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Chain-stitch embroidery


VitaminD

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One of the unexpected advantages of hooking our house up with HDTV is the increased detail you can see on the uniforms. Which led me to the realization that the Phillies use chain-stitch embroidery on their wordmark on their jerseys, which I later confirmed at the team store at Citizens Bank Park while I was looking for a gamer.

I know a few other MLB teams use it as well - the Astros and Cardinals come to mind. I also know some other teams don't - the Mets were in town this week, and it's pretty evident they don't use chain-stitch lettering. So who does, and who doesn't? I'm guessing someone with an MLB Style Guide may have some sort of authoritative list ("Paging PANTONE to the thread... PANTONE to this thread, please"). And if anyone knows about NHL crests, that's something else I was wondering about - I know the Blackhawks used to use it on their patches and crests, but I don't know if they still do.

"Start spreading the news... They're leavin' today... Won't get to be a part of it... In old New York..."

2007nleastchamps.png

In order for the Mets' run of 12 losses in 17 games to mean something, the Phillies still had to win 13 of 17.

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I should clarify, because that's a misleading thread title.

A better way to title this would be "tackle twill v. chenille embroidery".

Some MLB teams - the Mets are the most convenient example - use tackle twill material for their team wordmarks on their jerseys. This is the same material that is used in customizing jerseys with player names and numbers.

On the other hand, some teams - the Phillies, Cardinals and Astros, to name a few - use chenille for their embroidery. Chenille is basically a thick wool yarn sewn onto a felt template that gives the material a thicker, textured appearance. The best example I can provide is the material that your school monogram is made of on your high school/college varsity letter jackets. Thick, and a little tufted.

Chenille embroidery is usually applied to jerseys using chain stitching, which forms the distinctive border around the edge of your letter jacket's monogram.

So I guess my question is, which teams (MLB and NHL) use which? I am guessing that NBA and NCAA basketball teams use tackle-twill lettering for their wordmarks, and NFL teams use tackle-twill for their letters and numbers, while their wordmarks are considerably smaller and probably don't use chenille, either.

NOTE: If a mod catches this and wants to retitle this to make it less confusing, that'd be greatly appreciated.

"Start spreading the news... They're leavin' today... Won't get to be a part of it... In old New York..."

2007nleastchamps.png

In order for the Mets' run of 12 losses in 17 games to mean something, the Phillies still had to win 13 of 17.

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The only NHL team I'm aware of that uses it, and this is only after it was pointed out to me, is the Chicago Blackhawks. Almost all of the shoulder logos are made up of chain-stitches. The golden lines in the chief's hair and the feathers are also made up of chain stitching. I can not think of any others in the NHL right now.

The Mighty Ducks third jersey crest uses wool in the "Anaheim" part of the wordmark. If I'm not mistaken, the Wild third jersey crest also uses it.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

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My opinion may or may not be the same as yours. The choice is up to you.

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think the logo on a baseball cap vs. the logo on most jerseys. as opposed to the logo being actually stitched out of fabric its basically a patch sewn on to the jersey. im pretty sure thats the basic difference without getting too technical.

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I noticed on a close-up on SportsCenter the other day, that the Clippers use chain-stitching.

Also, the greatest basketball jersey of all-time is all-chain-stitched:

WAR67R24_W.jpg

Good thread topic, BTW. I've always been interested in the process. Yes, it's more expensive, but it looks so much better than tacke-twill...

Moose

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It's not a cap logo versus a jersey logo. The cap logo is embroidered with various stitching patterns and is usually raised with foam to give it relief. What we're looking at here is basically flat, sewn-on fabric or raised, textured embroidery that kind of looks like carpet. I saw an ESPN the Magazine a few weeks ago and learned that the Cardinals did this, because the mag is so damn big and the photography is so good. The ESPN close-ups are money.

Chenille (Chain stitching)

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Tackle Twill

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(Follow-up post...) The chain-stitch is part of what makes the Blackhawks logo the best in the NHL, IMHO (seriously, check out that detail!)...

Chenille is the raised (think high school letter):

ChessLetterWebSite.jpg

Moose

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I know that the Reds used the chain stitch up until about 1986 or so when they switched to the McAuliffe jerseys and they went with a Tackle-twill C-Reds logo.

I'm sure, if you go back historically, you could find a lot of teams with chain-stitch logos (one of my favorite is the Chicago Cougars):

Cougarslogo.jpg

That's what makes the current logos (and especially the new logos - like the Astros and Philies that haven't been around forever) more special. Someone thought enough to go out and say, "let's do our logo different."

Moose

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I know that the Reds used the chain stitch up until about 1986 or so when they switched to the McAuliffe jerseys and they went with a Tackle-twill C-Reds logo.

I'm sure, if you go back historically, you could find a lot of teams with chain-stitch logos (one of my favorite is the Chicago Cougars):

That's what makes the current logos (and especially the new logos - like the Astros and Philies that haven't been around forever) more special. Someone thought enough to go out and say, "let's do our logo different."

Moose

True. The Minnesota Fighting Saints "Saint" logo was also chain stitched.

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Chain stitching is SO much better than tackle twill. I have 4 Astros jerseys from around 2001 when they used tackle twill, and they have caused the arms to pill a lot when the sleeves rub against the front. The one chainstitch jersey I have hasn't had this problem at all.

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The Cardinals chain stitching is even more unique.

It is stitched DIRECTLY into the jersey.

The Phils, however have the logo chain stitched to a piece of fabric, then applied to the jersey, allowing the Phillies logos to be mass produced.

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The Cardinals chain stitching is even more unique.

It is stitched DIRECTLY into the jersey.

The Phils, however have the logo chain stitched to a piece of fabric, then applied to the jersey, allowing the Phillies logos to be mass produced.

I'm fairly certain the Astros is that way (Cards) as well...

Moose

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