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Red WoolsBlue WoolsWhite and Yellow woolsGreen BroadclothsBrowns

Natural White to Bright Yellow woolNatural White - Excellent for smallclothes and coat facings. The Natural White Kersey matches original War of 1812 period US Army samples and also closely matched to British clothier patterns. Kersey was typically used for British other ranks vests and legwear during the 18th to early 19th century.

Pale Buff - special order broadcloth. A color match to 27th and 40th Regiment of Foot c.1768 facing cloth and a 27th Regiment of Foot c.1812 tailors pattern.

Buff - A color match to an original 1812 US Army Quartermaster samples of captured British buff broadcloth, and an original 1812 coat of the British 104th Regiment of Foot. Among the many uses are British or American facings and smallclothes. 53" wide.

Pale Yellow - From a circa 1811 British pattern for regimental facing cloth. Out of Stock - I don't know when more will be available.

Bright Yellow - A color match to the facing color for the 10th and 29th Foot. Out of Stock - I don't know when more will be available.

Deep Indigo BlueDeep Indigo Blue Formerly listed as Dark Blue or Federal Blue. The blue cloth ordered by the various State and Continental agents from French, Dutch, and Spanish sources varied in shade. Not all blue cloth used by the Continental Army was French Royal Blue, though that shade was specified by written contract for the lottery coats. This shade of blue was used on coats worn by Gansevoort, Tilghman, civilians, and perhaps by many Continental units with blue regimental coats that were not part of the French 1778 and later contracts. This matches cloth samples for the Federal period, US Army uniform coats and trousers of the period 1806-1840's, and Royal Artillery cloth samples of the early-mid 19th century. 50" wide

British Royal BlueBritish Royal Blue - This color is for Royal Artillery coats and facings of Royal Regiments of Foot of the late 18th century. This blue is darker than French Royal Blue but not as dark as Deep Indigo (Federal) Blue. The kersey is correct for use in British watch coats. Available in Broadcloth and Kersey.
French Royal BlueFrench Royal Blue - Matched to original c.1778 swatches of cloth for French-made Continental Army "lottery" coats and a surviving sleeve panel from a Continental Army uniform coat c.1782. Out of Stock - I don't know when more will be available.

Soldiers Provincial Green BroadclothGrass Green - This shade of green is a match to French-made patterns for the Continental Marines and Continental Light Dragoons, French dragoons and hussars, and an exact match to an original 18th C. German Jaegers coat, and the color of the Tarleton jacket. Many Provincial/Loyalist troops could use grass green, though the darker full green cloth may be preferable to some units. The grass green color also is a match to an 1812 cloth pattern for the US Army, a circa 1810 NY militia rifle coatee, and an 1832 US Marine Corps coat.

Gosling/Popinjay Green - The proper shade of green for facings of the 5th Foot and 54th Foot. Out of Stock - I don't know when more will be available.

Full Green - A darker shade of green broadcloth, but not as dark as bottle green. This may be the proper shade of green for some Provincial/Loyalist infantry coats. The color was taken from a pattern in a British military tailors notebook for the11th Regiment of Foot, c.1810.

Bottle Green - Taken from a pattern in a tailors notebook for a British rifle corps c.1800. The British rifle coats were made of broadcloth and their pantaloons and trousers were made of kersey. Available in broadcloth, 53" wide.

Mixed Gray and BlackMixed Gray - Prior to the 1740's Mixed Gray kersey was used for Royal Navy sailor jackets and breeches, and specified in all of the slop contracts that survive from the 1710-1730s, plus it was probably the most common color, followed by madder, for the English Civil War armies. Mixed Gray has a long tradition of usage, especially for the the dress of sailors, tradespeople, farmers, laborers, etc. This color was used by British naval and some Continental troops, such as the 3rd New York Reg't. This broadcloth has a different weave when compared to the other broadcloths listed here, but is an exact match of the weave of original mixed gray British Army pantaloons and other 18th C. civilian and military coatings of mixed gray. Available in 56" wide broadcloth, or 55" wide kersey.

Black - For use in regimental facings, spatterdashes/half-gaiters and civilian clothing. Available in broadcloth, 53" wide.

British Madder Red WoolMadder Red - Primarily intended for use on British regimentals. This shade of madder is the most common found on extant British military coats of the mid to late 18th C. This color is matched to three original British Army other ranks coats of the late 18th - early 19th C., and an original pattern swatch for British infantry coats, circa 1820, found in War Office records. Madder Red kerseys were used for Royal Navy slop jackets. Madder Red is available in Broadcloth. The kersey is out of stock.

Dark Madder Red - This shade of madder is also found on extant British military coats of the 18th and 19th C., but not as common seen as the Madder Red listed above. This broadcloth is also used by some recreated Rev War and 1812 British units that wish a madder on the dark end of the acceptable madder color range. The color is obtained from a receipt for madder red published in 1809. Out of Stock - I don't know when more will be available.

Serjeants Scarlet BroadclothMock Scarlet - This is slightly brighter than the bright madder red. Superb for 18th C. British Army serjeants, this is an exact match to a c.1800-1802 serjeant's jacket of a British volunteer corps, and a pattern dyed for a US Army War of 1812 contract.

Soldiers Dark Brown Broadcloth Brown - Matched to an original late 18th C. coating swatch in a French military clothier's book in the A.S.K. Brown Military Collection (Brown University, Providence R.I.) This is great for for French made Lottery coats or early war American bounty coats. The kersey is correct for F&I and Rev War slop/sailors jackets. Out of Stock - more should be available in Early Winter 2012.

