Shelter Half Material

[Eric Hageman]

I would like to make my own shelter half. Does anybody know of a vendor that is selling the correct cloth?
Eric Hageman

[advanceguard]

Re: Shelter Half Material

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.

[Mississippian]

Re: Shelter Half Material

The man from New Jersey who shall not be named is selling the right stuff as well.

Will MacDonald

[fahnenschmied]

Re: Shelter Half Material

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!

[Mutt]

Re: Shelter Half Material

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.

Best,

[fallstoomuch]

Re: Shelter Half Material

Ww had blue line-but with all the construction and time period issues I would nail down a "type" of shelter half then move on to material

[Eric Hageman]

Re: Shelter Half Material

Thanks for the info. It has been helpful.

[Clsinclair]

Re: Shelter Half Material

Eric,

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.

Regards,

Claude Sinclair

[JulianNew]

Re: Shelter Half Material

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.

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Shelter Half Material

Julian,

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.

[JulianNew]

Re: Shelter Half Material

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.