| > | | | | as all of the other parts that we have discussed. |
| So you want to make or upgrade your Civil War | | | | Cuffs can be added using the material of the shirt or |
| uniform shirt, but you don't know where to start. | | | | a differentcolor or material. Most cuffs were about 2 |
| What type of material do you use, should you use | | | | inches wide. |
| metal, porcelain or bone buttons, should you have a | | | | 41. Next, get yourself some good buttons. Stay |
| collar on your shirt, what about the cuffs - how | | | | away from plastic and modern buttons. Go with |
| many inches are they supposed to be, should you | | | | glass, bone, shell, metal, porcelain, 2-hole cat's eye or |
| hand stitch the button holes, where should you put | | | | Mother of Pearl. |
| the pocket on your shirt, Ahhhhh! | | | | Metal buttons are authentic but they have the |
| Your questions about making your Civil War uniform | | | | potential to rust and stain your fabric. |
| shirt authentic are answered in this shirt article and | | | | 45. Some shirts had button on collars, and many |
| continue to be answered in 101 Tips for Your | | | | shirts were collarless. ECHOES: The Confederate |
| Authentic Civil War Uniform Shirt Course at | | | | Version shows seven shirts on pgs. 154-155, and each |
| Here are some of the tips for making Your Civil War | | | | one has a differentcollar. Pvt. John Burgwyn MacRae |
| Uniform shirt authentic: | | | | Starr's North Carolina is a dark blue wool collarless |
| 4. To start, you could purchase a shirt that is already | | | | pullover shirt while the one below, Pvt. Andrew |
| made that has machine buttonholes in it and rework | | | | Thomas Beam, 28th South Carolina |
| the buttonholes to make it look more authentic. Take | | | | Volunteers' shirt is a white cotton with a square |
| a seam ripper and pick out the buttonholes and | | | | edged collar made of the same color and material. |
| handwork them. | | | | 50. My rule of thumb is that I only make Civil War |
| 5. I would pick out and redo by hand all exposed | | | | uniform items that I have seen in an original |
| machine stitching. Someone can show you how to do | | | | photograph or museum. Note: what is in museum is |
| that in about 15 minutes. You should have about 6-7 | | | | only the very smallest tip of the iceberg because |
| stitches per inch. You have just increased the value | | | | there are very few actual items that made it through |
| of your shirt and made it more authentic. | | | | the war. The vast majority of the original clothing is |
| 32. "Pockets were not sewn on most shirts, and not | | | | long since gone. Some of the fabrics and colors can |
| at all on the army-issued shirts. Heavier shirts had a | | | | be seen in very old quilts because they reused |
| breast pocket or two. The pockets were generally | | | | everything. |
| lower on the shirt and larger than breast pockets on | | | | 53. Note the different collars, buttons, and fabrics, |
| shirts today. | | | | color combinations. I personally do not like solid color |
| 33. Buttons were metal, wooden or bone, or | | | | shirts. I like something with a little color to it. These |
| sometimes commercially made from other products, | | | | shirts have original glass buttons on them. I prefer |
| such as glass or ceramic materials. For Southern | | | | glass buttons for shirts because I like to match the |
| troops, different stylesof buttons can be used, | | | | color combinations. |
| including bits of wood, bone, or even acorns. You can | | | | 55. Keep everything 100% wool and 100% cotton. |
| use dental floss to tie them on, but make sure the | | | | Make sure that the material is a good grade, like |
| modern materials are not visible. | | | | homespun. If you are going to take the time and |
| 38. Battle shirts are a bit controversial. Some troops, | | | | energy, to make your own shirt, buy something high |
| especially early-war Southern troops, had a tunic or | | | | quality that will last. The price of the shirt material is |
| heavy shirt instead of a wool uniform coat. It would | | | | negligible compared to the time and energy you will |
| fit over aregular shirt but was not as heavy or bulky | | | | put into making it. |
| as the wool jacket. Before you get a battle shirt, | | | | 70. Original coin buttons are still available and |
| make sure one is documented for your regiment's | | | | affordable if you want to look for them. You can find |
| history, since they werenot typical and are | | | | them anywhere from one to three dollars. You might |
| controversial. | | | | even want to go with a mismatched set - one or |
| 39. Cuffs on Civil War uniform shirts varied as much | | | | two state seals and the remainder coin buttons. |