Puttees

Once my puttees were broken down I decided to do a bit more in-depth research on them. I haven't really done this before now because I had seen them in all the pictures and research of WW1 army uniforms and until this point they had given me all the research I needed. However I wanted to search how to wrap them and if there was anything unique in how they were attached or finished.

My research into the puttees led me to the website of the Imperial War Museum where I was very lucky to find these images, which are an excellent source of research.

Imperial War Museum. Puttees: M1912, Dutch O/Rs. (1912). [Online Image]. Available from: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30100780. [Accessed 23 November 2011]  Catalogue Number: UNI 12853.

Imperial War Museum. Puttees, Khaki, Other Ranks (British). (n.d.). [Online Image]. Available from: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30100384. [Accessed 23 November 2011] Catalogue Number: UNI 12583.

Imperial War Museum. Puttees (long), O/Rs. (n.d.). [Online Image]. Available from: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30100757. [Accessed 23 November 2011] Catalogue Number: UNI 12827.

These three images gave me a much better understanding of puttees and how they were made. I hadn't realized how the cotton tape was attached and these three images were very useful in finishing off my puttees to a historically accurate level. 

Folded in edge and unfinished edge 

Slipping in the cotton tape then folding it over and stitching over top

Two finished under-sides

Two finished on the right sides

Finished puttees with name tags

Creating the ends of the puttees was very easy. Since I didn't have instructions I looked at the images from the Imperial War Museum and made up my own process of making them look like they did then. First I created a triangle by folding in both ends then top-stitched close to the edge around the point. Then I laid the  cotton tape right side up so the end tucked under the folded corners of the puttee fabric. Then without pulling the end out folded up the cotton tape so it hid the two edges of the folded in puttee fabric. Then tacked down the cotton tape in a rectangle around the edges so I would have a guide when I machined from the right side. Then machine stitched the box with the X. And to finish I stitched a straight line completing the triangle and catching the puttee fabric and the cotton tape.

Evaluation: I think this finishing really adds to the look of the puttees as an historical replication. Finding the images from the Imperial War Museum gave me the information I needed to finish them professionally. And I feel now that they will be easier to wear for my actor and function more like they did for the real Soldiers of WW1.