Homemade Gear

[BigRonFH]

Re: Homemade Gear

Been there, done that! My hat is off to you. Fortunately, I married a wonderful woman who is such a wonderful seamstress, I count my blessings. Her shirts are the greatest! Somewhat on the same subject, anyone know where to get the blue kersey material for Federal trousers? I sometimes feel as though I'd have better luck searching for the Ark of the Covenant!

Ron Hopkins
Co. D, 13th US Inf
Sioux Falls, SD

[tsgalloway]

Re: Homemade Gear

Brian
Like the rest said keep at it. My first project was way over my head. I made a pair of civilian trousers and a shirt one week before an event.I finished the trousers just a few hours before the event. I should have taken my time making them though. The shirt was fine but by Sunday morning after a weekend of marching things started coming undone. Good luck. And keep at it.

He isn't kidding when he wrote "undone." How is that fly holding up, Russ?

[VA-Patriot'61]

Re: Homemade Gear

Somewhat on the same subject, anyone know where to get the blue kersey material for Federal trousers?

Try Charlie Childs kersey material. I've used it to make two pair of trousers, its easy to work. I'm not an expert on material by any means but it comes damn close to originals I've seen, proper weight and everything.

regards,

[BigRonFH]

Re: Homemade Gear

Try Charlie Childs kersey material. I've used it to make two pair of trousers, its easy to work. I'm not an expert on material by any means but it comes damn close to originals I've seen, proper weight and everything.

regards,

Kirby,
Thanks for the info. Is there an address or site for this Charlie Childs? I'd really like to get some of that material. Gotta keep the wife sewing, ya know. Haha! (Please don't tell her I said that.)

Ron Hopkins
Co. D, 13th US Inf
Sioux Falls, SD

[BigRonFH]

Re: Homemade Gear

Kirby,
Never mind. Found it! Thanks again!

Ron Hopkins
Co. D, 13th US Inf
Sioux Falls, SD

[RJSamp]

Re: Homemade Gear

I have been there. It always feels like I end up spending more on the stuff I am trying to make than if I just bought it from a vendor. But that never seems to stop me. I have made three shirts and my last one wasn't bad.

Am sure you guys are into the 'crafting' aspects of sewing your own. There are many males in today's society who needlepoint, knit, cross stitch, quilt, etc. A great stress reliever, and although habit forming it's usually not dangerous to one's health (carpal tunnel always a possibility of course). I'm just not sure why all of the effort?

The difference in a brick wall crafted by a mason who has 10+ years of experience versus a Do-It-Yourselfer with a few lectures at Home Depot/Lowe's is truly astounding. Efficiency, consistency, speed, and final results mean no comparison between the learned master versus the apprentice.

Do we think that a non-expert hand sewer with three attempts at making a fatigue blouse can even come close to what a contract seamstress could produce during the American Civil War? Raised in an environment where hand stitching was the norm/taught at an early age.....do we think that we can approach the finished product of someone who has been sewing for 10-30 years and has just produced their 2,000 SA JT Martin linned coat?

The Doctor of producing period cavalry trumpets, Richard Seraphinoff at Indiana University, has a course on making instruments using period methods and materials. The end result of the course for each student is a finished trumpet. The goal, for reenacting bugling, was to make 100+ bugles, and 50+ trumpets.... so did we attempt to learn the art of instrument making? No, we hired the experts who had made a few hundred/thousand instruments, sent the specs to them, analyzed the protypes, and chose the final model. The master crafted the production, not the apprentices. The results were dozens of low cost, superb playing, much more authentic instruments in the hands of reenactors....and a reduction in the number of 'sutler' quality-made-in-India bugles.

There was a time that many of the item's that can be purchased today from higher quality vendor's couldn't be bought. Knapsack weekends and hard tack bakes served a nice niche and were a productive unit meeting/activity. We don't see tons of reenactors trying to learn how to Non-EPA approve hot dip tin plates (Wisconsin Veterans Museum tinware is the greatest!). Now, many items can simply be bought.

Time is money. Making a one or three off item is rarely cheaper, more authentic, or efficient..... it might be fun from a 'craft' experience....or for experiencing a period trade.... but personally I'd rather see the master's produce 500 fatigue blouses than have 400 apprentice sewer's make 500 fatigue blouses.

Maybe you'all are listening to the drum beats and bugle calls and singing along with period music to improve your impressions why you're sewing??

[BigRonFH]

Re: Homemade Gear

True, there are definately SOME items I would never even consider making. But many, many soldiers on both sides carried homemade quilts, wore home-sewn shirts, used home-made poke bags, etc. And if you are married to an expert seamstress, such as my wife, it is only logical that she make some of these items. Besides, seeing that she IS an expert seamstress and CAN make some of the items as good as some of these sutlers (and many of them can take a lesson or two from her), why pay $180 for a simple pair of trousers or drawers?

Ron Hopkins
Co. D, 13th US Inf.
Sioux Falls, SD

[gilham]

Re: Homemade Gear

Hey Tristen
The fly is still as it was. I dont have the time to fix it.After I move I think I am going to try another pair of trousers

[tsgalloway]

Re: Homemade Gear

Hey Tristen
The fly is still as it was. I dont have the time to fix it.After I move I think I am going to try another pair of trousers

Funny. You missed a good time at the Ft. this past weekend. Hopefully this will become an annual immersion event.