Fed officer uniform fabric

[sigsaye]

I,m looking for fabric to make Federal officer uniform items from. Who is a source that is used by members of this forum and what type of fabric is being used?

Thanks.

Steve Hesson

[Ian McWherter]

Re: Fed officer uniform fabric

Abimelech Hainsworth's superfine and doeskin wool's are often used by various makers for Federal Officer and private purchase enlisted garments, though at $70+ a meter (plus shipping, plus foreign taxes and export fees, plus customs and duty fees) it can be spendy. Personally I find Hainsworth's superfine wool on the heavy side for officer and civilian clothing items and the nap, after some use, can get "fuzzed up" and it will quickly lose its luster. Needle & Thread in Gettysburg has some very nice quality dark blue wool melton produced by Pendleton Woolen Mills that is less than half the price. I found this wool easier to work with than Hainsworth's wool and I think it will prove harder wearing in the long run, but it is heavier than original superfine. Really, the best superfine and doeskin wools are often found by chance and patience. I bought 11 yards of incredibly fine dark blue doeskin wool (waaayyy finer than Hainworths) with a little luck and a lot of determination. So keep looking around, I am constantly searching the internet for new sources as well as hitting up fabric stores from Los Angeles up to San Francisco all the way up to Seattle, WA. Easterner's don't realize what a gold mine New York offers for incredible fabrics and if I lived on the East Coast I'd probably do the majority of my buying there.

[sigsaye]

Re: Fed officer uniform fabric

Ian, Thanks. I know it is getting harder and harder to find good fabrics. With the demise of the US textile industry, there is a cascading effect. The firm we get our thread from is looking at going out as their market is also drying up. We generally buy 50 plus yard rolls of fabrics for that reason. When we find a source, they get really excited when they ask how much we want and we tell them all you have.

i am looking at making a couple of Naval officer uniforms for myself, and was looking for some finer wools than used for the enlisted uniforms. No rush, just something I have been kicking around. Thanks a lot, you have been a help


Steve Hesson