Calling out The National Guard (Pennsylvania) circa early 1900s

[Red Beard]

Middle picture, top row, second from the left. I want that hat!

This may have been answered already, but what was the crown height, brim and ribbon width on these? I think I might try making me one. I remember you trying the same thing, Dean. Did you get yours finished? Any tips?

 

[deanglen]

Middle picture, top row, second from the left. I want that hat!

This may have been answered already, but what was the crown height, brim and ribbon width on these? I think I might try making me one. I remember you trying the same thing, Dean. Did you get yours finished? Any tips?

Red Beard,

Hello fellow Michigander! And yes, here was my attempt to reproduce a Frontier Army/Spanish-American War style campaign hat. I like the 'fore and aft' crown bash. I plan on many more attempts as sson as I can afford the hats to work from. Hope you'll give a try.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=11356&highlight=campaign+hat

dean

 

[Pat_H]

Middle picture, top row, second from the left. I want that hat!

This may have been answered already, but what was the crown height, brim and ribbon width on these? I think I might try making me one. I remember you trying the same thing, Dean. Did you get yours finished? Any tips?

http://www.militaryhorse.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7091

 

[Pat_H]

http://www.militaryhorse.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7091

I should have been more clear in my reply. If you scroll down on this thread, you will find the specifications.

 

[deanglen]

Interesting color on these hats, and a good bash style study (This should be of interest to Doc Holliday)and a photo of the 35th Michigan Volunteers, of whom at least one was from my home town, Traverse City, MI:

dean

 

[Mojave Jack]

Jack, have you contacted your cobbler yet about edge stitching?

dean

Dean, I haven't had a chance to talk to them yet. Their hours are a bit restrictive, and they open after I go to work and close before I get home. I'm also awaiting a Stratton that I picked up on the 'bay. I want to do some experimentation on that, including taking it over to Del and see if he can stitch it up for me. I'll certainly keep you posted, and see if he would be interested in doing a few more should the experiment prove successful.

BTW, that is a really interesting color on those Michigan hats! I wouldn't mind sporting something like that, having grown up in Michigan myself (born in Adrian, lived in Vassar, and still consider Ann Arbor my home). What else do you know about he 35th?

 

[Prairie Shade]

Jack to Jack

So, you're the one. I don't think you'll be disappointed in the felt. The rest is up to you. My wife is coming home from Oregon this evening and I will ask her if she can stitch a brim with her sewing machine. Not that it matters much. I believe if you have better abstract reasoning than I do, you could make a 5 point star out of the perforations in the crown. That is, if you wish.

 

[deanglen]

Dean, I haven't had a chance to talk to them yet. Their hours are a bit restrictive, and they open after I go to work and close before I get home. I'm also awaiting a Stratton that I picked up on the 'bay. I want to do some experimentation on that, including taking it over to Del and see if he can stitch it up for me. I'll certainly keep you posted, and see if he would be interested in doing a few more should the experiment prove successful.

BTW, that is a really interesting color on those Michigan hats! I wouldn't mind sporting something like that, having grown up in Michigan myself (born in Adrian, lived in Vassar, and still consider Ann Arbor my home). What else do you know about he 35th?

Jack,

I should have been clearer in my post. The two hats are from guys who were in the 1st US Volunteers, the famed "Rough Riders". The hats look blue, I imagine they are a grey, but I'm not sure. The group shot is the only Michigan connection in the photos. This is a site for info on the 34th MI Volunteers:
http://www.mifamilyhistory.org/spanam/

dean

 

[Red Beard]

Thanks guys, that's exactly the info I was looking for. Great job on your campaign hat, Dean. If mine comes out half as good, I'll be happy. Now I just need to find a good western hat . . . there's something I never thought I'd say.

 

[Mojave Jack]

So, you're the one. I don't think you'll be disappointed in the felt. The rest is up to you. My wife is coming home from Oregon this evening and I will ask her if she can stitch a brim with her sewing machine. Not that it matters much. I believe if you have better abstract reasoning than I do, you could make a 5 point star out of the perforations in the crown. That is, if you wish.

Prairie, did you see the auction I won? This is the hat I got:

The color is really something, but the price was right and I won't feel too bad experimenting on it. Depending on the stiffness, I want to try Rick Blaine's method of softening using denatured alcohol. I may pull out the sweatband, just to try my hand at putting it back in.

