Help making Homespun Kepi's more Authentic

[SethJ]

I've recently got into the idea of making Homespun style Kepi's and forage caps. Possibly for selling, but more likely as gifts.
However, would I want to sell, I would want the most accurate looking as far as design goes.

In the pictures attached, I show my first "finished" Kepi.
I myself can point out a few major problems, such as the disk in the top being a bit too big, causing a tad bit of folding. The brim would need to be made of either a single piece of leather, or oilcloth around some posterboard.

The pattern that I am basing it off of is the Dieselpunkro. pattern, which was designed for leather, but I have modified if a bit for not only the size of my massive head, but also for a better design using fabric instead of leather.

If one has any more recommendations for what I can do to fix any problems with its design, or if you have any other pattern suggestions, it would be much appreciated.

Thank you,
Seth

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Welcome to the forum @SethJ. Have you had the opportunity to examine any original Civil War caps? Greg Starbuck is well known for his historically accurate caps. Perhaps it might be worthwhile to buy one of his caps, study it and then reverse engineer it. You can purchase historically accurate material from such vendors as Wambaugh & White. I'm attaching a photo of one of Greg's latest projects.

 

[scooter748driver]

Welcome from the Fort Sumter and the Fredericksburg forums.

 

[SethJ]

Welcome to the forum @SethJ. Have you had the opportunity to examine any original Civil War caps? Greg Starbuck is well known for his historically accurate caps. Perhaps it might be worthwhile to buy one of his caps, study it and then reverse engineer it. You can purchase historically accurate material from such vendors as Wambaugh & White. I'm attaching a photo of one of Greg's latest projects.

View attachment 487693

I have never handled or seen any original caps in person. And, I have no other caps minus my Kepi given to me by a former reenactor.
Greg Starbuck is a name I've seen around reenactor forums, as well as online secondhand reenactor gear sellers. I'm in need of a more accurate cap, and so buying one would more than likely be worthwhile as you said.
If you can give me any sources of where to purchase any of his caps, I would be greatly appreciative (Being new to the community as a whole, I'm still unsure of many of the proper places to purchase good equipment online).
Thank you,
Seth

 

[RedRover]

Fred Adolphus has posted to his website an awesome four part study of Confederate army caps:

Adolphus Confederate Caps..Part 1.

As regards your assembly,
I would recommend first whipping the cloth of the crown/top to the pasteboard circle (all round), so there is no crease or looseness as shown. Then sew the side pieces to it. That would likely prevent the creasing shown...

Here's the pattern of the US Marine Corps forage cap from 1859 that you can print off, resize, or compare to your own pattern.

Here's a wartime USMC cap:

The visors of the crudest CSA caps were either black leather, or something like your attempt, of painted cotton. The simplest are the plain leather visors, with no binding... like this one:

Ben Tart sells an unfinished leather kepi visor:
Ben Tart, kepi visor leather...

Mr. Tart is also a good source for CSA repro. woolen jeans, etc. for cap bodies. Also goods for linings if wanted.
To dye black, I recomend putting some rusty iron in a jar of vinegar for a bit. The resulting "iron dye" won't dye your hands like the wierd modern leather dyes.

iron dye leather easy... youtube


To avoid dealing with leather, the painted cotton visors were paper pasteboard, sandwiched between two layers of painted thin cotton, and bound together with either some black cotton tape (Anderson Orphan brigade cap), or a strip of painted cotton, etc. The binding was sewn with a typical leather stitch (two needles)....

leather saddle stitch... youtube

If you don't want to buy some pasteboard, you can make your own with light paper, gluing/laminating a few layers together (cerial boxes, etc.).

You can also use the same black painted cotton used for the composite visor to cut the sweatband for the inside, and the crude, non-adjustable chin strap...



Here's a Confederate army cap of the lower crowned type at the Smithsonian.

There's a diagram of parts/assembly of a "Richmond" Confederate army cap in the book "Confederate Sketchbook" by Michael R. Thomas. A very interesting little book. Copies can be found online.

Here's Adolphus's Part II on CSA caps, regarding the Richmond caps...
Adolphus CSA caps, Pt. II, Richmond

His measurements on the pasteboard visor on his example is relatively small. Your visor, as made, is too long.

 

[SethJ]

Fred Adolphus has posted to his website an awesome four part study of Confederate army caps:

Adolphus Confederate Caps..Part 1.

