Hudson Bay blanket

[Twisted_1in66]

That's a great way to do it, but I fear I wouldn't be able to wiggle into it if folded into thirds. Need a wider blanket... :idunno:

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[NeilMacleod]

Just snagged another Hudson Bay four point blanket for $70.00 shipped... I'm absolutely thrilled! I have a 3.5 point blanket that I find to be just a tad bit to small. However, I'm able to keep toasty and comfortable even with it's smaller size.

Congrats on that, these things are outrageously priced normally, $325 (twin)$550 (king). Better of to get from fabric company. Used a wool blanket Ive had since the 60's when I went camping a couple weeks ago, was lucky I did. http://www.militaryheritage.com/wool.htm

 

[Walker357]

I have a spreadsheet that tells who gets what of my important things(guns). Both kids have seen it and know who doesn't get what. Can't give the rest of my junk away.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I attended an auction yesterday and snagged a Golden Dawn white wool blanket with blue, yellow and red stripes on each end. I think it is double bed size. I is J C Pennys labeled. It has a few moth holes and a little bit of fraying on one end, but I only paid $5 for it in a box of other blankets and a white knit bed spread. Now what do I do with it: Capote, blanket coat, gun case, leave it and use it. I haven't decided yet. My daughter wants it because I keep teasing her that I'm going to take back the HBC blanket I gave her about ten years ago. She said she needs two.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Give it to your daughter.

 

[Kansas Jake]

:grin: She really doesn't want it, but just wants to pull my chain.

 

[Stophel]

I'm a wool blanket freak. I just the other day received two I recently ordered! I only have one Hudson's Bay blanket that I got on ebay for 50 bucks a couple of months ago. It's a 4 point, but I'm not sure it's still its original size. "Tan with brown stripe", with "tan" meaning more like "orange sherbet color" :haha: I like it anyway. Honestly, while it is a decent blanket, it is not exactly magical, and not nearly as impressive as I had long been lead to believe they were supposed to be. Twill wove and a bit tighter than the average blanket, but not any thicker or much heavier.

Among my many others, my most impressive blanket is an OD green Dutch military AaBe brand that I got many years ago (before the wool blanket craze really started to sweep the land) and it is THICK, and DENSE, and HEAVY, with nothing else I have even coming close, except for a dark gray German military blanket, which is nearly as thick and dense, and a brown-gray "French" blanket (so it was marketed as), which rates just behind the German one, and which I also am about to make a blanket capote out of.

I'm always on the lookout for 18th century-ish looking wool blankets (which are out there, but not super easy to find). At this point in my life, "close enough" is close enough, and I have a few that are close enough.

Ebay is chock full of vintage wool blankets. Unfortunately (for me, anyway), most of them are from the 50's, so they are all pastel colors like sea foam green, dusty rose, sky blue, and sunny yellow...

"Bushcrafters" have pretty much wiped out the surplus and "camo color" blanket supply, and even plain white is getting harder to come across.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have several wool blankets and garments made from them. When I first started this game and wanted a capote I was given the advise to buy a Whitney. Was told just as good as a HB but much less expensive. I bought two. Big misteak. :nono: While nice blankets they do not provide anywhere near the warmth of a HB. Wind goes right through the Whitney. Might as well be standing nekkid on a cold windy day. I have a couple plaid and a white, all no-name, I use for bedding. And two garments made from lighter weight no-name. Wood is great but there is no match for a real HB.

 

[Dr5x]

Your post about blankets etc got me thinking about the gear the Army gave us to keep warm in Korea during the awkwardness over there. All kinds of garments, none of which did much against the Siberian weather Korea enjoys..
The great break through came when the Chinese handed our posteriors to us in the great retreat from the northern border when thousands of them appeared wearing the great padded coats thatmmade them look like mIchelin men and which I noticed on all sorts of people yesterday while at the local Walmart.
Lots of people, even young ladies wearing coats and jackets the marines would have killed for during that great retreat.

Dutch

 

[Stophel]

We, of course, tend to want the thickest, fullest, tightest blanket possible. And we can literally search the globe to find it with only a few mouse clicks. I'm sure they would have liked that too 200+ years ago, but my own belief is that they were pretty limited in the quality of blankets available. We demand impenetrable armor against the cold... they were happy to get whatever they could get.

From what I have seen, the average 18th century blanket was little different from the average (or even poor) 20th century blanket. Perhaps somewhat coarse, not really all that fulled, not really all that fluffy, not really all that dense. Granted, the existing old blankets may have lost some of their nap and fullness, but take a look at these and you'll see they're definitely not broadcloth (which WAS heavily fulled and dense). Some of these don't look too terribly bad, but some look downright flimsy. My impression (right or wrong?) is that the Dutch blankets may have been considered generally superior.
https://www.scribd.com/document/288097548/Bedding-Blankets

:wink:

 

[tenngun]

In southren Antarctic reaches of South America the natives were filmed in cold conditions with little clothing on. We live in warm world where it’s ”˜ room temp’ all the time. So we want and need a warmer clothing. They lived in a unheated world, and because of that what we would think of as thin or at least not that thick and heavy.
That said it is interesting to note the word naked. Today we mostly use naked to mean nude. American and Canadians are often described as near naked. It’s not to say they were running around nude but they didn’t have what Europeans considered enough clothing. Shoes( not moccasins) stockings breeches shirt weskit coat overcoat or great coat gloves and hats were considered the norm. Less then that was naked or near naked as naked means defenseless against the cold. The blanketing we might consider to light to make a capote or great coat from might be seen with joy back then.

 

[BillinOregon]

Stophel, you have such a gift for finding images. Curious what pattern you plan to use to fashion your capote.

 

[Stophel]

Since nothing fits me, I have to come up with my own pattern to work on me.

 

[BillinOregon]

Well, be sure to share images when you have completed your project -- please!

:wink:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Yes, it is often a matter of being used to the cold. Some people seem completely resistant to cold weather. I am always amazed to see people in tee-shirts during cold weather when most, including myself, are bundled up in heavy coats.

 

[tenngun]

Went to see some relatives in Wisconsin one June. They asked me to man the outside grill at a dinner, as it was too hot to get near the fire. I was happy to as at the time I was thinking about putting on a sweater.
They opened the town pool that week, something that in the south we do wait until the ice is melted.
Yes what conditions your used to living in makes a big difference.

 

[smo]

We, of course, tend to want the thickest, fullest, tightest blanket possible. And we can literally search the globe to find it with only a few mouse clicks. I'm sure they would have liked that too 200+ years ago, but my own belief is that they were pretty limited in the quality of blankets available. We demand impenetrable armor against the cold... they were happy to get whatever they could get.

From what I have seen, the average 18th century blanket was little different from the average (or even poor) 20th century blanket. Perhaps somewhat coarse, not really all that fulled, not really all that fluffy, not really all that dense. Granted, the existing old blankets may have lost some of their nap and fullness, but take a look at these and you'll see they're definitely not broadcloth (which WAS heavily fulled and dense). Some of these don't look too terribly bad, but some look downright flimsy. My impression (right or wrong?) is that the Dutch blankets may have been considered generally superior.
https://www.scribd.com/document/288097548/Bedding-Blankets

:wink:

Great info Thanks for posting :hatsoff: