Should Your Civil War Shirt Have a Collar or Be Collarless?

Written by Paula and Coach McCoach


Continued from page 1

Most Civil War shirts pull overrepparttar head. I have not seen many that are completely button down inrepparttar 109179 front. But,repparttar 109180 plackets on Civil War shirts vary as much asrepparttar 109181 collars. A placket isrepparttar 109182 piece ofrepparttar 109183 shirt, which contains two pieces of material -repparttar 109184 back placket is whererepparttar 109185 buttons are sewn andrepparttar 109186 front placket is whererepparttar 109187 buttonholes are placed. The collar is usually attached torepparttar 109188 top ofrepparttar 109189 placket.

With plackets, without plackets, most shirts button downrepparttar 109190 front with a variety of buttons. Civil War soldiers wore fancy shirts with ruffles, plain shirts; wool shirts, shirts made from flour sacks and some shirts were made by tailors. The combination of pieces you can put on your Civil War Uniform Shirts is endless: collars, plackets, buttons, style, material, etc.

I take some liberty to combinerepparttar 109191 pieces I like as long as I have seen them in a museum or an original photo. What is in museums and original photos is onlyrepparttar 109192 tip ofrepparttar 109193 iceberg when it comes to styles of shirts worn duringrepparttar 109194 Civil War Era.

For a course on Civil War uniforms which provides many more specific details, send an email to collars@civilwaruniforms.net

To see actual photos of reproduced shirts with a variety of collars, go to

http://www.civilwaruniforms.net/collars.htm

2004 permission granted to reprint this article in print or on your website so long asrepparttar 109195 contact information is included to coach@civilwaruniforms.net



Coach McCoach has been a Civil War reenactor in the 4th North Carolina Infantry, 2nd Virginia Regiment, and 21st Virginia Company B. Coach has received the "Authenticity Award" from these companies several times for his Civil War Uniform Impression. Coach's Civil War uniform designs have been seen in the movies GETTYSBURG, Antietam Visitors Center, ANDERSONVILLE.


How to Make Your Civil War Uniform Shirt

Written by Paula and Coach McCoach


Continued from page 1

For photographs of shirt designs, patriotic combinations, and topstitching, go to http://www.civilwaruniforms.net/shirts.htm

Next, get yourself some good buttons. Stay away from plastic and modern buttons. Go with glass, bone, shell, metal, porcelain, 2-hole cat's eye or Mother of Pearl. Metal buttons are authentic, but they haverepparttar potential to rust and stain your fabric. Some ofrepparttar 109178 sutlers that sell fabric and sewing items have buttons.

Or I have a ton of buttons I might be talked into parting with. Buttons can also be found at flea markets, antique stores, in old button baskets, tins or jars. Frequently, you can buy a whole jar of buttons for $3 - check outrepparttar 109179 buttons in it, and if you find a substantial antique buttons, it certainly is worth it. Sometimesrepparttar 109180 jar is as valuable asrepparttar 109181 buttons! I have found jars full of buttons with a hundred dollar button in it. Small items like buttons can make a huge difference and increaserepparttar 109182 value of your shirt, jacket, pants, etc.

To see some antique buttons, go to http://www.civilwaruniforms.net/civilwarshirtbuttons.htm

Try to get solid brass buttons. Waterbury is good. Original buttons are a bit pricey but not out ofrepparttar 109183 question. If you are getting U.S. Eagle buttons, sutlers have them. Stay away fromrepparttar 109184 ones that are plated. I personally just use coin buttons. If you are doing a state regiment, you want to go with state seal buttons. "I" buttons are a good generic impression. For late war buttons, go withrepparttar 109185 Tate Script "I" which were coming in later inrepparttar 109186 war. U.S. buttons can go U.S. or Confederate. It would not be unusual to see an Eagle button on a Confederate uniform.

For more information on making your Civil War Uniforms Shirt and, send an email to coach@civilwaruniforms.net Learn how to make your own wooden buttons!!

Coach McCoach has been creating patterns and making Civil War uniform items for 25 years. His Civil War uniform designs have been seen inrepparttar 109187 movies GETTYSBURG, ANDERSONVILLE andrepparttar 109188 Antietam Visitors Center. For more information, contact coach@civilwaruniforms.net or visit http://www.civilwaruniforms.net

2004 permission granted to reprint this article in print on your website so long asrepparttar 109189 paragraph above is included andrepparttar 109190 contact information is included to coach@civilwaruniforms.net or visit http://www.civilwaruniforms.net



Coach McCoach has been creating patterns and making Civil War uniform items for 25 years. His Civil War uniform designs have been seen in the movies GETTYSBURG, ANDERSONVILLE and the Antietam Visitors Center. For more information, contact coach@civilwaruniforms.net or visit http://www.civilwaruniforms.net


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