Dracul
Master sergeant
Posts: 1,341
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Post by Dracul on Jul 30, 2014 8:17:59 GMT -5
Hello,
I'm a bit of a tailor and been sewing up and creating stuff for awhile now and I've been wondering if there is any resource for the patterns used to make repro uniforms? I know some places to get cheap fabric material (thank you warehouse bulk fabric places), German hardware might be a problem, but I think uniforms can end up being cheaper if I make them myself.
Preferably free, but I'm interested if any sewing patterns for either Germans or US even exist.
I don't think I'm going to be interested in setting up a Tailor Service at all. As even modern day BDU style blouses take rather long to make and that might jack up the price higher than Repro ones out there.
Thank you!
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Jul 30, 2014 9:36:15 GMT -5
Obviously the best approach is use actual originals as patterns or well made reproductions but by the time you acquire an assortment of sizes you be looking at a huge investment. Eye balling them and creatively re engineering them would needless to say be challenging.
Competing with Asian labor costs would be challenging but for personal or local group use it might make sense although unless you're willing to swallow the labor cost of the effort it probably wouldn't make economical sense.
I thought the German smocks might be relatively easy but upon further study realized even they have fairly intricate sewing needs and materials costs.
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Dracul
Master sergeant
Posts: 1,341
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Post by Dracul on Jul 30, 2014 9:47:03 GMT -5
Yes, but I know places like Joann's fabric sell garment patterns. Or hopefully, some one created printed out or PDFs patterns based off the originals.
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Post by ssgjoe on Jul 30, 2014 10:43:26 GMT -5
You can get German uniform buttons on eBay I believe.
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Post by LϟϟAH1944 on Jul 30, 2014 11:33:00 GMT -5
You wont find any free ones. best way to go is to get yourself a hiki-shop tunic and cut it apart
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Jul 30, 2014 13:05:19 GMT -5
This really only makes sense if you plan on making quite a few of them. I have to believe a German wool tunic is a pretty labor intense proposition. Having said all that it would be exciting to see you take the project on.
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Dracul
Master sergeant
Posts: 1,341
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Post by Dracul on Jul 30, 2014 13:42:14 GMT -5
Well, the idea is use a pattern without tearing up completed and new items. However though, I might try to find, perhaps a rather used repro items.
Again, I can't see myself making a line of them (which would justify buying a full new one, just to disassemble). Only maybe like one or two for myself, close friends and such, or perhaps loaner gear. I'd like to say I'm good at sewing, but I know my stuff won't come close to Stich Knot-see standards, but probably at least pass the 10 foot rule.
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Post by insterburger on Jul 30, 2014 20:19:52 GMT -5
Dracul, for what you're trying to accomplish you're probably best off just using your knowledge of sewing and garments and eyeballing it. Another idea might be to pull apart something similar, not identical, but considerably cheaper-- such as a late-issue East German tunic-- and extrapolate from there incorporating the differences. I would think that by making a few changes to make your garments closer to the WWII ones, such as continuous sleeve pieces instead of the piped cuffs found on DDR ones, you could do very well developing a pattern from something like that without destroying anything very expensive. Even for just one or two finished garments that might pay off.
Good luck with your project!
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Post by cblackthorne on Jul 31, 2014 8:08:12 GMT -5
Dracul, Like you I have some talent at sewing and contemplated sewing my own uniforms from scratch when I started re-enacting years ago. After looking into it and researching the possibilities I decided the ROI wasn't there. The cost for decent uniforms from ATF and Hessen was about what the wool cloth was going to cost me alone. The only way to cut that cost down was to order in bulk and I mean ALOT of bulk. As others have suggested, I recommend finding non-German uniforms and modifying them. Our unit just purchased a dozen uniforms from a film company after they finished a WWII movie. The uniforms they were using for SS soldiers were Swiss. We paid about $10 a uniform and I have been in the process of modifying them into something more realistic. Our unit likes to loan uniforms to new members that do not have their own yet, so we thought this would be a good option for us. So far I have found that you can modify the tunics into a decent M40, M42, m43, and event an M44. One tunic takes about 1-2 hours to modify. Another area you can use your sewing skills if taking a used Zeltbahn and making a tunic out of it. Because these were often done in the field by hand, it would be a realistic option for you to try out and they look really good. Hope this helps. Regards, Chris
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Dracul
Master sergeant
Posts: 1,341
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Post by Dracul on Jul 31, 2014 8:42:10 GMT -5
Insterburger: That might just work. To come to think of it, I think I might have modern stuff that are "similar", of course modding to the pattern will have to be done.
