Total Newbie Question

[tomarch]

Re: Total Newbie Question

To quote Herr Schmidt: "And while we tend to think that individually applied chevrons with no backing piece was a "Confederate" practice, there are also images of Federals haivng applied chevrons as individual stripes as well."

This it why I posted the quote from Daniel Chisholm, as he was a Federal infantryman (Not only that, but he was at Petersburg in Jan. of 1865 as part of the 116th Pa. who, I belive were Zouaves, and were Headquartes Guards for the AoP). If anybody in the Army of the Potomac had to jury rig stripes out of old blouse material, you would think these guys would be the last to do so.
I'm sorry if the original thread was dealing with only CS NCO stripes, It seemed to be the best place to put this at the time.

[vamick]

Re: Total Newbie Question

Gawd I hate sewing these! The way I apply them is aprox half way between the soulder and the elbow, and seam to seam on the arms, I use a piece of tape to mark the bend of the elbow, pin em up and then try on the jacket for a mirror check before I finish sew them, my question is ...is there an easier way to stich them? I use a 'loop stitch' sewing on essentially the edges which works fine, but they also look rough to me as compaired to others!

"It is laughable to see the boys all at work with their needles. You may depend some of the stiches are long."

at least Im authenic here! some of my stitches are "long" you can depend on it!:D

so am I meerly impatient needing to take more time in my stitching?
Im also assuming that colored thread isnt right here? that is red worsted wool tape with red thread..??...one confederate with chevron envy awaits the light of knowledge!:D

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Total Newbie Question

Hallo!

Sewing skills, and the time to apply them, vary by individual today just as "Then."

For those sometimes unavoidable instances whre I have to sew on temporary chevrons...
I use a fine thread and smallish needle, in as close to the color as I have, and use a "whip stitch" to put down 1/16 or 1/32 inch stitches.
However, what I do different than many/most is that I start the stitch under the edge of the chevron tape and catch as little of the edging as will bite and hold strongly. When the thread is pulled a wee bit, but not as tight as to pucker or bind, the thread tends to "disappear" into the material itself.

Some of the worst chevron stitching I can think of is the 1866ish Quartermaster Department model studies where they were hastily tacked on for the photo shoot. ;-)

http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/1866uniform/

Curt