I also want to try the ribbons that Dean has been showing. Speaking of, Dean, did you post a little tutorial of how you got the bow shaped that way? I remember you talking about your experimentation, but I can't remember if I just meant to ask you to post a little tutorial.

Lastly, I will take it to my cobbler and see if he can stitch the brim edge. Speaking of, what is the approximate spacing of the rows of stitching. Looks to be about 1/4". Does that seem right?

If this hat can put up with all that, I figure it a keeper and the unusual color just makes it a little more interesting!

 

[deanglen]

Prairie, did you see the auction I won? This is the hat I got:

The color is really something, but the price was right and I won't feel too bad experimenting on it. Depending on the stiffness, I want to try Rick Blaine's method of softening using denatured alcohol. I may pull out the sweatband, just to try my hand at putting it back in.

I also want to try the ribbons that Dean has been showing. Speaking of, Dean, did you post a little tutorial of how you got the bow shaped that way? I remember you talking about your experimentation, but I can't remember if I just meant to ask you to post a little tutorial.

Lastly, I will take it to my cobbler and see if he can stitch the brim edge. Speaking of, what is the approximate spacing of the rows of stitching. Looks to be about 1/8". Does that seem right?

If this hat can put up with all that, I figure it a keeper and the unusual color just makes it a little more interesting!

Mojave, I would be happy to make a bow for you. I have some 5/8" light khaki ("oatmeal") grosgrain. You could use the bow as a model to make your own. It's basically a matter of folding the ribbon, ironing it flat, etc. PM me about it so I have an address to mail to. "1/8 seems right on stitch spacing on the brim. As Pat H. would tell you, keeping the spacing consistent is a trick. I'm sure even originals varied somewhat. I've seen originals in e-bay photos where it looked like the contractor wasn't too worried about perfection. Nice looking hat, BTW. Love the "fore and aft" bash you have in it already!

dean

 

[Prairie Shade]

Howdy fellow Campaigners

My latest rescue arrived Friday while my wife was home, great, just great. I will be very interested in how your modifications work Jack. I am thinking about trying the old sun fade theory by giving one of mine a LOT of quality time in the sun to see if it will fade some. Looks like the forest green color right? My suggestion, give it heck and see how it holds up but be sure and post pictures when you can. Adios!!

 

[deanglen]

My latest rescue arrived Friday while my wife was home, great, just great. I will be very interested in how your modifications work Jack. I am thinking about trying the old sun fade theory by giving one of mine a LOT of quality time in the sun to see if it will fade some. Looks like the forest green color right? My suggestion, give it heck and see how it holds up but be sure and post pictures when you can. Adios!!

Prairie, Hope you can post pics; pre, post, or pre and post, "quality time".

dean

 

[deanglen]

USE 1/8" SPACING ON BRIM STITCHING!

BRIM STITCHES SHOULD BE 1/8" APART! This is clear from Prairie's campaign hat project. Heads-up to all interested campaigners!

dean

 

[Mojave Jack]

That hat hasn't arrived, yet, but I'm getting antsy! That's the photo from the auction, so we'll see when it gets here the shape it is in.

On another note, though, I stopped to pick up my dry cleaning today, and my friend, who is the semstress there, was working on sewing a patch on the back of someone's heavy, thick leather jacket! Clearly her machine can get through felt, too. I asked her if she thought she could put the rows of stitching around the brim, and she thought so. Are there adjustable guides and things for that so the spacing is consistent? I'll remember 1/8" when I ge this forest green job!

I also ordered two new brown leather straps from My Police Store. $4 for a nape strap, and $5 for a two piece chin strap. Can't beat the price!

 

[deanglen]

No spacing attatchments that I know of, but I'm not a sewing pro. It did occur to me that one could make templates out of matte board, three of them, using a matte oval cutter (my wife knows picture framing) each one
1/8" narrower than the first, or a rather large compass and cut them out with scissors, and use them to trace a thin white pencil line to follow as one sews, three circles 1/8" apart. I think that might give pretty consistency. I really think the hat makers just eyeballed it, but I don't really know.

dean

 

[deanglen]

Just some internet images I found.

dean

 

[Joel Tunnah]

I love when they sit for the photo with their dogs!