cblackthorne: That is not necessarily true. I got some buddies in Cali who go to LA's Fashion District often, and they have every type of fabric and color there for cheeeeaaaapp. I believe NYC also has an area like that as well. Also, ATF sells the HBT stuff for $14/y and Hessen Antiques sell the OD and Tan DAK fabric for the same price.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Jul 31, 2014 10:54:50 GMT -5
Cb. Your approach to promoting this hobby sounds similar to mine. I too have accumulated a "costume shop"" of pseudo impressions which serve as rental / loaner gear. Many of my US airborne M42s are bush jackets and cargo pants bought cheap at thrift shops which I then sew appropriate looking pockets onto. When you add a division patch, PFC stripes and overspray with some OD paint they look pretty passable under web gear. The same it would seem could be done with German stuff (I would think)
The cost of uniforms has come down so much however that currently my efforts no longer make much sense vs finding used, decent stuff.
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Post by insterburger on Jul 31, 2014 11:26:23 GMT -5
Agreed, 2nd Bat. As repros come down, the stuff that passes for German is going up: Chris got a tremendous deal on the Swiss tunics at $10 apiece, they have largely dried up and tend to be going for prices these days that don't make sense in relation to the cheaper repros. There are still deals to be had, though, through patience and perseverence, or just plain old good luck. But it's becoming less and less cost effective as a rule.
Of the many loaner kits I have, only one isn't a real repro-- an East German tunic with the piping removed and WWII insignia applied. If you look at the pics from our last event it can be easily detected, but it hardly draws attention to itself. We had a good discussion after the event about authenticity standards and how they fit into this game, and the upshot was that since BF re-enactors don't have any real tactical considerations to pay attention to, they can afford to worry about little things like the wrong cut on a tunic or the wrong color paint on a mess kit. But when you're actively involved with trying to not get hit by projectiles, minute details of kit kind of disappear into the blur of (simulated) combat. During actual fighting, all I really see is uniform color and helmet shape, and what kind of weapon is being carried, because that's all that really matters.
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Post by cblackthorne on Jul 31, 2014 13:02:32 GMT -5
Cb. Your approach to promoting this hobby sounds similar to mine. 2nd Bat,
When our unit started discussing branching out into airsoft we decided we would be re-enactors first and airsofters second. After all, we have been doing re-enacting a lot longer then airsoft. We are re-enactors that just happen to own an airsoft weapon.
So, we treat new guys we acquire from airsoft the same way we treat new guys we find in re-enacting circles. Get them interested, help them get started, make sure they are enjoying the hobby, and keep things as authentic looking as possible.
Regards, Chris
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Post by LϟϟAH1944 on Jul 31, 2014 18:49:01 GMT -5
However, HBT fabric from ATF runs $15 a yard. You need 2 yards for a tunic, which is $30. Then you need buttons, etc. You can get HBT tunics from hikishop for $30. Thus, its more worth just getting cheapo tunics from hikishop.
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Dracul
Master sergeant
Posts: 1,341
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Post by Dracul on Jul 31, 2014 19:36:22 GMT -5
I see what you mean, but I will still be keeping my eye out for uniform wool when I'm eventually up at the Garment District in NYC. Maybe I'll get lucky, haha.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Aug 16, 2014 19:18:24 GMT -5
Even items seemingly as simple as helmet covers require fairly labor intense effort to produce decent results. When compared with the occassional deal on repos that come up and what you can snap used items for, making themselves simply doesn't make sense unless its something you truly enjoy doing.
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Post by shiftsup on Aug 17, 2014 13:55:31 GMT -5
I think if it is something you enjoy doing it's probably worth it. Have you considered picking up a surplus splinter swiss zelt or post war telo mimetico (probably have to dye that first though) and making a field made uniform. Quite a few of those were somewhat crude in design; especially the ones made for general labour duties as opposed to operations.
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Post by ssgjoe on Aug 20, 2014 10:50:45 GMT -5
The problem with hiki HBT uniforms is the cost of the shipping. Yes, they cost $40, but the shipping is like $20-$30 lol
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Post by ssgjoe on Aug 20, 2014 10:52:10 GMT -5
But I've heard about and seen pictures of German soldiers using modified or in midfield foreign uniforms, I think they are Austrian but I can't remember off the top of my head.
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