My Army Issue Shirt

[Silas]

I'm about to make my third army issue shirt. I've made many cotton shirts, too. For my first issue shirt, I followed the measurements to the letter. Of course, that shirt became too small in short order. I made my second issue shirt for Fort Sumter in 2011. I added some inches in various widths and lengths thinking I'd solved the problem. I swam in that shirt the first year. Of course, it's now too small for me to wear. So, it's time for shirt number three.

In dealing with measurements for issue shirt number three, I took current measurements on my second shirt and compared them to the measurements I used to create that same shirt. Not including my collar, I measured shrinkage up to four inches in some areas. Somehow, the collar was the incredible shrinking collar. I don't know how much it shrank, but twice I added more length to it so it would fit. Today, it's way, way, way too small and is fastened by using a tab with button added to one side. Including the extra tab, it's too small.

As I updated my measurements for my third issue shirt, I thought I'd post them here in pdf format. Measurements are noted from a Watchdog article written in the 1990's by Stephen Osman ; an article from the CRCC, first edition ; and from Thoughts on Men's Shirts. When you plot the measurements onto fabric, you can cut your own shirt which conforms to the original specifications, or you can cut a shirt which should still fit me five years from now. Happy sewing.

[Scott Sheets]

Re: My Army Issue Shirt

Silas, are talking domet? Surprised its shrinking that much on you. Have you tried pre-shrinking the fabric?

[WpnsMan]

Re: My Army Issue Shirt

Nice reference Silas,

I always adjust patterns so they will fit my apeishly long arms.

I'll have to ask the same question as Scott, are you pre-shrinking your fabric?

The only time I won't pre-wash fabric before using it is if the manufacturer states it is "finished" and then only if I intend on using it for outer garments that don't usually get washed.

Anything I make that is going to be laundered regularly gets washed before cutting the fabric like drawers, shirts, etc. Regardless of laundering instructions, cotton gets washed in Hot water and thrown into the dryer before cutting. Wool gets washed in warm water and Woolite and then into a low temp tumble or goes on the line.

This should prevent the majority of the shrinkage you are encountering, YMMV.

[Silas]

Re: My Army Issue Shirt

I generally wash my cotton before washing, but haven't washed my wool domet flannel from Charlie Childs before this time around. Even with washing, I still expect shrinkage over time. For the first two years, I didn't notice too much change. It was in the last two seasons that I noticed the greatest shrinkage.

I toss my shirts in the washer on cold with woolite and frequently toss them in the dryer on the fluff only cycle. In the summer, I hang them outside to dry. It's my current understanding that the agitation and tumbling is what causes the wool fibres to contract. Washing the fabric up front will take a bite out of the initial shrinkage, but there will be more over time.

I don't know how much soldiers of the time faced this same problem. A shirt wouldn't hold up to four years of active campaigning, but it will easily hold up to playing weekend warrior a few times a year for four years. Soldiers then wouldn't see this kind of shrinkage over time like I, and everyone else in this hobby, sees. A big however goes toward the period practice of boiling shirts to remove vermin. That's going to cause some serious shrinkage in short order.

I don't mind making new shirts because I enjoy the mental puzzles involved in sewing garments from whole cloth. My primary reason for posting my three page pdf was to make available to everyone three solid sources for shirt measurements. I did a quick search and didn't see anything like it. Needed to be here. Now it is. The remainder of the document is how I'm using that information for myself.