As the weather is starting to cool down and the nights are drawing in, coat season is almost upon us, which means it will be time to start making your own jackets and coats. Here at Fabrics Galore, we know there are so many different fabrics to choose from when designing your new garment, as you want to make something which is fun, but still a practical and warm design.
Coats and jackets are often seen as one of the most challenging projects to undertake, but at the same time one of the most rewarding. To help you, we have put together this blog to highlight the differences between jacketing and coating, as well as what you need to know about designing your brand new cosy winter piece with wool fabric.
Choosing your wool fabric
Many fabrics can be used to make coats, but you need to decide on its exact purpose to help you reach a decision on your choice of fabric. For example, if you are looking to design a winter coat this needs to be a thicker fabric to keep you warm, or alternatively, a lighter jacket to wear on cooler days will need a thinner material to achieve this finish.
It is easy to be confused by the different weights for jacketing and coating fabrics, but the choice you make is important for the finish you are looking to achieve. Woolen fabrics come in a variety of thicknesses and what some people might think of as medium weight, others might consider a heavy weight. For example, most jacketing fabrics are a much lighter weight than traditional coating fabric and can even be used to design pinafore dresses and skirts. On the other hand, coating fabrics are much heavier and are typically used for duffel coats and other warmer garments.
If you are still unsure on which weight of fabric to use, speak to a member of the Fabrics Galore team - as we have noticed in the shop that people often ask for coating fabric when they actually mean jacketing fabric! We can help you establish the difference between the two materials for your project.
Why choose wool fabrics?
Here at Fabrics Galore, all of our 100% wool fabrics are sourced from a Yorkshire Mill founded back in 1837. Their wool fabrics are woven and traceable to a particular flock of sheep which underlines the provenance and authenticity of the fabric for your dressmaking projects. Wool fabric, in general, has so many beneficial properties, especially if you are looking to design stylish yet warm winter coats and outerwear to help you during the colder months.
One of the best aspects of using wool fabric is its incredible ability to react to any changes in your body temperature. In both the warm and cold weather, wool works to regulate to a natural body temperature, rather than letting cold or hot air in. Wool can easily absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture in both cold and warm conditions, which makes wool a versatile all-season fabric.
Compared to other fabrics, wool is 100% biodegradable and its initial production has a relatively low impact on the environment. This means when it is disposed of, the material will naturally decompose, and its entire lifecycle is very eco-friendly. Wool fabric’s long lifespan, and ability to be easily recycled and reused is a huge advantage of using this material for your garments.
Wool fabric is such a versatile fabric and can be used for so many different purposes. No matter whether you are looking to design a warm winter coat, a knitted scarf or even home furnishing projects, wool has the ability to be perfect for a variety of projects. For example, the jacketing wool fabrics at Fabrics Galore are often used in crafting and upholstery as well as dressmaking.
Not many people know that wool fabric is an excellent choice for upholstery as the fibre is fire retardant and neither drips nor melts when lit. Many textile experts consider it the top choice of fire- retardant fabrics.
Different types of wool fabric to use
There really are so many different types of wool fabric to choose from, in a variety of weights, blends and textures. We have put together a few of the most popular variations of wool fabrics:
As we have previously touched upon, coating wool is a heavy-weight, bulky fabric. This can be used to design warmer winter coats, as they have been manufactured to be longer lasting, stronger, and more weather resistant.
As mentioned earlier, jacketing is usually a lighter weight fabric and the jacketing wool fabrics we stock on our website and in our shop are often used in crafting for bags and teddy bears to name a couple of examples.
Tweed is a very traditional variation of wool fabric, which is normally either plain-weave, twill or herringbone. Tweed was originally hand-woven on a loom, but although this process has been modernised, the manufacturing of tweed still follows the same principle. Tweed fabric is unique in the fact that it is made with mixed shades of wool to curate a wonderful, traditional design. The tweed fabric we have available at Fabrics Galore is the perfect weight for a jacket or a pair of trousers.
With a smoother surface than other types of wool, this medium-to-heavy-weight woollen fabric is often used for suits and coats. It’s very tightly woven, making it a far more hardwearing material which uses the highest-quality fleeces to produce very fine yarns. Worsted wool is often seen as one of the most expensive fabrics you can buy, frequently used by luxury tailors across the globe.
Would you like to buy wool fabrics?
With a wealth of experience in the industry, and a passion for dressmaking and furnishing fabrics, at Fabrics Galore we have a whole range of high quality wool fabrics available for you to choose from. If you would like to talk over any of our fabrics with a dedicated member of the Fabrics Galore team, then just give us a call now on 020 7738 9589.
