I am new to this forum and to re-enacting (My second year as a re-enactor). I have most of my gear, but I need to modify it to make it more authentic.I want to take out the machine sewn button holes on my federal sack coat and my great coat and hand sew them my self. Any suggestions on methods of stiching and where do I get the right cotton button hole thread? Should I get black for the coats and white if I decide to do my shirts and drawers and shelter half too? Any suggestions are a help. Thanks

Mr. Girton (A first name would be nice.)

First, get yourself some sewing instructions. "A Lady's Guide to Plain Sewing" will show every stitch you'll ever need to know. Then get some fabric to practice on. Trust me, you'll need some practice! You want to get to the point where you can make nice neat stiches all the same width and the same distance apart. Use the same color thread as your clothing. The logwood died thread on original Federal uniforms has turned brown, but it was blue once upon a time! Remember, the original uniforms were made by pros and your sewing should reflect that same level of quality.  

If you send me your address, I'll mail you instructions for making button holes, but you really ought to learn how to make the other stitches. At some point, you'll want to do some other sewing!  

Dan,

Come on back over to the house anytime and I'll show you how it's done.  Bill's right, it does take some practice and patience.  There is an art to it!

http://www.ushist.com/general-information/stitch.htm

How are you with pictures?

Grumpy,

Nice photos! I'm so old fashioned, I still offer to mail information!    

Do any of you guys think they were messing around with silk thread for issue uniform button holes?

Dave,

that's the same link I learned my holing from years ago. I think I got it off Paul's old original AC forum with the articles.

Yep it came from the AC as that's also where I learned how to do the ole butonholes. Very well done and easy to follow but patience young grasshopper as it is rather tedious work the first few times you try. Try to go too fast and the results will be less than exemplary.

Dan,

Go to the CPH Folder and open the thread titled "Do you have a Confederate Jacket?". Go to the last post by John Feagin. There are two links that show original uniforms. If you go through them, you will find some close-ups of button holes for your edification. There is one great shot showing three button holes on a Richmond Depot shell Jacket.  

Go to this site. It has a lot of very interesting sewing tips that you should learn that will help you out in future projects. Ignore the fact that it has dress making in the title.

http://vintagesewing.info/1910s/17-ad/ad-09.html

the one problem you are going to run into is getting the original button holes out. your going to need a good seam ripper and a whole lot of patience!! i hate pulling out buttonholes when my machine messes them up.

I've hand sewn button holes right over the machine sewn original stitches. The final product turned out pretty well.

Mine are also done over the machine sewn button holes.

I must admit taking the lazy route also and sewing over the machined ones. If done right and with a tight hand stitch job you should be able to completely hide the machine stitching. Bear in mind I only did this on a couple of old items I had such as shirts and a greatcoat I rarely use.

Thank you all for the helpful hints.I was hoping to hand sew the button holes on my greatcoat this summer for the winter events. But alas that looks like that will not come to pass. May be late fall.I think I will try to sew over the machine sewn button holes and see how that looks. Try one and see. If it looks bad a may rip out all the old stitches. Sounds like a big project for my inexperienced self.But it is something to do while I am forced to sit in front of the tube while the wife watches a "Chick Flick".I must keep peace in the household.
Again Thank you all.
Pvt. Dan Girton (Sink Rat) Co. A , 6th Ohio

Quote :

toptimlrd wrote : I must admit taking the lazy route also and sewing over the machined ones.

Unlike my esteemed colleague, I don't think hand sewing over a machine sewn button hole is a matter of lazyness. It's been my experience that depending on the weave of the cloth and jeans cloth is a perfect example, removing the machine stitching weakens the cloth and may actually cause it to unravel. (Been there, done that, got the T-shirt)  

Machine sewn button holes don't have that knot on every stitch you get with hand work. I have found that if, as Robert said, you are careful the machine stitching will be almost completly hidden behind the hand work.

I am sure other people's mileage may vary.      

--Last edited by Bill on 2007-08-10 12:17:37 --

Esteemed????? Boy do I have you fooled