Axelbant is a braided cord with metal lugs. It is made of gold, silver or colored threads. Axelbant worn on the right shoulder (less often left). It is fastened under an epaulette or shoulder strap. In this article, we will talk about the history of the element of military uniform, its purpose. You will also learn how to make do-it-yourself accelerators.
Versions of the appearance of the accelerant
How did this element of the modern ceremonial military uniform come about? The first version, romantic, but not very believable. In the XVI century, when the Netherlands tried to defend its independence from Spain, the commander-in-chief ordered all the rebels to be hanged. They were considered robbers and rebels. The latter decided to show that they were not afraid of death and threats, and began to wear ropes on their shoulders, showing their fearlessness. A more believable story of the appearance: the axelbant used to be a shoulder strap, with which a shoulder harness was fixed.
Do-it-yourself axelbands: instructions
In many countries, an accelerant is still part of the full dress uniform. Some stylists also began to use the decor element in their collections. Information on how to make an accessory with your own hands will be useful to those who follow the latest fashion news and love to make jewelry on their own.
For work you will need:
- cord (thin);
- carnations;
- wood board;
- thick metallized yarn.
So, we begin to weave such a product as an accelerant. With your own hands you can make a cord of 4 or 5 strands. The length of the yarn should exceed 1.5 times the length of the finished product. All excess can be cut if necessary.
Begin work by making a loop. Take all the strands and put them together. Bend the tip about 10 cm. Make a loop in this way. Wrap the smaller end around the larger one once and tighten the knot. Fold all the threads together to weave them.
Drive a nail into the board. Put a loop on it. We will consider weaving of 4 strands. Threads should be moved apart. Two extreme cords will run towards each other. Now, the second should go between the first pair: hold them with your fingers (thumb and forefinger). Thus, weave to the end. The cord should be tight enough. This option is suitable for hard and thin cord.
Do-it-yourself aiguileries from thin threads
There is another way to weave from thin yarn. To do this, prepare five strands. We take the extreme of them and conduct it alternately under the second, third and fourth and above the fifth. So that the base does not fall apart, it should be held with your fingers. Now take the strand from the opposite side and do the same. Perform manipulations almost to the end. Leave a small tip. Secure it with a knot. Traditionally, metal tips are put on it, less often brushes are made from the same yarn as the decorative element. You got acquainted with how to make an accelerant with your own hands. Photos of the product can be seen below.
Thread Brushes
Tassels can be used to decorate the accessories. Do it yourself with your own hands in a few minutes (unlike metal tips, which are not in every store). You will need yarn and a piece of cardboard. The length of the workpiece does not matter, but the height should be equal to the length of the threads in the brush. Take yarn and wind it on cardboard. To create a thick brush, you need more threads, for a thin brush - less. Cut the thread and bandage the wound strands. Fix the yarn in the middle of the winding on one side. Turn the cardboard template over and cut in the middle of the thread.
Now the brush needs to make a head. Take a piece of thread and wrap it on a future brush, stepping back a few centimeters. Trim the yarn with scissors. The brush is ready.
How to sew an accelerator
After you have made your own accessories, you need to sew them correctly. If we are talking about military uniforms, then the accelerator is fixed under the right shoulder strap. The latter must be partially deflected. Pick up a metal tip. Mark the dot above it. In this place and sew an axelbant under the collar. The metal tip (cartridge) should be at the level of the bottom of the pocket. Fix the opposite end of the cord under the shoulder strap on the shoulder.
Epaulettes
In addition to the axelbant, epaulettes have not recently gone out of fashion. This decorative element of a military uniform confidently migrated to the shoulders of modern fashionistas. They are easy to do on their own.
What is needed for this?
- shoulder pads;
- rhinestones;
- feathers;
- Moment glue transparent or glue gun.
Glue feathers to the shoulder pads. We do this with an overlap: one feather finds on another. We remove the tips with scissors. Now we decorate it with large rhinestones. There can be as many as your heart desires. You can glue them randomly or lay out some kind of pattern. Choose decorative stones to your taste: colored large or small.
Next, take a lace ribbon and tie a bow out of it. We fix it at the base of the epaulette. Now you need to think about fixing the epaulette. Take the pin and glue it to the wrong side of the product. With its help, we will fasten the decor element.
Where are the accelerants used now
Having figured out how to weave an accelerant with your own hands, you may be wondering where these decorative elements are used today. Jewelry for military uniforms clings to the military uniforms of the guard of honor of participants in military parades. In CIS countries, accelerants are usually made of golden thread. The largest number of colors in the decoration of military uniforms in the United States and Israel.
In this article, you learned how to weave accelerants with your own hands. Now you can decorate your costume with it. Be fashionable and extraordinary!