Considerations of materials for Troop neckerchief

[Deaf Scouter]

We're doing our own Troop neckerchiefs and painting them using the freezer paper stencil method so the youth leaders can feel proud in having made their own. What things should one consider in making a final decision on which material to use for neckerchiefs? Below are some of the things I'm having to think about with mine:

 

65% polyster/35% cotton (thinner & lighter) versus 100 % cotton (heavier and shrinks on first washing)

 

Solid color versus a slightly marbled texture (I'm trying to match the Troop color of light grey (light ash) of our Troop Class B.)

 

Which kind of material used? I've been looking in the quilting section for the solid background material and grey offers only one choice unlike the other colors: dark grey... *sighs

 

If I pre-buy how much should one consider so that it stays around for a while like 5-6 years?

 

Anyone buy material online rather than the old tried and true place, Joanna's Fabrics?

 

Anything else I MUST know before taking the leap to buy??

 

 

 

[Eagle92]

I've seen and read all kinda of things.

 

I have in my collection neckers that a local seamstress makes using standard poly-cotten cloth.

 

I have neckers that parents make.

 

I have neckers that use 2 different colored sections, i.e. 1/2 red 1/2 white; 1/2 blue and 1/2 green, etc.

 

And I have 1 that is 3 colored sections,i.e. red, green and yellow.

 

I've read about units using military triangle bandages, checkered table clothes, etc as neckers

 

Here is what I would look for.

 

Bright color that can easily ID members from a distance, and useful in the outdoors for signaling.

 

Large enough, the two short sides need to be at least 36" and preferably 40" long, to be useful for First Aid and other stuff.

 

Absorbant for sweat, water, etc.

 

Easily cleanable.

 

Most of my scout neckers are poly-cotten or cotten.

 

But I also do dancing with the OA, and those are silk a or imitation silk. Wouldn't use those materials though for a scout necker.

 

 

Some links on neckers.

 

http://www.3gp.org.uk/101neck/101neck.htm

 

http://pinetreeweb.com/neckerchief.htm

 

http://www.kentscoutsupportteam.org.uk/sgallery-county_patrol-our_67_uses_of_a_neckerchief.html

 

[Stosh]

65% polyster/35% cotton (thinner & lighter) versus 100 % cotton (heavier and shrinks on first washing)

 

Cotton would be more appropriate for practical usage. It absorbs more than the poly. If used as towel/sweatband, go with cotton. For spit/polish look go with poly, it doesn't wrinkle as bad and is more durable.

 

Solid color versus a slightly marbled texture (I'm trying to match the Troop color of light grey (light ash) of our Troop Class B.)

 

Solid colors show dirt more. Dark solids will fade over the years and won't match new neckers that haven't been out and about.

 

Which kind of material used? I've been looking in the quilting section for the solid background material and grey offers only one choice unlike the other colors: dark grey... *sighs

 

If I pre-buy how much should one consider so that it stays around for a while like 5-6 years?

 

Depends on how well you want to try and match dye lots. Buy large qty now because 4 years down the road you might not be able to match the color.

 

Anyone buy material online rather than the old tried and true place, Joanna's Fabrics?

 

Wait for a neutral color of your choice goes on sale and buy a whole bolt.

 

Anything else I MUST know before taking the leap to buy??

 

Who's going to cut and hem all those neckers? Been there done that and it's a real pain.

 

Stosh

[kari_cardi]

Deaf Scouter, what is your budget?

 

This fabric is high quality, high thread count, consistent color across dye lots and available through many retail outlets, online and brick and mortar. If not on the shelf you can probably special order it. I think it would probably work well for you.

http://www.fabricdepot.com/index.php?page=ProductPage&pageid=2420 This is a good price at $5.60/yard.

 

JoAnn Fabric has a solid gray broadcloth that would probably work. It isn't as nice and the manufacturing standards aren't as consistent. It's cheaper though, only $4.25/yard or $85/20 yard bolt.

http://www.joann.com/100-cotton-broadcloth-solids-20yd-bolts/prd14825/

 

You will need a yard per necker for a 36x42 inch rectangle, so the cost per yard is your cost per necker.

 

If you have the services of an experienced seamstress who has a serger, cutting the neckers with a rotary cutter and hemming with a rolled edge is pretty fast. Cutting them with scissors and pressing the edge under, then sewing a hem with a regular sewing machine is so slow and tedious I wouldn't even do it, myself. Either way, it is a big job to ask of a volunteer.

 

I have been ordering fabric online for years. Fabricdepot.com and fabric.com are two good retailers. Both will send ssmples, a good idea to avoid surprises.

 

[kari_cardi]

To answer your other questions!

 

I'd use 100% cotton. Poly/cotton blends won't work as well with your fabric paint and are not as absorbent. You could go with a cotton/poly blend that is mostly cotton though.

 

The heathered gray color of your class B shirt is unique to t-shirts and sweatshirts and is a result of the cotton/poly blend. I've never found it as any other kind of fabric.

 

Few fabric lines stay around for 5-6 years, so buy now if keeping the same neckers for 5 years is really what you want. Fabric is subjected to color trends, even black and white will change.

 

JoAnn's is a good source for mostly low quality, over-priced fabric made in China. A quick Google search shows that you have several local independent fabric stores in Rochester. One of them may prove to be quite helpful to you.

[Deaf Scouter]

Great wealth of info from everyone and THANKS!

 

I'll end up doing the sewing... *smiles

 

I have a neat little trick of hem ruler and iron first that makes sewing a breeze. I've seen the roller foot for the machine but have never used it yet. Cotton works easier to do this and I agree its better with absorbing the fabric paints.

 

Right now we only have 2 people that have the old dark color so we can switch as we need about 12 now. If they choose the marbled texture one then I'll go around and buy up all the Walmart lots. We really needed to stay with the grey because of the Class B. Those that have them are tight with money being a Scouter and having a youth leader coming into the Troop. Too many expenses for new comers on top of summer camp soon.

 

I'm glad you reminded me about the first aid thing as I didn't consider that in the planning stage.

 

Love those neckerchief links, Eagle.

 

Now off the pre-strink the cotton material first.. *grins

[5yearscouter]

did the boys vote that they wanted the heathered grey neckerchief to match their class B?

Or maybe they want something brighter, so they stand out in a crowd, perhaps the color of the printing on the class B or the artwork on there?

 

 

[Deaf Scouter]

Good point on the voting 5yearScouter but logo colors prevents the switch hence the reason grey was chosen to begin with. Because of the fact that some have the latest logo in Class B and are financially strapped, we will stay with this logo.

 

With so many other things to consider for this Troop in revitalizing it, I'm sticking to the grey and more concerned about getting ALL in grey neckerchiefs with the smaller version of our logo. (They used the same silk screen from the Class B so the neckerchiefs are never 'clean' looking because the rolling covers up much of the logo.)