Hi GTB
Your 101st is US made fully embroidered merrow edge.
Whilst I don't have a German made 101st, I can show 3 examples of German made SSI. They are manufactured on German schiffli embroidery machines and have a very distinctive weave sometimes called "fruit loop" or "salt and pepper "look by collectors.
Note below is to highlight the weave and period made.
First US Airborne Army c 1945
10th Division Germany c 1955
Engineer Special Brigade c 1960's-70's.
Now compare to your 101st.
Your 13th Engineer(Railway) is known as a "Patch King" or collector club patch made during WWII and "made for the collector market."
This was based on a WWI design and has been well documented.
Collector clubs, and Patch King was the largest and well known, had patch's made (PK never made patches) and this is typical embroidered on felt with a open weave /cheese/gauze backing.
Billy yes you are correct prior to Hans book being published I have had many a discussion with a collector(s) who had interviewed people and had done a lot of home work and research on the schiffli embroidery process.
So I am very familiar with the history and how the operation had changed from the 1890-1950's. What we don't know is how the US , German and British distinctive weave was made because all the people have now passed and all the documentation has been lost.
I do have a book from the 60's (schiffli Embroidery Assoc.) which gives the history and manufacturing process ie the set up however that is getting right into the weeds.
Phill
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