Colored Thread in History

[Mark Lewis]

I'm working on finishing a hat blank, and I've always believed that in the Victorian era black & white thread were the most common colors. I believe they used logwood dyed thread on some Union garments. Were other colors common?

[csuniforms]

Re: Colored Thread in History

White thread cotton, was the most common three ply-- people could make thread at home of anything they could find-- linen was popular too.

Tom Arliskas
CSuniforms

[AZReenactor]

Re: Colored Thread in History

Thread, like fabric, could be and was dyed in the era quite readily. when ready made thread was available it could be purchased in a variety of colors. When homespun thread was necessary it could be dyed like any other textiles of the era.

Homespun thread would likely have been most common as greige goods, or undyed, since it required no extra steps. Getting thread to uniform white or black could require as much processing as other colors.

Here are a couple excerpts from Vickie Betts Newspaper gleanings to help start off researching this topic further.

MEMPHIS DAILY APPEAL [JACKSON, MS], December 19, 1862, p. 1, c. 7

How to Color Thread.--Prepare a lump of beeswax by mixing into it while in a melted state enough of soot to make it perfectly black. When cold it is ready for use. By drawing a white thread of cotton or silk over this twice, you will have gray thread, and by repeating it you will have black and good enough for nearly every purpose.

THE EASTERN CLARION [PAULDING, MS], September 13, 1861, p. 2, c. 5

Messrs. Editors:--Permit me through the columns of your paper to call attention of the citizens of Smith, and especially those who have it in mind to make winter clothing for the "Defenders" from Smith county, the company commanded by Captain Wm. H. Hardy. I am just in receipt of a letter from Capt. Hardy, written from Lynchburg Va., appealing to the citizens of Smith, through me, for woolen clothing to stand the winter service; and winter will now in a few weeks set in, in that region of country. Shall the appeal be made to the citizens of Smith, by our distant soldiers in vain? I think I can respond with safety for the citizens of Smith, and answer, no. If I have answered correctly, then come forward, let us hear from you all, as to what you have done, or are determined (in this way) soon to do. This matter must not be hung upon contingencies. Our soldiers must have winter clothing, they cannot remain in the field through the winter, in that cold Northern region without proper clothing. Should they be compelled so to do, death will close the scene with many of them. Capt. Hardy says any kind of strong, warm woolen goods, it matters not as to color, nor style, but it should be made up into coats and pants, &c., before sending it, and suggest the brown color, to those who have not already colored their thread some other color [emphasis added], and it must be borne in mind that those other two companies who have just left Smith a few days ago, will want similar appeal [sic] very soon. I have no idea that they will remain at Enterprise long, but will be transferred in a Northern direction soon.

[Mark Lewis]

Re: Colored Thread in History

Don Troiani has a picture of two spools of US Military thread made by Andrew Coats on his facebook page. One is black and the other is white.