Well done on making your own wool smock up, looks like these blanket will become hard the find. Before they all go i'll have to get one.

Topknot

 

[hermitical]

I'm glad that you like it ^^

With the "Bundeseigentum" it's a funny thing... it's german for "federal property"... and in the job I'm a public servant

brilliant!

looks a lovely piece of kit

 

[Rod Paradise]

Impressive!!!

 

[Tengu]

Im sore tempted, I have a few blankets left

 

[benjy]

that looks brilliant. I'm definitely tempted to have a go myself, although I will need to "borrow" my mums sewing machine....

 

[Tengu]

Do you need a blanket, Benjy?