Release - Wave Pattern Kerchiefs

 

We're offering a new, discharge printed kerchief made by General Quarters, one of our favorite Los Angeles stockists.  Blair, owner of General Quarters, designed this kerchief with a Japanese pattern called Nami or Seigaiha.  According to Blair, the word means "calm waves" and the four arcs in the pattern represent the four oceans surrounding Japan.  Note: for folks who purchased our dot kerchief, the blanks for the wave pattern kerchiefs are slightly larger (perfect for neckwear).  Available via our Archival Web Shop.

 

 Burgundy Kerchief (21" x 21")

Black Wave (19" x 21")

Archival DIY: Knotting a Kerchief

For the past few years I've been taking kerchief knotting lessons from John Ford characters. In my mind, my kerchiefs always look as snappy as the ones worn by John Wayne in Ford's cavalry trilogy:

Several weeks ago, I sent out a tweet requesting more formal, step by step instructions for knotting a kerchief. Several folks recommended that I check out Cotton Duck's helpful how-to guide originally posted on the discussion forum superfuture. I'm reposting the instructions below:

Archival Handkerchiefs

As documented, Archival loves kerchiefs. My preference is for discharge printed, polkadot models from Japan and the UK. To diversify my collection, I'm going to shop for a few vintage kerchiefs from Cornell University's Political Americana Collection. When knotted, the rhetorical content reverts back to pleasing patterns and scrambled text.

Cleveland-Thurman Handkerchief

Benjamin Harrison Handkerchief, 1888

Theodore Roosevelt "Progressive Battle Flag" textile portrait

Benjamin Harrison Handkerchief, 1888

Benjamin Harrison-Morton Handkerchief, 1888

Garfield-Arthur Portrait Textile, ca 1880

Cleveland-Stevenson "Our Candidates 1892 " Portrait

Taft Tariff Reform handkerchief

Benjamin Harrison-Morton handkerchief, ca 1888

Centennial Celebration by Manhattan Lodge, I.O.B.B.

Archival Progress Report

Shawl collar cardigans (late November delivery)

Archival Clothing web belt with Horween leather tip (next week)

Billykirk Abstract cuffs (available)

Saint James cotton and wool scarf restock

Steele Canvas Basket tote w/revised stencil (next week)

Archival Field Bag (coming soon)

On Thursday, we're heading out to NYC to see Tom and visit shops in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Tom and I will set aside time to review notes on the waxed jacket sample I just picked up from our sewer in Portland. Here are a few more Archival Clothing projects that will be making their debut in the coming weeks and months.

Next week, we'll have a restock of Archival Clothing web belts. For this production run, we've die cut a lightweight Horween hide for the belt tip. The belt will combine three of our favorite archival materials: Horween leather, mil spec cotton webbing and solid brass hardware.

I just received the first sample of our pure new worsted wool, shawl collar cardigan. Centralia Knitting Mills should deliver our full shipment by mid to late November. Look for the sweater in four colorways: multi-weave gray, cardinal red, navy and light gray. We've sized the sweaters for everyone from petite women to semi-sizeable gents. I'll be sporting my sample during shop visits this weekend.

Terry is busy sewing up new runs of our Archival Clothing Rucksacks and Flap Musettes in all colorways. He will also be working on our first small production run of Archival Clothing Field Bags. I'll file a separate report on this project closer to the release date.

In the next two weeks, we will be taking delivery of more Steele Canvas Basket totes with a stencil based on a vintage company pattern. Our custom janitor's tote will probably be available by mid-November.

We're waiting to see the first samples of our discharge printed, US made, all cotton kerchief. Progress report on this project to be filed shortly.

Check back in the next few weeks for more product pix and updates.

And look for an Archival NYC field trip report next week.

Archival Kerchiefs

(hankies above are from the highly-endorsed DISCHARGE STYLE)

Handkerchief, bandanna, hankie, or kerchief. Whatever you call it, it's essential. I keep one with me all the time, for nose-blowing, glasses cleaning, a rag for when your bicycle chain drops, tying things, bundling things, a headband, or, in the woods, as a sieve (try it - you can even drain rice). Lesli and I both won't go on a cycling outing without at least two handkerchiefs. Keep one in your handlebar bag for all contingencies. Along with a good knife, a bandanna is an everyday necessity.

Try out your bandannas as neck wear:

Or as head gear:

Or as baggage:


Make sure to keep an eye on your hankie:


Shopping possibilities:

Archival Clothing is thinking about designing and producing a limited-edition hankie. If we keep the price low, would anyone be interested? They'd be made in the USA, of course, and available in a few colors.

Shopping from John Ford: Neckerchiefs

Directed by John Ford (Bogdanovich 1971)

Visual addendum:

Ford Home Furnishings

Ford x Bogdanovich

For practical purposes, I've been wearing and carrying kerchiefs on longer, hot weather brevets (one for the neck, one for the handlebar bag). Rivendell has nice, all cotton, US made bandanas available for the wild price of $2. Why pay more?