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Hand Sewing for Rookies

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  • Hand Sewing for Rookies

    I have done some searching on the forum and came up with just a few threads (no pun intended) on hand sewing techniques. But mainly what is posted is by those with experience, talking to those who already have experience, about hand sewing uniform or other garments from kits or from scratch. For those of us with limited experience, it is kind of like walking in on a nuclear engineer discussion.

    Would it be possible for someone(s) to post something like a basic crash course in hand sewing to get us newbies started? The types of stitches, what they look like, where they go, how the seams work, how the pieces go together, how to add a liner, etc?

    I realize of course all this can be found by exhaustive searches on the internet, but I think it would be useful to have specialized resources available here on the forum for those of us who are looking to begin (or improve) our skills in this art. I have always wanted to learn how to do this, but the information on the net is jumbled and not very useful - at least what I've seen.

    As an example, I would like to put together a jacket from a kit. The kit comes already cut up with lining and exterior, buttons, thread, wax, etc. and with several pages of instructions. There are great photos of how things go together, but it gets confusing with the terminology of stitches, seams, etc. My experience comes mainly from repair work on already assembled items. I can take them apart to see how it works, but would prefer not to have to double my work!

    Anyway, just a suggestion to see if anyone is interested.

    Thanks in advance for any response.

    Rich
    Rich Libicer
    Fugi's Brown Water Mess

    6th North Carolina - 150th First Manassas, July 2011
    4th Texas Dismounted, Co. C - 150th Valverde, February 2012
    6th Mississippi Adjunct - 150th Shiloh, April 2012
    4th Texas Dismounted, Co. C - 150th Glorieta Pass, May 2012
    21st Arkansas Adjunct - 150th Prairie Grove, December 2012
    5th Confederate, Co. C - 150th Chickamauga, September 2013
    Haitus...... Until Now


  • #2
    Re: Hand Sewing for Rookies

    For starters there is a thread on this forum in 2006 posted by Paul Calloway that includes instructions from Chris Sullivan on how to do hand-sewn buttonholes;
    Forum-Military Living Historian Discussions-Camp of Instruction-Editorial Articles-Instructions for Hand sewing buttonholes by Chris Sullivan.


    Funny story, I told Chris I had this article and was going to use his instructions to fix my Frock buttonholes. He said he had just scratched that out on a scrap of paper and never had any idea it would end up getting posted and passed around.
    Frank Siltman
    24th Mo Vol Inf
    Cannoneer, US Army FA Museum Gun Crew
    Member, Oklahoma Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission
    Company of Military Historians
    Lawton/Fort Sill, OK

    Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay -- and claims a halo for his dishonesty.— Robert A. Heinlein

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Hand Sewing for Rookies

      VERY nice. That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for. I don't know how I missed that one.

      Thanks Frank.

      Rich
      Rich Libicer
      Fugi's Brown Water Mess

      6th North Carolina - 150th First Manassas, July 2011
      4th Texas Dismounted, Co. C - 150th Valverde, February 2012
      6th Mississippi Adjunct - 150th Shiloh, April 2012
      4th Texas Dismounted, Co. C - 150th Glorieta Pass, May 2012
      21st Arkansas Adjunct - 150th Prairie Grove, December 2012
      5th Confederate, Co. C - 150th Chickamauga, September 2013
      Haitus...... Until Now

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Hand Sewing for Rookies

        Two more for the mix which are on my links page :

        Flat fell seam instructions : http://www.greydragon.org/pavilions/flatfell.html

        Patching your uniform : http://www.33wis.com/articles/pdf/patching.pdf
        Silas Tackitt,
        one of the moderators.

        Click here for a link to forum rules - or don't at your own peril.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Hand Sewing for Rookies

          Thanks Silas. I had the Wedeward patching article, but the flat fell seam answers about 800 questions.

          Rich
          Rich Libicer
          Fugi's Brown Water Mess

          6th North Carolina - 150th First Manassas, July 2011
          4th Texas Dismounted, Co. C - 150th Valverde, February 2012
          6th Mississippi Adjunct - 150th Shiloh, April 2012
          4th Texas Dismounted, Co. C - 150th Glorieta Pass, May 2012
          21st Arkansas Adjunct - 150th Prairie Grove, December 2012
          5th Confederate, Co. C - 150th Chickamauga, September 2013
          Haitus...... Until Now

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Hand Sewing for Rookies

            I have to say that I have never seen that version of flat felling on an original shirt or garment. Is that something that was used only on tents for the strength of the seam?
            Rob Bruno
            1st MD Cav
            http://1stmarylandcavalry.com

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Hand Sewing for Rookies

              Rob - yes it looks like that link is for canvas flat fells for tents. How do you do your flat fells for garments?

              R
              Rich Libicer
              Fugi's Brown Water Mess

              6th North Carolina - 150th First Manassas, July 2011
              4th Texas Dismounted, Co. C - 150th Valverde, February 2012
              6th Mississippi Adjunct - 150th Shiloh, April 2012
              4th Texas Dismounted, Co. C - 150th Glorieta Pass, May 2012
              21st Arkansas Adjunct - 150th Prairie Grove, December 2012
              5th Confederate, Co. C - 150th Chickamauga, September 2013
              Haitus...... Until Now

              Comment

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