Ultimate Bushcraft Clothing

[jamesdevine]

I am hoping to do a brain tanning course next year so I might be able to enlist the instructor to help make a good shirt.

Thanks
James

 

[Not Bob]

The fringe wicks excess moisture off the shirt itself.

There is an alternate theory (don't know enough about it to have an opinion myself). It's a bit difficult to explain without pictures but bear with me.

Take a look at how your clothes are put together; typically the thread holding the bits of cloth together is exposed (you may need to put a bit of pressure on the back of the seam to see the thread). This is an obvious weak point in that the thread may be damaged and the clothes start to fall apart at this point. Therefore to avoid the thread being exposed a third piece of deerskin was sewn between the two pieces of material. This would obviously need to stick out a little to protect the sewing.

This third/middle piece of cloth would add unwanted stiffness and since it would tend to rub on other things (since it would stick out) would be a little cumbersome. To avoid this and make it more aesthetically pleasing the third/middle piece was made into a fringe.

Now the fringe might help in wicking away water (though I think Thomas Elpel says in his experience it just means an increased amount of wet material hanging off the wearer) but this theory sugests why 'fringe-ing' started in the first place.

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

You are correct in the construction. I managed to go swimming with a full pair of traditional shotgun leggings ( think HEAVY cowhide) when my mule stumbled crossing the Colorado. Standing in the Arizona sun, i watched the water suck down to the fringe and evaporate. My indian friends state it also serves to somewhat muffle your sound in a good wind. In any case, it looks good

 

[Toddy]

There is an alternate theory (don't know enough about it to have an opinion myself). It's a bit difficult to explain without pictures but bear with me.

Take a look at how your clothes are put together; typically the thread holding the bits of cloth together is exposed (you may need to put a bit of pressure on the back of the seam to see the thread). This is an obvious weak point in that the thread may be damaged and the clothes start to fall apart at this point. Therefore to avoid the thread being exposed a third piece of deerskin was sewn between the two pieces of material. This would obviously need to stick out a little to protect the sewing.

This third/middle piece of cloth would add unwanted stiffness and since it would tend to rub on other things (since it would stick out) would be a little cumbersome. To avoid this and make it more aesthetically pleasing the third/middle piece was made into a fringe.

Now the fringe might help in wicking away water (though I think Thomas Elpel says in his experience it just means an increased amount of wet material hanging off the wearer) but this theory sugests why 'fringe-ing' started in the first place.

This opens a whole new thread. ('scuse the unintentional pun)

Firstly, if you have skin then the cut of the garment need not follow the cut of modern cloth ones. In fact the *fewer* cuts the better and since the skin once covered a mammal then it's already partially shaped for you.
Secondly, the first broad cloths woven were done so on a warp weighted loom and had three finished selvedge edges....and one of cut warps that could either be woven into a kind of basket weave pattern edging or a fringe.
I've hand spun & woven wool, sewn garments from it, and the fringing does work to help dry off the jackets and hoods.(well, in a wet, windy Scotland it does )
In a shoe the extra piece of leather is a welt or rand and is used to hold the sole and upper together and does protect stitching there because the stitching is inside and doesn't rub away on the ground. I have no knowledge of it's use in a piece of clothing except as a kind of piping or as the attachment point for fringes.....people have a love of ornamentation.
I would really like to hear of any examples anyone may know of where it is used as a structural part of the seam strength in clothing, not in shoemaking or saddlery where it helps create shaping too.
Basically, if I can spin a thread strong enough to weave with, then I can make a thread strong enough to hold a garment together effectively, and I can sew a seam that is not exposed and vulnerable too, or a re-inforced one that won't give easily (see your jeans flat fell seaming). The stitches appropriate to one material, wool/linen/bast may not be appropriate for leather/hide/grass, etc..
Hadn't heard of Thomas Elpel before...I'll go and google

Hey Tony, How do you fancy a sewing workshop at one of the moots? We could cover everything from fibres and fabrics to cuts and sewing techniques. There are a lot of good leather workers on the list too, leather working techniques for clothing would be excellent.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[EdS]

toddy,

sounds like a good idea, but could you teach a left hander to knit?

 

[Buckshot]

This Hey Tony, How do you fancy a sewing workshop at one of the moots? We could cover everything from fibres and fabrics to cuts and sewing techniques. There are a lot of good leather workers on the list too, leather working techniques for clothing would be excellent.

That sounds interesting....

 

[Toddy]

toddy,

sounds like a good idea, but could you teach a left hander to knit?

That one's easy Sit opposite a right handed knitter and let your hands follow the movements!
Seriously, it does work. We have a vastly underused talent for watching something being done, and building up some sort of muscle memory of how to do it later.

Cheers,
Toddy