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Go to JoAnns Fabric and get the 40" Cotton Drill...it's 7-8oz and very correct (not every SH had the Blue line drill, FWIW). May I also suggest investing in Gaedes book.
Your Humble Servant, Sean R. Otis 124th NYSV Co. A "Orange Blossoms" MIDDLESEX LODGE F. & A.M. In Memorium: Harvey Otis, Jr. — 156th NYSV Co. A .
Killed in action, September 19, 1864,
at Winchester, VA. Aged 26 years.
You can make a shelter tent from linen, drill, or duck. Must fabric stores will have unbleached cotton drill - the trick is finding some without wide ribbed and finged selvedges. I've used unissued military mattress covers, they had very narrow selvedges. Needle & Thread in Gettysburg has blue-line duck for a late war one. For a nice early war linen one, I'd try an 18th century dealer like Burnley & Trowbridge Co. And the closest match I've found to the original rebel shelter tent, made of coarse and cheap looking duck, was from a painters dropcloth I bought at a hardware store. Just depends on WHICH shelter tent you wish to make!
I've been using JoAnn's cotton drill for the ones I've made. Works well all in all and, as already stated, is a good weight. If you can find a palce selling cotton drill with a better selvedge and the correct weight, go for it. Definitely get Gaedes and decide on WHICH tent as Mr. Stone pointed out.
I know shelter halves have been dicussed out the wazoo on here. Try a search for more info, most likely gathered neatly in one or two old threads.
I have the correct 8 oz drill if you would like to purchase a few yards. It is 40" wide and for a late war you will need to cut it down to 33.5". It is a very tight weave and it keeps me dry when it is raining. It is the same that the New Jersey vendor was selling and also what Chris Sullivan sells. I have a bolt but I can let enough go for you to make your tent. I can also send you the directions and enough bone buttons. I will charge you my actual cost for the material and buttons. Just PM me if you are interested.
The guy in NJ has the 8 oz. drill with the correct slevedge on it, so instead of making 4 hems you can make 2 and let the slevedge serve as the other 2. That was fairly common on originals to save time on sewing.
Julian New
26 NCT
Rumpus Regulators Mess
"I think I understand what military fame is; to be killed on the field of battle and have your name misspelled in the newspapers." -William Tecumseh Sherman
The 8 oz. material being sold by that vendor is a plain woven cotton duck, not drill. I believe it's mislabeled on his site as the widely available twill woven cotton drill is also sold there. Cotton drill also has a selvedge. If someone cuts a 3-piece shelter half from drill then there will still be only two edges to hem if the selvedges are used in cutting.
Brian White
[URL="http://wwandcompany.com"]Wambaugh, White, & Co.[/URL]
[URL="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wambaugh-White-Company/114587141930517"]https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wambaugh-White-Company/114587141930517[/URL]
[email]brian@wwandcompany.com[/email]
Thanks Brian! It is a good thing I didn't order the fabric for mine from him. What you said about the selvedge is was trying to say.
Julian New
26 NCT
Rumpus Regulators Mess
"I think I understand what military fame is; to be killed on the field of battle and have your name misspelled in the newspapers." -William Tecumseh Sherman
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