View Full Version : Ventile clothing
Big Steve
18-07-2006, 13:27
Mention was made (in another thread section) of SASS's olive green version of the SAS smock made in ventile cotton material. Ventile has always been a relatively expensive material and manufacturers of ventile outdoor clothing are few and far between. So, why not make your own ventile clothing yourself? Pointnorth Ltd (http://www.profabrics.co.uk) sell a range of first and also seconds quality ventile material from the bolt. The colour range includes olive green, navy blue, orange and loomstate (a sort of buff sand). With a simple paper clothing pattern from your local material shop and suitable quantity of ventile material as recommended on the pattern, I managed to produce a great windproof pullon smock with hood and pockets using a pair of scissors and a borrowed domestic sewing machine; all at a fraction of the price you would pay for a commercially bought one. I had an hour's sewing machine instruction from my girlfriend and then it really is a matter of a few hours of concentration and plenty of patience. Give it a go! As a result I now make almost all my own outdoor clothing, including Goretex waterproofs.
jdlenton
18-07-2006, 13:30
sounds cool Big Steve got any pictures of your work to show?
as well why don't you say hello and introduce yourself in the intros forum:)
James
gregorach
18-07-2006, 13:38
Or you could call Talbot Weaving (http://www.talbot-weaving.co.uk/) who actually make the stuff... ;)
how much do they charge per meter
stuart f
18-07-2006, 16:35
how much do they charge per meter
I have just had a look at point north and the price was £22.64. I think that talbot weaving might be cheaper.
Have a look here http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=9998&highlight=ventile . This was a ventile smock that i made a while ago and the price for pattern and materials,might be of use.
dommyracer
18-07-2006, 16:35
This is my plan Steve, to make my own Ventile smock.
ive got some ventile cloth in olive and in bronze pm me if any one is intrested
Big Steve
19-07-2006, 13:04
In answer to the question 'how much per metre?'
From Pointnorth Ltd's current prices on today's online clearance range :
green Ventile £11.49 + VAT per linear metre @ 150cm material width
loomstate Ventile £8.51 + VAT per linear metre @ 150cm material width
(other colours available too)
Pointnorth also have a huge range of bits and pieces (velcro, cordlocks, thread, zips, patterns etc) to help with your project. I reckon you need about 3 linear metres for a large hooded smock (but check on the pattern first to be sure), plus a couple of cordlocks, a large spool of thread, some velcro for cuffs and paracord for drawstring... about £50 at most. Could you buy a commercially produced ventile smock for that little?
You can even double up material on the shoulder yoke to make the smock more weatherproof and it will be unique to you! Or completely double up the material and have a reversible discrete green to come-and-get-me-for-god's-sake orange top layer which is totally weatherproof.
The only other cost is your time and patience and perhaps some Band Aids and a couple of shocked children who didn't know daddy knew such 'bad' words... not even that if you have a loved one (or wife) to do it for you!
I have used the loomstate ventile before to make a pull-over-the-head smock and dyed it with a machine wash Dylon Machine dye in a green colour. Because of the nature of the material, I found it dyed lighter than the packet suggests and so next time would use the darkest green or brown or grey dye I could find to compensate.
hi. I HAVE JUST BOUGHT 2.5 METER OF SECONDS QUALITY L24 OLIVE GREEN VENTILE FROM TALBOT WEAVING IT COST ME £6.70 PER MTR +P&P +VAT. THE SERVICE WAS VERY GOOD. THE SMOCK IAM MAKING IS BASED ON THE WW2 SS CAMOUFLAGE SMOCK / SWANNDRI HOODED BUSH SHIRT .THE SEAMS WILL RUN UNDER THE ARMS AND DOWN THE SIDES. ZIPS INSTEAD OF LACING,DRAW CORD ON HEM AND HOOD.
Topknot, have you purchased a pattern from somewhere or have you made it yourself, would be really interested in finding out as the design is a classic ;)
phil562 . I cant give the plans for the smock because im not sure how to download it on this page. I own a swanny so i took the pattern from that together with smock pictures from the net. The smock is made from one length of cloth folded in half, front cut out for zip and hood.The only seams are around hood and under the arms and body. My suggestion is to measure twice and cut once and make one from cheaper cloth frist.