Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-05-18
EmbroiderIe. for Military.

Women, and only women, are en-
ployed in embroidering shoulder knots,
cap devices, sleeve and belt symb ols
for the officers of every departmental
and military organization in the land.
Expert men needle workers never at
tempt it, for it requires a deftness 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 Washington outfitter. "See
this number % on the shoulder knot?
The officer is in the Fifth artillery
and is getting a new uniform Not
many workers could execute gold en-
broidery as smoothly as this. 1t re-
quires years of practice and under
standing to handle such material. The
experts make good incomes and have
things their own way. 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 "a workroom of
girls doing this grade of insignia in our
factory gets $40 a 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 a device eat
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
applique, or even in doing beaded
work, has ever, to my notion, made
device for a 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-
in order to be able to fit each device to
the rank it belongs to without in
struction. The cavalry, the artillery,
the infantry, the engineers corps. the
star of physicians, surgeons, commits
saries, all have different badges and be-
longings. My books would show all
the various changes in insignia that
have occurred in governmental mat
tiers for the last forty years. learned
the work from regular French de-
copper, and started in as a girl just
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-
quired 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 q change in emblems In
peace times the military companies