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Post by Black Hand on May 30, 2022 14:17:13 GMT -7
That's a great start!
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on May 30, 2022 14:57:21 GMT -7
Thanks! I need the feedback from those that know what good work actually looks like. Please be critical when and if warranted. Only way to improve! I have several hours into this practice piece. I think I’m ready. And now I realize… SO MANY STITCHES!!! Yahoo!
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Post by Black Hand on May 30, 2022 15:43:12 GMT -7
Small, tight and even stitches with well-waxed thread....that's all I got.
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Post by spence on May 30, 2022 17:15:21 GMT -7
RyanAK said, "I have several hours into this practice piece." When I first got into the living history part of the hobby I made the obligatory rifle shirt with all the required fringe, because, as J.F.D. Smyth said in Tour in the United States of America, 1784, describing the backwoodsmen of the Carolinas, "And according to the number and variety of the fringes on his hunting shirt, and the decorations on his powder-horn, belt and rifle, he estimates his finery,...". I learned immediately that making your own outfit was interesting, fun and satisfying, but required a LOT of time. Making the fringe consisted of pulling out weft threads everywhere you wanted fringes, as many as it took to make the fringe as long as you wanted, and then combing out the warp. It took me 15 hours to fringe that one rifle shirt. My main thrust in reenacting is to experience just a little of what the old boys did, and from that point of view I learned a lot. I also learned that some experience is more fun than others, Spence
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on May 30, 2022 20:47:08 GMT -7
RyanAK said, "I have several hours into this practice piece." When I first got into the living history part of the hobby I made the obligatory rifle shirt with all the required fringe, because, as J.F.D. Smyth said in Tour in the United States of America, 1784, describing the backwoodsmen of the Carolinas, "And according to the number and variety of the fringes on his hunting shirt, and the decorations on his powder-horn, belt and rifle, he estimates his finery,...". I learned immediately that making your own outfit was interesting, fun and satisfying, but required a LOT of time. Making the fringe consisted of pulling out weft threads everywhere you wanted fringes, as many as it took to make the fringe as long as you wanted, and then combing out the warp. It took me 15 hours to fringe that one rifle shirt. My main thrust in reenacting is to experience just a little of what the old boys did, and from that point of view I learned a lot. I also learned that some experience is more fun than others, Spence Oh my GAWD! Fifteen hours?! That’s a lot of late nights around the campfire, friend! I must say, you do cut a handsome figure in that rifle shirt. It just took me 40 minutes to sit down and do 6” of tiny backstitches on the first seam allowance on the frock’s real collar. Like… 5 threads tiny. Interesting, fun and satisfying… but I’ll be here a while. This schlubby, single-strand linen thread I’m using is highly PC, but a serious hassle. Foraging on, but it’s something to look into. Dealing with the thread is definitely my biggest time sink.
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Post by spence on May 30, 2022 21:10:47 GMT -7
RyanAK said, "Dealing with the thread is definitely my biggest time sink."
Are you running your thread across beeswax before sewing?
Spence
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on May 30, 2022 21:15:27 GMT -7
Yessir. Wax pulled a lot of lint fuzz, weakened the thread and made an inconsistent thickness. Lint lumps jamming up in the stitch. Getting better results by softening the wax before pulling a thread through.
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Post by Black Hand on May 31, 2022 4:11:20 GMT -7
Sounds like you need different thread...
I had thread like you describe that I purchased from Jas. Townsend - totally useless stuff.
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on May 31, 2022 6:13:15 GMT -7
Sounds like you need different thread... I had thread like you describe that I purchased from Jas. Townsend - totally useless stuff. Ding ding! Winner! That’s the stuff. I’m sitting here grinding my teeth thinking “this is so different from any other thread I’ve ever used, but it must be HC…”. I’ll finish this seam with the slubby mess, then switch. I have three of the small spools from Townsend of ‘natural’… about 60 yards. I’m not sure what’s needed for a shirt, but that’ll keep me going. It seems much better, but I’ll need to order something… I went to the local Mennonite fabric store here. Lovely people and super convenient. Less than a mile from my door. Their fabric selection puts JoAnn to shame. But… Apparently I live in the land of the ‘Polyester’ sect of Amish and Mennonites. Holy cow! Only 4 woolens out of thousands of bolts… and no linen. And no linen thread. I did get a nifty pin cushion shaped like a tomato though! Sheesh! Burnley and Trowbridge, don’t fail me now!
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Post by spence on May 31, 2022 7:47:30 GMT -7
Even the Indians used better thread, no need for you to suffer. Among items traded to the Indians at the Fort Pitt trading post. Pittsburgh Waste Book, June 19, 1759-June 19, 1760, Volume 1 Pittsburgh Waste Book and Fort Pitt Trading Post Papers, DAR. 1925.03, Darlington Collection, Special Collections Department, University of Pittsburgh scanes brown thread scanes white thread scanes green thread scanes thread fine scanes colored thread needles cysors/cysars/scissors pr. scissors thimbles women’s and men’s brass thimbles Spence
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on May 31, 2022 8:59:42 GMT -7
Well that 22” line of stitches is done. I set the remainder on fire and danced around the smoldering spool. I’m off to Fort Pitt for thread. And maybe a thimble. Ha.
Seriously. If you need something that’s truly ’homespun’, this will be great and dripping with authenticity. Sewing an entire shirt will drive a man to drinking… more.
Sheesh! Thanks for the Waste Book snippet. That’s great stuff. That might be useful info for the shot pouch discussion too. What leather, textiles and finished goods were available on the frontier would be interesting within that discussion.
Back to sewing.
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Post by Black Hand on May 31, 2022 12:59:18 GMT -7
I think 60 yards will be more than enough.
That slubby stuff is garbage...
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on May 31, 2022 13:43:50 GMT -7
Garbage. I’m flying now. Collar done and on to sleeve bands.
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Post by Black Hand on May 31, 2022 16:19:23 GMT -7
Garbage. I’m flying now. Collar done and on to sleeve bands. The job is always easier with the proper tools & supplies! Looking forward to seeing the finished product.
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on May 31, 2022 17:01:53 GMT -7
We’ll see if I can hold this pace. Never would have thought that the thread would be a stumbling block. Struggling with it did make my work with good thread immediately better and faster. So in the end I’m thankful for the experience. But I’m still glad it’s ash in the wind.
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