[Masha Richart]

My 4yo needs a new fleece jacket. I made her a Nature Walk pullover using fabric.com fleece, but it’s not very warm (I’m never buying fleece there again!). Then I bought some Malden Mills fleece from Fabric Mart – it is fleecey on one side and sort of a hardish shiny knit on the other. I am planning to make a Sunday Brunch – either according to the pattern, or the version on the flickr group that just used the front and back yokes, extended.

My goal is for this to be as warm as the Children’s Place fleece she outgrew last spring. I think two layers of fleece might be overkill, but I’m not sure whether one is enough. Has anyone used Malden Mills? Will a single layer be enough? I could also line the jacket but I don’t know whether to use knit or woven. Suggestions?

[brenda1652]

I have used the Malden Mills fleece from Fabric Mart and in my mind it is the best quality fleece I have found anywhere. I even have a nice big piece I use as a very warm throw (the lazy seamstress throw, no bound edges, just a big piece of thick snuggly fleece).If the piece you have has a hard shiny back then it sounds like it might be their water resistant type, the other types may or may not have a different texture on the back side but unless it is the water resistant type, both sides are soft and supple. For the Sunday Brunch jacket I would suggest you get on over to FM today (last day of their fleece sale) and get a piece that is thick and soft on both sides (not water resistant) and then save the piece you have for winter hats and mittens and sporty jackets that do not have gathers since the water resistant stuff does not like to gather. When you do use that piece you have, it will need a lining of some sort since the hard side is scratchy, but any lining will do, even some of that thin fleece you already have..You can also call FM for guidance, I have found them to be very helpful.

[Masha Richart]

Thanks, Brenda, that is very helpful. The trouble is that my Fabric Mart orders take a month to get here and I can’t wait that long. The fact that the sort of fleece I have won’t gather well cinches my decision to make a modified Sunday Brunch without gathers. I will definitely line it – either with the same fleece (only reversed, so it is fleecey on both sides) or with a knit fabric. I am thinking maybe two layers of the fleece? I’m envisioning her wearing it in 40+ degree weather. Is that warm enough, do you think?

[Jane]

I would think a double layer fleece jacket would be plenty warm for 40+ degree weather. In my house we all wear standard (single layer) fleece jackets unless the weather drops below 40. I only break out the wool & ski jackets when it’s in the 30’s. Which has been a lot this winter.

Jane

[juliamom2009]

I’ve sewn with Malden Mills fleece for years. It’s the best ever. You do know that you can get yardage directly from them at millyardage.com – they’re pretty fast and very nice to deal with. I’ll never use any other type of fleece.

[brenda1652]

thanks for sharing the site address. It is nice to see all the options they make available and I appreciate the prices at FM for first quality yardage so much more after seeing the clearance prices at the mill site! Yes, I think even one layer of the polar fleece will be fine with a lining and a long sleeve jersey under for 40 degrees. In that balmy weather that is what we wear, usually a polar fleece vest over a turtleneck jersey, plenty warm. It has been below zero too many days this winter out here so a fleece vest or jacket of polar fleece 100 under a heavy winter coat has been the wardrobe choice lately (then we shed down as we arm up ding farm chores). Polar fleece 200 or 300 can stand on it’s own for an outside layer but still needs a couple layers (vest, jersey) under for real cold days, the usual “real” cold of 20-30’s that most folks deal with.

[Liesl Gibson]

Malden is the gold standard–the fleece quality against which all other fleeces are compared. So you got yourself some great fabric!

[Mel]

The Sunday Brunch is such a great jacket, I’m sure it would be great in fleece.

Sorry for hijacking this thread but I feel the need to rant — my daughter has been asking for a fleece poncho but I haven’t been able to find anything decent locally. It’s hard to judge quality online so I was excited to hear a recommendation. Unfortunately it appears it would cost over $40 to ship one yard to Canada. Craziness! Back to the drawing board . . .

[with love Heidi]

You guys are making me appreciate Spotlight (our Joann’s equivalent)! They have lovely warm fleece in a variety of colours and a lovley feel and weight to it. I even used it to make myself a wrap jacket last year!

[Deb]

Mel…

try Peak Fabrics in Calgary.

Deb

[Robin]

Mel, are you in Vancouver? Can you have it mailed to a drop shipper in Blaine?

I’m going to look up Peak Fabrics in Calgary. Thanks for the tips everyone.

[brenda1652]

Mel, did you price the shipping out of Fabric Mart? They are good with prices, so make sure you check them out. WLH: we have JoAnn with literally tons of fleece of various types, Walmart, too but it does not compare to the fleece from Malden Mills. Joann fleece would be good for PJ’s, light weight jackets, thin hats and mittens and such but the Mills fleece is much much thicker, very plush with various types of weaves. Once you get a yard or two, nothing else will suffice. Up here we have serious winter weather (expecting -30f again tonight) so Malden Mills is much appreciated like we appreciate top of the line winter jackets from LL Bean or Lands End as compared to jackets from the discount stores (which do have their place, I bought them for my kids when we lived in TX for the rare winter day that approached freezing).

[with love Heidi]

We don’t get as cold as you, 13ºC/55ºF in winter during the day but most people wear down jackets then. This is one of the colder areas of Australia 🙂

[brenda1652]

yes, we should be farming with yawl in Australia, these low temps are crazy. We use down quilts but not for coats. It is easier to layer a warm jacket (they usually have thinsulate inner lining) with a good fleece under it, then when we start to warm up by working we can shed the coat. Our top blanket on the bed is a down comforter but down is so puffy for a coat, I always think of The Puffy Coat Man from the movie Mr. Deeds when I see them in use! You really don’t see them in use here, not since the high tech/less bulk fabrics came out.

[with love Heidi]

This is a colder part of the country, Tamara will mention that it’s much warmer in winter where she is. But even where I am, today was 38ºC/100ºF!