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Chalkline

The cloth

The cloth

What to wear in this climate, what a weight in grams actually means, and how to look after what you already own.

What a cloth weight actually means here17 September 2026 What a cloth weight actually means hereGrams per metre, and why the number that works in London is wrong in Kingston.Why we keep every pattern17 September 2026 Why we keep every patternThirty-one years of them upstairs, filed by name, and what that means when your shape changes.Buy the jacket first17 September 2026 Buy the jacket firstIf you are only having one thing made, this is the one. Here is why.The baste fitting is the whole point17 September 2026 The baste fitting is the whole pointTacked together so it can come apart. Skip it and you have bought a suit off a rail with extra steps.Looking after a jacket in this climate17 September 2026 Looking after a jacket in this climateBrush, rest, hang. Three things, none of which is dry cleaning.

Before your first fitting

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How long does it take?
About eight weeks from the first measure to collection, across three fittings. A wedding party needs five months; four is possible and nobody enjoys it.
Is the cloth included in the price?
Yes, in a mid-weight cloth suited to this climate. A heavier or finer cloth changes the number and we will show you exactly how much before you commit.
What is a baste fitting?
The garment held together with tacking thread so it can be taken apart and changed. It is the stage that separates made to measure from a suit bought off a rail and let out, and we will not skip it.
Are alterations really free?
On anything we made, for as long as you own it. Your pattern is upstairs, so it is a morning of work rather than a guess. Garments made elsewhere are charged from forty-five dollars.

Bring it back when your shape changes

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