Matt’s been framed!

I’ve been spending quite a bit of my time recently making Tweed Jacket!

As a result I have been back and forth to W Bill in London a few times now, and have gotten to know Ray Hammett, who I deal with a lot, quite well.

A few times now we have chewed the grass over the state of the fabric industry and he has told me of the problems getting good quality wools to weave these prestige fabrics from.

During our chats Ray did ask me to email him a couple of photos of Matt Smith wearing the jackets made from the fabrics he sells. So I picked out a couple of good images, and especially one of Matt wearing the Shetland Tweed Series Six jacket (see right).

After sending the images over, I thought I could go one better, especially since Ray had been so helpful to me over the past few weeks.
So I got him a nice framed version of the picture and presented it to him on me last trip to buy some fabric (see below). Ray was thrilled. He doesn’t often get such attention for a length of tweed!

If you look closely in the photo, you can spy THE roll of fabric from which Matt’s jacket was cut . . .

Season Six Tweed jacket –Prototype jacket

I said last week I wasn’t gonna wait around to make myself a Season Six tweed jacket – and I meant it!

Over the past six days I have drafted my pattern; cut my cloth; sourced the perfect elbow patches, buttons (see right) and lining; and hand-tailoered an initial prototype jacket.

Here it is – do let me know what you think!

I am very happy with the elbow patches I have sourced – they really are a good quality and just the right colour.

When I took a look at the buttons used for the jacket I couldn’t believe my eyes! They are the same buttons that had been used a few years ago on the Jackson Lake frock coat in The Next Doctor. I had sourced them a while back, so already had a supply in -hand.

I can see a few things I want to revise immediately before making another jacket. The collar needs to be redrafted, as it has come out a but high at the back. I think I was focused on the fall of the pattern on the front and missed what I was doing at the back!

Still, it’s all fixable.

Finally I made this jacket with traditional hand-tailor techniques, and I think I need to bring in a mix of methods to help the drape and hang of certain parts of the jacket.

Tweed is a unique fabric and needs cutting and handling right. Once to have mastered that it is easy stuff. I just need to show it who’s boss!

The good news keeps coming

If you follow the latest cosplay updates on the various Doctor Who forums, you’ll know what this past week saw the breaking of some great news for Eleven Doctor fans.

After identifying the Series Six Trousers exclusively on this blog, a fellow dedicated fan in Los Angeles has tracked down the exact tweed used for the Series Six jacket!

And just to confirm it is the right one, he found it from the fabric broker who supplied it to the Doctor Who costume department! No doubt there then!!

I has been tipped off about it a little while back, but kept the embargo on it until news was made public.

The supplier is W Bill in central London, and I recently went to visit their basement warehouse to see it for myself and get some of the precious fabric.

Currently located on New Burlington Street, just off Regent Street, the company was formed by William Bill in 1846 supplying haberdashery for funeral clothing. After moving to Bond Street, they expanded their range and became a specialist tweed stockist selling all round the world.
I met with Ray Hammett, who has been working there since 1946.

He had prepared for my visit by digging out the bolts of Doctor Who tweed: the Donegal used for Series Five and the Shetland Tweed that is seen in Series Six.

It’s always a great buzz to see the fabric you have been seeking right there in front of you.
The price is fixed – nearly GB£60 a metre – since it cannot be sold cheaper than the retail price charged by the stockist it is sold to, so after biting the bullet I bought enough to make myself and a couple of friends a Series Six tweed jacket.

Check back real soon, cos I don’t intend to hang around on this one!