Do we have a good uniform restoration place in the States?

[toshik]

I recently acquired a few M1902 dress uniforms with the common problem they have - deteriorated silk branch of service trim on the collar.

Even though the restoration task seems to be fairly simple: disassemble the collar, remove the inner stitching of the golden ribbons around the bad trim, insert a new silk, machine-stitch the inner edges of the ribbons and then manually stitch the collar back together.

Sounds quite simple with unpredictable results!

So do we have places in the country which can professionally do this job? I'd refrain from the local repair places, will need someone who works with the uniforms.

I can have it done nicely overseas, but would love to keep the jobs here in the States. Plus the shipping would be quite high.

[Bob Hudson]

Check local live theatre organizations and find out who does their costuming: you want a skilled seamstress/tailor who has experience with re-working existing items.

[Dave]

Kind of like Bob said...you need to find that little old lady in tennis shoes who has been a professional seamstress/tailor for decades. I knew one like this who had been a former tailor at the Pentagon (she told me Colin Powell would request her by name to alter his uniforms...) and she could do literally just about anything with a needle and thread. Given that she worked out of her basement (her tailoring contract was terminated by a lower bidder and she decided to retire...) her prices were very, very reasonable. I think she's fully retired now; she was contemplating it when I last visited her close to ten years ago for my uniforms...

[toshik]

Thank you!

Shipping within the Conus is absolutely no problem as long as there is a reputable person.

Most of our Grandmothers would have done this easily but those skills are long gone.

[GIl Sanow]

I would check with the conservator at your local historical society. See who does their work, if they are satisfied with it, etc. I would do the same with finding a reliable dry cleaner for historic items.

 

Good luck.

 

G

[tw5270]

Check around Tampa. With SOCOM being based in the area you should be able to find a shop that works on all the officers uniforms.

[toshik]

I am in Jacksonville area. Dry cleaner was already found some time ago.

[tw5270]

Sewing shops around military bases are a little better than the average dry cleaner. I know a seamstress in Washington NC who could do it but she is not working right now due to cancer treatments.

[jgawne]

If you want it done right, you really need to check with a textile conservator. Otherwise you may find that the material they use creates more problems in the future. But this can be expensive. I know a top notch person. if you want a referral drop me a line.

[toshik]

Did everything overseas - came out extremely nice, however took a while! The collar was completely disassembled, restored and then assembled back together.