As regards your assembly,
I would recommend first whipping the cloth of the crown/top to the pasteboard circle (all round), so there is no crease or looseness as shown. Then sew the side pieces to it. That would likely prevent the creasing shown...

View attachment 487689

Here's the pattern of the US Marine Corps forage cap from 1859 that you can print off, resize, or compare to your own pattern.
View attachment 487691

View attachment 487694

Here's a wartime USMC cap:
View attachment 487697


The visors of the crudest CSA caps were either black leather, or something like your attempt, of painted cotton. The simplest are the plain leather visors, with no binding... like this one:

View attachment 487695

Ben Tart sells an unfinished leather kepi visor:
Ben Tart, kepi visor leather...

Mr. Tart is also a good source for CSA repro. woolen jeans, etc. for cap bodies. Also goods for linings if wanted.
To dye black, I recomend putting some rusty iron in a jar of vinegar for a bit. The resulting "iron dye" won't dye your hands like the wierd modern leather dyes.

iron dye leather easy... youtube


To avoid dealing with leather, the painted cotton visors were paper pasteboard, sandwiched between two layers of painted thin cotton, and bound together with either some black cotton tape (Anderson Orphan brigade cap), or a strip of painted cotton, etc. The binding was sewn with a typical leather stitch (two needles)....
View attachment 487696

leather saddle stitch... youtube

If you don't want to buy some pasteboard, you can make your own with light paper, gluing/laminating a few layers together (cerial boxes, etc.).

You can also use the same black painted cotton used for the composite visor to cut the sweatband for the inside, and the crude, non-adjustable chin strap...



Here's a Confederate army cap of the lower crowned type at the Smithsonian.
View attachment 487690

There's a diagram of parts/assembly of a "Richmond" Confederate army cap in the book "Confederate Sketchbook" by Michael R. Thomas. A very interesting little book. Copies can be found online.

Here's Adolphus's Part II on CSA caps, regarding the Richmond caps...
Adolphus CSA caps, Pt. II, Richmond

His measurements on the pasteboard visor on his example is relatively small. Your visor, as made, is too long.

Wow, this is a lot of helpful information. Thanks!
I've got plenty of "test" fabric, so I'll make another, and get it posted here once I get it done.
I will most definitely look into that book, and do some research on those websites.
Once again, thank you for all this.
Seth

 

[captaindrew]

I have never handled or seen any original caps in person. And, I have no other caps minus my Kepi given to me by a former reenactor.
Greg Starbuck is a name I've seen around reenactor forums, as well as online secondhand reenactor gear sellers. I'm in need of a more accurate cap, and so buying one would more than likely be worthwhile as you said.
If you can give me any sources of where to purchase any of his caps, I would be greatly appreciative (Being new to the community as a whole, I'm still unsure of many of the proper places to purchase good equipment online).
Thank you,
Seth

You can find Greg Starbuck at Kepi Nation on Facebook and browse his work there. He is the best in the business as far as caps go. S&S in Gettysburg also has a few of his caps in stock at times.

 

[captaindrew]

Oh and welcome to the forum. The body of your cap by the way doesn't look too bad but your visor definitely needs a lot of work to get to the real thing.

 

[RedRover]

Wow, this is a lot of helpful information. Thanks!
I've got plenty of "test" fabric, so I'll make another, and get it posted here once I get it done.
I will most definitely look into that book, and do some research on those websites.
Once again, thank you for all this.
Seth

I might have mentioned, a friend of mine who made several for his reenactment club, also recommended after making up some pasteboard circles for the crown reinforcement (which he laminated out of perhaps 4 or five layers of cereal box paper until it was relatively stiff; this he glued and compressed with weights), he painted or varnished the pasteboard all round, to slightly waterproof it... lest it easily soak and buckle, etc.

 

[Rhea Cole]

You could follow the example of Moggy in Blazing Saddles & light a cigar in the fire with your hat on.

 

[SethJ]

Oh and welcome to the forum. The body of your cap by the way doesn't look too bad but your visor definitely needs a lot of work to get to the real thing.

Ah, Thank you. To be completely honest, the Visor was a substitute for what I planned to do should I get the body of one correct. Something close to the leather slab brim mentioned by @RedRover.

