Weird Coat Club Manifesto
What are we going to do ?
Make coats in an improvisational jazz style. No pre-existing patterns. Not making everything perfect. Relatively low probability of success, relatively high probability of making some new ideas. Maybe finished wearable things, maybe just prototypes.
We’ll ask everyone to bring their own sewing machines & scissors if they can, plus supplies for themselves or to share - spare fabric, zips & buttons, card for patterns and so on. The venue doesn’t have any supplies, but there are big tables, and the Watershed bar is just down the corridor for impromptu suppers.
What kind of questions are there about coats that Coat Club experiments might illuminate ?
This is in no way an official or exhaustive list, just a few examples to illustrate what’s in our heads:
- Can you sew a coat from [insert unsuitable material here][Ikea bags, newspaper, lino, duvet]
- What if the coat opened and closed in a very unusual place ?
- What if it opened and closed with a very unusual mechanism ?
- What if all the pattern pieces were squares ?
- What if you could put it on more than one way up ?
- What if it had [some strange feature from Pattern Magic] ?
- What if it could be trousers too ?
- What if all the pockets were on the sleeves ?
- What if it doesn't need to be sewn at all?
- How far can we get with folds?
- Where is the line between umbrella and coat?
Who is it for ?
Anyone that’s interested. Previous sewing experience is not required but is helpful, this is not primarily intended as a teaching-sewing workshop. We expect we’ll end up with a wide range of experience. Some of us might spend some time in each session thinking and talking about what questions we’re each interested in, maybe before we start sewing.
Do I need to bring a sewing machine ?
No, we can share. But please bring one if you can.
Does the coat need to be for me ?
No. It doesn’t even need to be for a human.
Are we all going to make our own coat every time we meet ?
Probably not. Who knows ? Maybe we’ll collaborate and make things in little groups. Maybe we’ll all try making variations on one idea. Maybe we’ll start things at Coat Club and finish them on our own later (and bring them to the next session so we can all learn from them).
We might try some prototyping at ⅓ scale for speed, see if it’s a useful practice.
Are we going to make some terrible ugly things that get recycled shortly afterwards ?
Almost certainly. It wouldn’t be informative if we knew it was going to work.
Why coats ?
We like coats. Plus, they have very easy fit constraints. But if you want to make something else instead nobody will tell you off.
How often will we meet ?
Roughly once a month, on the third Wednesday from 18:00 to 20:30 (or whenever you can make it in that period). See http://weirdcoat.club for the next session.
Where will we meet ?
In the Pervasive Media Studio, inside the Watershed in Bristol: https://www.watershed.co.uk/
Do I have to come every month ?
No. Though some amount of continuity might be nice.
Do we know this is going to work out ?
No, we don’t. We never tried this before.
I have questions
Mail me: richard@jarkman.co.uk
Inspirational examples
Unusual patterning for a simple jacket
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4TNLoItGjP/?igsh=dWxkbW9tMHJjeXhx
All kinds of unusual patterning, plus some unusual garment shapes.
https://shop.atacac.com/collections/sharewear
Eg
https://shop.atacac.com/collections/sharewear/products/jumpsuit
Pattern Magic - excellent resources on some strange patterning techniques and garment constructions:
https://www.laurenceking.com/search?q=pattern+magic&options%5Bprefix%5D=last&type=product
Four-sleeve-hole dress:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6B_KIELede/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Jumpsuit
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6OTePQycqn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Shirt with extra armholes
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6orZcCOIGK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Several curious structures
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VCvaY_c02go
Interesting rectangle dress
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5q0HU6tbSz/?igsh=MW96dmM1dnU1Z2M0aQ%3D%3D