Actual Scrap..or Superfake Technique?

[Richard P]

The Collector's Guild HG wrap was seen by 9 WAF members last weekend, some spent several hours looking it over. The main reaction was most could not believe there are those on the WAF that think it is a fake. None present thought so.

One spent quite some time with it "hands on" going over every inch. He had an interesting observation that went right past me. I had seen it, but it just didn't register.

It concerns the arm pit trim that is usually one long thin piece of either the major lining material..or a heavier material. In this wrap it was the same rayon as the bulk of the lining. What this sharp eyed individual noticed was that one armpit was trimmed with a piece made from 2 pieces of scrap rayon...while the other was made with 3 pieces.

All were joined with the "hidden stitch" method, which means they were sewn together from the backside, and then reversed showing only a fine line. On the arm pit with 3 pieces one joint is at a 90, and the other at a 45 degree angle, most likely to accommodate the shape of the scrap pieces.

Very time consuming.

Was it the work of super fakers? Can't wait to hear the theories on this one. Finished by elves in a sausage factory for souvenir hungry GI's?

Possibly the work of material shortage pressed Germans making use of every scrap piece they had?

You decide...

Richard

[Richard P]

PHOTO 1. Just so you know it is the same wrap I included the tab and collar piping. You can see the hidden seam at about the 8 0'clock position. You can see the overlap seam where the ends are joined at the 3 O'clock position.

PHOTO 2. Close up of a hidden seam at a 45 degree angle to accommodate the scrap shape.

[Richard P]

PHOTO 1. Close up of both hidden seams, and the overlap joint just to the left of the bottom scrap seam.

PHOTO 2. Looks like there might be some scrap use in this SS wraps armpit trim. Kind of hard to tell...but it is definitely something I haven't seen often anywhere.

Richard

[Johnny R]

We know that they were thrifty with scraps and see it with shoulder boards etc.

I personally have no interest in LW items or expertise but for period tunics and clothing in general, seeing the hidden stitch for a lining area that would start out as a thin strip of cloth would not induce me to see sausage making elves. I would look at the rest of it for other flags. They way it is stitched for the arm pit area is about the only way it would not rub and come apart. None of this means it is real but IMO it is not something that is impossible to have been done in a factory.

[PANZERPIONIERE]

What a great observation!

[vbergman1]

The "arm pit trim" has a proper technical name: sleeve binding. It's a common sewing term for the piece.

I have seem quite a few sleeve bindings on unquestioned originals done this way. This method is used to make better use of fabric. Fabric comes in different widths, and because the cutting layout is different for each size of tunic, sometimes this relatively long strip of fabric is "pieced" so that the layout can be more efficient.

Sleeve bindings are typically cut on the bias, but not always. I've seen some of each on original tunics. The sleeve binding in the photos appears to be cut on the bias, more or less, and this explains why the seam is angled rather than perpendicular to the edge of the armhole.

A basic understanding of textiles and sewing techniques can go a long way in this hobby, and I strongly recommend spending a little time on the web learning the basics.