Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 91.djvu/195

 Task of Meeting the Demand for "Old Glory"

���The stripes are cut alternately, first red and then white, at a surprising rate of speed. Then another battery of workers sew the red and white stripes together. Big flags and little of silk, felt or bunting, all are cut in the same way

���The sewing on the very fine flags done by hand, but it must be made especially strong, so that the flags will be able to with- stand the flapping of the wind, which is no respecter of fine materials or deli- cate needlework

��In center: For spe- cial designs, stencils are made by means of a perforating machine. A black powder is applied over these stencils to mark the design on the cloth. Then artists bring the de- sign into relief with oil paint and brush

The machines used for the stitching are threaded with great spools of cot- ton containing twenty-four thou- sand yards each. This is fed in with lightning swiftness and the sewing is done with never a "drop" stitch

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