The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-10
MILITARY EMBR0IDERIES.
ONE OF FEW woMAN's INDUSTRIES
WHERE DEMAND EXCEEDS
THE SUPPLY.

1t Is High Priced Home Work That
Insures Employment the Year
ArOund-SmaII Semi-Prlvate Facto-
ries That Pay-Every Bit of This
Kind of NeedIework Used to he
Imported, hut Since the Civil War
1t Has All Been Done In This COun-
try.
Embroidering shoulder knots, cap de-
vices, sleeve and belt symbols for the Of
ficers of every departmental and military
organization in the land has to be
wrought in gold and silver on the heavy
broadcloth. And women do this work
Even expert men needle workers never
attempt it, for it requires a dizziness and
delicacy of touch peculiarly feminine,
although it bears no slightest likeness to
the embroidery done on plant fabrics.
I'VE seek out good military embroider-
ers, they don't have to hunt for u.s."
said prominent outfitter. See this num-
Der 81 ON this shoulder knot The officer
is in the Fifth Artillery and is getting a
new uniform. Not many workers could
execute gold embroidery as smoothly as
this. 1t requires years of practice and
understanding 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 ordinary
steamship companies uniforms The lines
are scraggly and inferior compared with
he experts work. Yet woman able
10 direct work room of girls doing this
grade of insignia in our fac
DRY gets $50 week. Military
embroidery is done with the finest of gilt
or silver tubing on heavy stuff much
stiffened.
sometimes we have women amateurs
come here to get material to work in
sigma for their husbands and brothers
uniforms. They have been taught en-
)roidery; have done quite beautiful work,
hey say, and are confident that after
)racticing with the right materials. they
Will succeed in doing a device satisfac-
torily We give them the measurements,
proper materials, and some hints how TO
begin, and they so off, but Invariably re-
turn, 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, how
ever skilled she may be in tapestry, silk
or linen applique or even in doing beaded
work has ever to my notion made a de-
vice for soldiers coat or cap that was
1T TO look at"
She Talks of Her Business,
II have in my head now the insignia
of every military, naval and department.
al device used in the United States" said
a skilled embroiderer II must keep up
with such matters in order to be able to
fit each device to the rank it belongs To
without instruction. The cavalry the ar
tillery, the infantry, the engineers corps,
the staff of physicians, surgeons. commits
saries, all have different badges and be-
longings. My books would show all the
various changes in insignia that nave
occurred in governmental matters for the
last 40 years. 1 learned the work from
a regular French decoupeur, and started
in as a girl just when the Civil War
created a demand for such service. To
learn military embroidery is a likely pre-
fession 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-
duired before rewards begin. But once
mistress of the craft, one has good-pay-
each time an officer is promoted there
is a change of emblems. In peace times
the military companies want their uni
forms and equipments kept up. There are
dress parades. Decoration day. public
and ceremonial demonstrations, to keep
the insignia ball rolling. Then the mill
tary and naval academies now demand
superior equipment for their ranking Of
fcers In foreign countries the court and
contingent ceremonies make such call
for orders and decora tons. Paris has al
ways led in such matters, but the work
is much better paid for in this country,
and the orders have been lavish In late
years.
THE work is like bead work, and yet
it Is not" she adds, displaying the shout
der badge of a Third Cavalry officer with
the figure '3' built in, firm and solid on
the yellow groundwork You must take
I'D the tiny sections of tubing bit by bit
on the needle and sew it fast to the foun-
dation, but an accurate eye for proper
tons and a steady hand is needed TO
get the effect smooth and symmetrical.
once done wrong it can't be altered.
There are no flowing lines and fancy in
novations as in embroidery with silks or
creweI. Everything is exact, formal, dis
ciplined as in the military service"
Small Home Factories.
The women who do the high grade mill
itary embroidery are nearly all gentle
women who shrink from public notice.
They learned the work deliberately at the
hands of older experts and pursue 1t
quietly In home surroundings that bear
evidence of refinement, prosperity. Sell
dom does one operate alone. She trains
helpers to her own standard of expert
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