Cloak question

Hey guys a question for those who make their own gear. I want to make myself a cloak and I was wondering what material I should go with. It'll be for fall/winter wear so I'm thinking twill but any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

1) Wool

2) anything period that can block wind with a fleece lining (wind blows straight through fleece normally)

3) anything you like*

*For staying warm, my experience over the past decade has been to layer under the costume.  This allows you to have a costume that looks fantastic and period, while taking advantage of modern technology in regards to cold weather clothing. 

For example, I rely on polypropylene long underwear from a military surplus store and wool socks and gloves.  That stuff alone allows me to wear any sort of costume out in the night during the coldest months and be perfectly fine.

PS: NEVER wear cotton as your first layer in the winter, or at night in any season.

I was thinking of fleece for the inside or adding a detachable lining made from fleece in case I just need a little light protection. I can get chilly easy sometimes. Thanks for the suggestion.

Twill by itself is a poor insulator, because the wool fibers are so long.  Most "summer weight" wools are twills.  If you want something that's going to keep wind and chill out, I suggest using a coat weight wool, once referred to as broadcloth.  It is more expensive than twill but it's worth it to stay warm.  There are two companies I know of that regularly carry wool broadcloth, Wm Booth Draper, and Burnley and Trowbridge:

www.wmboothdraper.com

burnleyandtrowbridge.com

Both are excellent suppliers of period fabric and notions, and I've ordered from them many times.  Wm Booth Draper tends to have less expensive options, including wool/synthetic blends- however if you plan to be anywhere near an open flame (like a bonfire) I recommend getting pure wool.  Synthetics tend to melt against the skin if they come into contact with high heat, and you can imagine how unpleasant that would be.

Hope this helps!

Cool, I'm checking out the links now. Wouldn't JoAnn's carry anything similiar? I imagine if they do I'd likely save on the shipping. I'm not against it but I was looking to make a cloak in time for August. I'm not used to making costumes for practical uses I'm afraid *grin*.

depends on your J0anns, I'd suggest Fabric Warehouse in Rahway, NJ - they sell all sorts of wools and wool blends.