Pale (Jersey) Drab - This is referred to as "cloth colored" in deserter, runaway, and other period clothing descriptions. Today you would call this color taupe or camel. This drab broadcloth is correct for F&I Provincials, early Rev War (such as the 3rd New Jersey), and working men's dress.

Medium (Avon) Drab - A darker shade of drab, Medium Drab kersey was used for British Marine and Royal Artillery great coats, and US Army watchcoats until 1816. Available in broadcloth and kersey - Only 1 yard available in Broadcloth $60

Red-Brown Drab - A color match of the 1775 Bounty Coat cloth from a swatch attached to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress Circular Letter.

NEW Quaker Drab - A common shade of drab for civilian and militia clothing

NEW Bearskin - used for cloaks, greatcoats, military watch coats. This is a heavy, twilled woolen cloth from hill breeds of sheep. The raised outer surface has a long, shaggy nap laid in the same direction, hence the name Bearskin. Available in Natural White and Quaker Drab. For a mens size 38 about 3 yards needed for watch coat, or 3 1/2 yards with a cape.

BayBay - 5 oz/sq yd. Commonly used for coat linings (body and skirt) in the British and German marching regiments until 1802. Bay is plain weave, with a worsted warp and woolen weft. Warp is the thread that runs the length of the fabric, weft runs between the selvedge edges. Bay does not have a nap, unlike Baize which is like a thick flannel. Bay and Baize are quite different fabrics, and unfortunately the similiar sounding names were often misspelt and incorrectly used in period texts.

Unlike broadcloth and kersey, where you can lay out your pattern at slight angles to the warp, with bay you should lay out your pattern along the straight of goods (ie the warp). This is because the weft is shorter and coarser fibers, and thus relatively weak as compared to the warp. When setting in pockets, be sure to line around the pocket opening with Osnaburg or similiar fabric. This was done on an early 19th C. British army militia/fencibles jacket we examined. This will help keep the bay from sagging or tearing.

Bay (52" wide) is now available in Natural White
(only a few yards available as of July 2012) for $38/yd and colors for $44/yd: Pale Buff, Buff, Gosling/Popinjay Green, and Mock Scarlet.

NEW Milled Bay - 8 oz/sq yd, 52" wide. Also known as Double Milled Bay or flannel. Similiar to regular Bay, but one side is milled to raise a nap. Commonly used for waistcoats and French underwear. Natural White. $42/yd

Serge woolSerge - 8 oz/sq yd, 0.03" thick, 60" wide, A lightweight worsted twill used for coat linings (body and skirt) for British Foot Guards, horse units, and NCO's. Serge was also used by the French and Continental Army regiments, and in British standing army regiments of foot after 1802 when it replaced bay. Natural White $48/yd Out of Stock - I don't know when more will be available, French Royal Blue and Mock Scarlet $52/yd.  

NEW Milled Serge - 10 oz/sq yd, 53" wide. Also known as Tricot, Double Milled Serge, or Heavy Serge. Similar to regular Serge, but one side is milled to raise a nap. This cloth was used by the French army for smallclothes, the smallcloths that accompanied Continental Army French-made Lottery coats, watch coat linings, sleeved waistcoats in 1812, etc. Available in Natural White $52/yd.

Officers Cloth  
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A Guide to Regimental Coat Cloth 1775-1783

Coat

Facing

Lining

British Reg't of Foot - Private or Corporal

Madder Red Broadcloth

Broadcloth - color per Royal Warrant (color varies by regiment)

White Bay, unless a Buff faced regiment

British Reg't of Foot - Serjeant

Mock Scarlet Broadcloth

Broadcloth - color per Royal Warrant (color varies by regiment)

White Serge, unless a Buff faced regiment

British Reg't of Foot - Officer

Scarlet Superfine Broadcloth

Superfine Broadcloth - color per Royal Warrant (color varies by regiment)

White Shalloon, unless a Buff faced regiment

British Reg't of Foot - Drums
Broadcloth of regimental facing color
Madder Red or Mock Scarlet Broadcloth for facings and smallclothes for red, buff, and white faced regiments.
Madder Red or Mock Scarlet Serge for those with red smallclothes, otherwise white serge except for Buff faced regiments.

British Light Dragoons
(16th & 17th)

Mock Scarlet Broadcloth

16th - Royal Blue Broadcloth
17th - White Broadcloth

16th - Royal Blue Serge
17th - White Serge

Royal Artillery
Royal Blue Broadcloth
Mock Scarlet Broadcloth
Mock Scarlet Serge

Guard Reg'ts
(1st, Coldstream, Scots)

Madder Red Broadcloth
Royal Blue Broadcloth
White Serge
British Marines
Madder Red Broadcloth
White Broadcloth
White Bay

 

Continental Army
Contract and French made coats for Soldiers
Broadcloth - color varies by regiment
Broadcloth - color varies by regiment
Serge - color varies by regiment
 
Prior to Seven Years War and up to 1768 Warrant
British Reg't of Foot - Private or Corporal
Madder Red Broadcloth coats and waistcoats.
Madder Red Kersey breeches. Bay lining that matched the facing color.
Undress jackets and frocks (new issued, not altered old clothing) of Madder Red Kersey.

Roy@Najecki.com
(before calling or emailing me, please read the FAQ or Ordering Information page
because most of the questions I get are answered on those pages)

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