Exterior add on fatigue blouse pockets

[PvtRJBrown]

Can anyone give me instruction on how to apply a field modification exterior patch pocket to my fatigue blouse? Also, is there a certain pattern for cutting these pockets from the material?

Much obliged.

[MarkTK36thIL]

Re: Exterior add on fatigue blouse pockets

Can anyone give me instruction on how to apply a field modification exterior patch pocket to my fatigue blouse? Also, is there a certain pattern for cutting these pockets from the material?

Much obliged.

Roy,
You pretty much summed it up with "field modification." A soldier's ingenuity, skill, and available resources dictated the pocket.

If you want, you could just sew on a U -shaped piece of blue wool, or just through the jacket and add any cloth to the interior of the jacket and make a pouch.

[PvtRJBrown]

Re: Exterior add on fatigue blouse pockets

Thanks Mark,

Yeah I kind of knew that the term "Field Modification" would leave me open to alot of options. I was just wondering if there was a pattern or known way to do this. But thanks for the clarification. Now I just have to locate some fatigue blouse flannel to work with.

[MarkTK36thIL]

Re: Exterior add on fatigue blouse pockets

Try contacting a vendor and ask them if they got a 6 x 6 inch piece of flannel laying around.

If you get a chance, check out For Fatigue Purposes.

[Dan Wambaugh]

Re: Exterior add on fatigue blouse pockets

Roy,

There are three basic ways you can alter your blouse depending on how much excess cloth you have to work with and what type:

1. If you just have little or no scrap cloth, you can sew a pocket bag through both the body and lining layer on the right front (similar to the built-in pocket on your blouse), then slit the body cloth at the top and overcast the body flannel in a way that you form the opening for the pocket. If you have a little strip of flannel you can use that to make a welt or facing at the pocket opening so that you don't see the lining through the opening.

2. If you have a large piece of flannel you can use it to make a patch pocket in the right front, (this is probably the simplest method.) This just involves overcasting the top of the patch, then overcasting or topstitching the edge of the patch into place. A buttonhole and button can even be added to close it if you like.

3. If you have a piece of muslin or other lightweight cotton you can essentially use method #1 except cut a slit through both layers (body and lining) and use the excess material to make an interior pocket bag.


All of these methods would be authentic ways of adding an extra pocket to your fatigue blouse, and which you choose will chiefly depend on how much material you have to work with and what method you are comfortable using. I personally altered an old blouse of mine with method #1, using a welt from a different piece of flannel and the pocket worked well for holding my order book.

Good luck!


Best,

[PvtRJBrown]

Re: Exterior add on fatigue blouse pockets

Mr. Wambaugh,
Thank you very much for you well detailed reply. I believe I am going to go with option # 2. I have acuired a piece of flannel, and I want to do this in the simplest way possible. Plus I think the exterior pocket just looks better. Now when you say overcasting, exactly what do you mean? (I can sew, but I'm the kind of person thats stupid to some terms and doesn't know what the heck the term means, but knows how to do it once the word is explained to him).

Much obliged.

[Dan Wambaugh]

Re: Exterior add on fatigue blouse pockets

Roy,

Overcasting is simply another term for whip stitching.


Best,

Dan