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy

 

[SethJ]

Take Two of the Confederate Kepi...
Corrected:
Top of the kepi has a more authentic look to it, in my opinion.
The chin strap which was stolen from my dixieGW Kepi, and makes it look more authentic... in my opinion.
The lining is an improvement overall.

Things still to fix (I think):
Seams were broken because the "test fabric" I was using, is not of very high quality, so I'll need to be sure next time it's not falling apart.
Lack of sweat band, but once I find material (and my needle, which I seem to have misplaced ) I'll be able to include that.
Some of the stitching is lacking in my opinion, so I'll need to spend more time on that.
And another Janky brim. Too long, and inaccurate as can be. I'll get some leather to do that here in the future...

Once again, any recommendations on structure, best lining (I've seen a lot of them), or anything else would be appreciated.
Thanks again,
-Seth

 

[SethJ]

Take three!
I have sense created another one... Better brim, better construction, and better lining material.

Once again made out of the wrong material, but its grey so it'll do.

The brim is made from the same material over stiffened paper, painted black and bound amateurly.

The chin strap is same as the last, nothing new there.

The lining is made of red felt, with faux leather for the top... The faux leather was honestly just scrap material i needed to use.

I actually made this a while ago, but spaced that this thread was here.
Kepi completed, and I have a few more on the way, that are currently in progress.

Still breathing,
-Seth

 

[Dan Kohli]

I forgot if you mentioned that you found reproduction fabrics, but here's a seller of some.

Fabrics and Supplies

Wambaugh, White & Company produces high-quality, museum-grade reproduction Civil War uniforms and clothing.

wwandcompany.com

 

[captaindrew]

They are getting better, keep at it. Like anything else, it's takes some practice and keep doing all the research and study originals as much as you can.

 

[SethJ]

Take Four (and five)

All test materials.
Kinda new construction.
Product.

Same material as most of the last ones. Red cotton Flannel band. sewn onto the base. Visor made with carboard covered in material. Yellow braid added because I can. More or less, an attempt to get the body to attach to the top better.


(And, another one I made... Didn't like the size, didn't like the fact I couldn't wear it, didn't like the seams not lining up... But, it was made, so. Yeah.)

 

[Dan Kohli]

To be honest, I am finding the use of the fabric from the body of the one kepi for the visor a little hard to get past. If I remember correctly some Confederate caps did have painted cloth for the caps. It does seem like your craftsmanship is improving.

 

[SethJ]

To be honest, I am finding the use of the fabric from the body of the one kepi for the visor a little hard to get past. If I remember correctly some Confederate caps did have painted cloth for the caps. It does seem like your craftsmanship is improving.

Thank you. Honestly, the fact that I don't want to spend the money on leather when I'm still practicing is the reason I keep using fabric. I recently did a shopping spree of more test material, which did include canvas. From now on, I hope to use that for the visors, chin straps, etc.

 

[SethJ]

Take six!

Newest design with a revised pattern and construction method. designed to look like a confederate Cavalry Kepi.
(Fits very high on the head unlike my other designs... This guy probably understands.)

The body and band are made of Cotton flannel. The band is machine sewn with no pasteboard stiffener. Instead, layers of muslin were added to give it a little more stiffness, without the constriction I felt with the pasteboard.

The original use of pasteboard was inspired by the kepi I had, which had some thick stiffener in it. I wrongly assumed that is how originals were designed. However, looking at original photos, you see that they mostly are flexible, and bendable.

Images from Adolphus Confederate Uniforms


The new design uses more machine stitching which number 1. makes it easier for me to complete caps faster, but also number 2. allows for more firm construction. I lucked out while making this one, and sewing the front and back first didn't mess up the crown.

The brim is made from leather painted black; whip stitched onto the front. The nonfunctional chin strap is made of a faux leather but serves the purpose. The buttons are wooden which I picked up from my local Joann's. It's what I had, so I used it.

The lining is put together with cotton muslin, with a faux leather sweatband. Both are whipstitched to the body, and when wearing it, you'd never know.

Altogether, best one by far. I would like to thank the owner of the "Caps and Kepi's" facebook page for helping with tools, tips, and pattern revision. I might make a couple smaller changes so I can do higher kepi's, or different band designs.

If I manage to get my pattern down, I will make sure to share it if anybody is even interested.


Sewing machines are wonderful,
-Seth