The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-28
MILITARY EN- BR0IDERY.
AN II 7HiT CALLS FOR GREAT
SkTIL ~ EEDLEWORK.

Those Who Engage In 1t Are Rarely
known to the Public-Its Compensations,
Women whose work Is Of marked Importance
In governmental and military affairs are the
ek!l,cl cmbryilrrcrs who make the shoulder,
collar and cap devices on officers uni
form, Their work is more necdlework
architecture than embroidery. They build up
nuI] ,attcrn in block Like. clearly defined char
meters that are mcauingful rather than merely
decorative. Except that their work Is donc
with a nccl,e. It bears no sort Of analogy to the
fu,- wrought. fowcry creations of the normal
feminine cmhroidcrcr who works In floss. silk,
liuru, rulored wool and other plant material,
Noycr IL there an army or navy officer pro-
n tel but he must have an expert embroid-
errr 20 DO hi1 shoulder knots and straps, collar
Device or whatever may be the need. His
car device must DO altered and other nc
environments made TO bear tho propcr In
si,rl1. The oXpcricncod cnbroidcrer. accom-
r'-lal in h"r art, mover lacks for work that ia
h. ,h well pail and Of intrinsic interest, and
e.. 'aik. Of such workers are not crowded.
There Is more than employment enough to
e. round. and cnviablc praise and eu!ogy
To- those at the top and nearest the
tup OF the ladder. Numbers OF women
throughout the city are doing the COM
noncr grade insignia work. such "a is used on
the less conspicuous warden uniforms in prisons
and public institutions and for the petty OH
GERS in military service; but these workers are
mere tyrcs compared with tho workers for
hieh-grade. flrst-ranking custom. and the
woman accustomed to the superior class OF
work would not think OF taking orders for
the inferior grade. Sho has a reputation to
sustain in her special sphere. and. moreover.
after years Of steady occupation ut military in
sigma work. she is generally in a position to
say what she will and what she will not do.
Who does the best work OF this kind in New
York citv and has done 1t longest A woman
who never wants hcr name disclosed, who has
o dozen, maybe two dozen. other embroiderers
working regularly under her direction ut her
private house. but is as shy Of public no.
tice az the most exclusive Old Amsterdam
resident in the city. she would never for
give US II we told on her" is the sense OF tho
military tailors' answer when questioned as to
hi- women coadjutants. Two other makers OF
military goods in other parts Of the city con-
firm the statement. adding that the best
known professional operators at this en-
lroiicry work are gentlewonen having neither
the dosire nor the need to come before the
public. as artists in other trades or profess
sions must. If they would succeed.
They have all the work they can do. We
seek them out: they don't hunt for u.s." said a
Fifth avenue tailor. 1T isn't every woman
with sufficient brains in her fingers to do this
sort Of thing right. and even with Unborn knack
and facility it takes a worker from two to three
years TO learn the art successfully. From Sl5
to Sls a week is raid to the women who work
here at the shop on n salary. and the two
women head workers who design and place the
work fer the others get S25 and over. The few
CNIcrt embroidercrs who take orders at their
own homes aud employ their own help make
good incomes. and two at least whom 1 could
mention are independent and are only carry
m / Gu T 1hS TiF "nssr tRe ir3 w6rE ka at i sn sht the bo l3ye
they do it and the more their work is sought.
Occasionally we have, women amateurs
tor their husbands and brothers uniforms.
They are fond Of fancy work. they say. and.
they will be able to make the device right,
Well, we give, them tho measurements and
Tatcrfa's. and they go Of. but invariab p,'F pel
turn, Iuite ready TO own up that the work is
harder than they thought and they can't make
The things they bought and have the markings
,sne ny in shaps; No tin|F i amateur EN-.
Fix or linen applique. or even an adept at
loaded hroca1e work. has eyer to my knowl-
edge made adeviGc for, a soldiers coat, or cap
The woman most notable at this peculiar
n~e"d.ework architecture. whose export mod.
ini.h s" win The %tailor's admiration. lives in
= rrlnement thGt is almost !uXury in an old.
''''''t'''t' - hlii-Nllg Lll'Nh lildl ItS
Tss,irn ia:, y 'Sc'Ht TGSsf'ffS has n2 It 3 been f in2"dSd i hy
business. There is no sign. either outside or
within the quiet drawing room, to indicate
that work. promised by a certain date and exc
go". out q that conservative front door. There
nay be. there is. a workroOm that ia almost n
factory somewhere IN the establishment, but
70 hint Of it shows citherin the torma al furnish
Ing or the garb and manner Of. tho house mis-
trcss and embroidery artist. This woman said
the other day:
There are some women occupied with this
business who advertise occasionally for help.
tom.' f i" tD''y years ! Is the n'ii ong fS'o Of 70 lime n.R my
women are with me. Seldom one goes unless
she gives up the work altogether. When they
STAY. 1t Is an Interesting business. am so
absorbed in it that | scarcely know my next
mmr to continue my orders
When made aware that her identity Is not an
tut-Gnd-out secret. and satisfied that she will
pot have undue notoriety. this w~orkwuman
tnlps Of the almost invisible gold and silver
wire tubing that the marvel is execute. with.
,,o " %; *, in ! fsF hs e. tbs ,ySnrs and yea5s'
Eisit9r ndmir"s the shoulder. knot Of a ! nth
th!cE- roped gold cord to define it. Tcamcto
tlls country in 1898. and Mt that time every bit
II.o@' q W Ha Sa Wa 4 imph"rtSd: That @6 l. " Mhy ~ ls% wro,
nan to undertake the husiness here. and the
first to teach other women how To do it, | a.
~ ''' " t''i' W. w "a
father was a patriot Of -. and In consequence
We moved from Germany TO France, at which
TINE took np the working of military inStR-
ma; IL Paris there were many pcoplc doing il,
unI plenty Of facilities. there, being orders
und DECORATIONS to b" supplied there In
l."nty. When W" anne over here and saw that
10 hing Of the sort was being duIr. il was a
i"l! or me, At the time Of the civil war. for
Instance, 1t was almost impossible to get the
tllpgs made fa7; enough. and worked day and
ght organized a class Of women and
taught them at first TIVE simpler work. then
gradually tho NOR" intricate. until they became
h"rnmp!l.h"d From that class started all the
IEh-Erttr women military cmbrOidrrcrs that
hr"lnt IN" business now. They have gone out aud
ol"uct pA""- for themselves. or ar" doing the
work quietly at home, Just hv the piece, without
I.p. y ter al the original cas- remained
N!th m" until a few years ago. All were gentle
women. The best work OF this sort demands
y 1h", accurate touch and ready intelligence.
J h"n tn" worker must keep NJ with the de-
woes -h" works with and bo able 10 III each
On" 20 IN" rank it belongs to without instruc-
ion. According. rs she Is reliable in this. Is
Ter success, | have in my head now the III
sigma # every departmental and military de-
n.'" 7 present u" Ia this country. MY books
YOU'D show al III" various changes in insignia
tWl hay" occurred in United, states matters