The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-05-23
Embroideries for Militar,

Women, and only women, are en-
ployed in embroidering shoulder knots,
cap devices, sleeve and belt symbols
for the officers of every departmental
and military organization in the land.
Expert men needle workers never at
tempt it, for it requires dizziness and
delicacy of touch peculiarly feminine,
although it bears no slightest likeness
to the embroidery done on plant fab
RIGS. We seek out good military en-
broiderers; they don't have to hunt for
u.s." said a Washington outfitter. See
this number So on the shoulder knot?
The officer is in the Fifth artillery
and is getting new uniform. Not
many workers could execute gold en-
broidery as smoothly as this. 1t re-
quires years of practice and unGer
standing to handle such material The
experts make good inches and have
things their Npwn WY. They stay at
home and take orders. We are glad
to give them all the time and material
they wish to effect such results. Now,
I'll show you what we call stock work.
The eagles and emblems on some or
binary steamship company's uniforms.
The lines are scraggy and Inferior COM
pared with the experts work. Yet
woman able to direct workroom of
girls doing this grade of insignia in our
factory gets $50 week. Military en-
broidery is done with the finest of gilt
or silver tubing on heavy stuff much
stiffened
Sometimes women amateurs come
here to get material to work insignia
for their husbands and brothers. uni
forms. They have been taught en-
broidery; have done quite beautiful
work, they say and are confident that,
after practicing with the right material
they will succeed in doing device sat
isfactorily. We give them the meas
urements, proper materials, and some
hints how to begin, and they go off,
but invariably return, saying they
can't make the figures look right. Then
we take the materials they bought and
have the markings done in shape. No
amateur embroiderer, however skilled
she may be in tapestry, silk or linen
applique, or even in doing beaded
work, has ever, to my notion, made
a device for soldiers coat or cap that
was fit to look at. have in my head
now the, insignia of every military,
| naval and departmental device used in
the United States said an embroider-
er. Il must keep up with such matters
in order to be able to fit each device to
the rank it belongs to without in
strustion. The cavalry, the artillery,
the infantry, the engineers corps, the
| staff OF physicians, surgeons, commits
s2ries, all have different badges and be-
longings. My books would show all
The various changes in insignia that
nave occurred in governmental mat
tiers for the last forty years. 1 learned
the work from regular French de-
copper, and started in as girl lust
when the civil war created a demand
| for such service. To learn military EN-.
broidery is likely profession for any
| young girl. Two of my best assistants
began with me as errand girls when
| barely IA years old. 1t is not work
! that affords remuneration from the
start Persistent apprenticeship is re-
| luired before rewards begin. But once
mistress of the craft, one has good
paying, interesting work for a life
| time. Each time an officer is promot-
ed there is a change in emblems In
eeace times the military companies
want their uniforms and equipments
kept up. There are dress parades,
Decoration day, public and ceremonial
demonstrations, to keep the insignia
ball rolling. Then the military and
naval academies now demand superior
equipment for their ranking officers In
foreign countries the court and con-
] tingent ceremonies make much call for
| orders and decorations. Paris has al
| ways led in such matters, but the
work is much better paid for in this
country, and the orders have been Law
ish Of late years. The work Is like
beadwork, and yet 1t is not. You
must take up the tiny sections OF tub