A parcel came this morning.
I decided to try out another English cloth merchant, Dugdale Brothers. From what I gather they are a smallish, private cloth merchant in Huddersfield who will deal directly with tailors selling cut lengths. Their prices are very good (for English cloth, mind you) and they stock a range of trimmings as well, trimmings which are getting very hard to find over here. They have an attractive website here
I initiated discussions with them and had the samples I requested very quickly so I placed a little order last week to try them out. They were nice to deal with and quick to respond, and the order arrived within days so full marks on service. One thing that surprised me was that the Gutermann S1003 silk thread I ordered is quite a bit heavier than the R753 that I usually use for buttonholes, though that may be a good thing; it's not quite as heavy as the F size thread that's more readily available over here but that I find just too thick and clumsy looking. It's only available in 7 colours but they are the standard menswear colours.
Now I have to decide what to make first. Life is full of tough decisions.
EDIT
Decision made. I have a meeting coming up with one of our retail accounts in the US. If I showed up in one of my severe, rope-pagoda shouldered numbers they would probably vomit (the US is all about soft shoulders) so I'll have to make something much more demure and soft-shouldered for this meeting. In the light grey, I think.
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