Blanket maintenence.

[Old Cremona]

When his regulation or civilian blanket started to unravel around the edges how did Billy or Johnny repair it? Should I just use a needle and thread and sew it up all around the edge? Sorry if this seems like a silly question, but my sewing skills are rather marginal.

[davidMcL]

Thats exactly what I did to my blanket. Just sewed up around the part that was unravelling which has worked well.

[Matt Woodburn]

Carl,

You can do a couple things. Many originals that I've examined were left raw and sort of fuzzy or ragged looking. The blanket carried by Julius Jones, 14th Ill., Marshall County Historical Society Museum, is an example. Other soldiers, when they found some thread or yarn, bound the edges. The quality and style of the binding was directly proportional to the skill of the soldier unless he had someone else do the work, like a company tailor. The Royer blanket in the Echos of Glory series is an example of bound ends. Lt. Royer used two colors of yarn to bind the edges on his. I hope this helps.

[Old Cremona]

Carl,

You can do a couple things. Many originals that I've examined were left raw and sort of fuzzy or ragged looking. The blanket carried by Julius Jones, 14th Ill., Marshall County Historical Society Museum, is an example. Other soldiers, when they found some thread or yarn, bound the edges. The quality and style of the binding was directly proportional to the skill of the soldier unless he had someone else do the work, like a company tailor. The Royer blanket in the Echos of Glory series is an example of bound ends. Lt. Royer used two colors of yarn to bind the edges on his. I hope this helps.

Thank you, Matt, that is very helpful, and it's a relief to know my question isn't too "bush-league," and has relevence to the higher quality of reenacting.