Checkered Wool Material?

[Illinois Rebel]

Colleagues,

Please see the link below. I am assisting Terry Thomann, Director of the Civil War Life Museum in Spotsylvania, in trying to locate a source for Checkered Wool Material as worn by the Soldiers of the 9th Mississippi. (See the photo in the Link below...)

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/member.php?u=9252

Can anyone make some suggestions that could get us moving in the right direction?

Respectfully,

Michael Collins

[GreencoatCross]

I remember Pat Kline used to have two "windowpane" plaid wool fabrics for civilian trousers, possibly even modeled on the trousers from the 9th Miss. photo. One of them was a mixed oatmeal tan with dark brown windowpane pattern. The other was a mustard yellow with royal blue windowpane pattern. Your best bet is the oatmeal/brown stuff. Unless someone out there is hoarding some of it you will probably not be able to get it since Pat hasn't produced CW era yardgoods on a regular basis for a while now.

Your other option is to check with "local" fabric stores like Yoder's Department Store, Fields' Fabrics, Needle & Thread, etc. and ask for samples of windowpane or large plaid earth-tone woollens that are flannel weight or heavier. The last time I checked, Fields' Fabrics had some nice brown, navy blue, tan, and dark red wool kersey with a repeating one inch windowpane pattern in contrasting colors.

Good luck!

[Cpt Boone]

Years ago I had some from MJ Cahn that was o.k. I asked Pat to make the tan/brown stuff, which he did. After he sold out I did see some that was close at Denver Fabrics, but alas it too sold out and has not been restocked. You may want to contact MJ Cahn http://www.wovenfabrics.com/ or Denver Fabrics http://www.denverfabrics.com/ and see if they can get any. 96th District Storehouse may be able to help. http://www.96storehouse.com/ Another possibility is Hamilton Dry Goods http://www.hamiltondrygoods.com/. Good luck. I wish I had stocked up on more.

[minieball]

Here's another source for wool broadcloth. Another major hobby passion of mine is old cars. LaBaron Bonney and their Hampton Coach division offer custom wool broadclothes for antique auto interiors that duplicate interior fabrics from the teens to the 50's. They have quite a selection of material in stripes and checks so there may be some that could be used here, especially on the civilian side of things. I have dealt with them for interior fabrics for cars I have restored and the fabric quality is top notch. I would caution however I have not determined that this material is 100% wool. They do offer samples so this could be easily verified.

http://www.lebaronbonney.com/fabrics.htm

http://www.hamptoncoach.com/wool2.htm

Warm Regards,

[NYCivilWar]

Michael,

I picked up some windowpane wool at Needle and Thread in Gettysburg. The main color is a dark tank/greenish/mustardy color (hard to describe precisely), with the stripes forming the checks a dark blue. It's hard to tell from the photo exactly what shade the originals were, but you might want to contact them. They generally have a wide selection of 100% wool fabrics, many being what you seem to be after.

After looking at the photo a second time...is it just me or does the guy bent over the fire and the right-most guy in the photo have on the same or very similar trousers?

Hope this helps

[Illinois Rebel]

Thank you all who posted. I will pass this information on to Terry; he will be excited to find so many options.

With great appreciation.

Respectfully,

Michael Collins

[Cpt Boone]

Kyle,

They both have on identical trousers. There is also a second picture of this group in a tent and both gents are in that photo as well.

[tenfed1861]

Pat Landrum made a pair of yellow windowpaine trousers for me last summer.I am not sure if he still has any,but you could try contacting him.Here is a picture of me showing them off at DRL.(Don't I look dashing?)

[civilwarlife]

I appreciate all the suggestions, and am now following a very good lead.

Thank you all,

Terry Thomann, Director
National Civil War Life Museum