Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-07-08

the udSo VI SNCIy SOuuIiy W Nh4Su
navigation extends Foreign flags
are ambitious in design and variegated
in hue. The smaller and more insig-
nificant the cation the more startling
the flag. Many of the flags suggest
unique designs in cray patchwork,
and all sorts OF stitches are employed.
Kensington embroidery and herring.
bone stitch and feather stitch and
catch stitching and buttonhole work.
and every other possible decoration
wrought into the recently defunct
crazy quilt are here employed TO ad-
vantage. AS United States fleet
sails in foreign waters the foreign
flag tha ' Is Nnfurled out OF Difference
and according to the .prescl lied ETH
ouette ofrnations is work of art
whose construction. is in no wise rep
rehensible.
The bunting used in these flags
comes from Lowell. Mass. writes
Haryot Holt in the New York Record
err and the supply is laid in twice IA
year. Each piece is subject TO the
most severe test Uncle Sans depu-
ties know bunting as we'll as the manu-
facturers. 1t must weigh five pounds
to every forty yards and it must
stand the weight test of seventy pounds
to two square inches. 1t is stepped
in salt water six hours. then exposed
TO the sun for six hours. II, after
this heroic course OF treatment it con-
tinues to be bunting OF distinguish
able color it is pronounced tit for
service. Uncle Sam never gets CHI eat
ed in bunting The bunting is then
laid upon a cutting counter and Mr..
Crimmins cuts out the flags The red
bunting is placed over the white bunt-
ing. and six stripes are cut ut once
with a pair OF formidable gigantic
shears He cuts eight different sized
ensign flags varying in length from
thrty-six feet to four and half feet.
The makers OF the United States flags
which are sewed in straight seams
usually take their work home.
After the stripes are put together
the flag must be brought TO the cut
ting room, on the floor OF which is a
diagram for measurement md ii must
be perfect in every particular From
hem to hem on all four sides it must
coincide exactly with the nailheads
placed in the foor.ss No apology for
imperfectlon helps 1t TO pass muster.
and if it IS incorrect. to a thread il
must be made over. Mr.. Crimmins
carves the stars from bleached mus
lin. with q mallet and chisel. Twenty
yards of cotton cloth are folded and
placed upon the block. n copper star
laid on for pattern, and thirty stars
are cut at one time. Three times cut
ting from the pattern and the constel-
lations for one flag are ready for use.
with surplus of two stars. Probably
no one in the United States is as IA
miliar with the exact position occu
pied by the stellar representatives oil
the forty-f four states in the Union u:
the feminine flag makers.
The star must be turned down on
all of its sides to a size indicated by q
paste board model 1t must then be
properly stationed. basted hemmed
down. and then another one sewed OF
directly at It's back. This is ar
achievement not rs simple as tn,
Sords imply. The first row on the
SIDE of the blue bunting field contain,
eight stars the last row contains
eight and the intervening rows sever
each. arranged according to 'peci
fed diagram. dictated by the govern
ment
The small boat flags contain ONLY
the stars of the thirteen original states
on account OF the size Every shiI
In the United States navy IA fitted on
with flags OF forty-iour foreign nations
with American ensigns repeaters ant
pennants and the work on some o
them would tax the skill OF n cour
milliner When the dag Is ready To-
binding 1t is passed on TO anothe
apartment where a sailor puts on tn,
canvas binding and makes it stron,
enough to defy the winds of HEAVIER
and various of the elements that ma,
chance to toy with it on s3-year'
cruise, which is IFS estimated perlo,
OF usefulness.
The sailor who sews on the bindin,
is picturesque individual. and is
Jolly tar In every sense OF the word
He wears sailor suit and hat ant
his sleeves which are rolled up furn
fish an art exhibition in tattoo which i
OF many years standing. But ho |
an excellent seamstoE and he nc
complishes great results with thin
Bile strapped on to the palm OF hi
hand. Tho members OF Uncle Sam
sewing beo at the Brooklyn navy var
know more about flags than any wo
men in the United States and it wer