men's knitted undershirts

[VMurphy]

I would like to have more information on this garment for men. I understand there has been some research with some images available.

Recently I found some wonderful single knit natural colored fine wool, and would like to re-create a man's undershirt. But first I'd like to have more information and perhaps an image to view.

Thanks for any help out there
Vivian Murphy

http://www.themantuamaker.net

[OldKingCrow]

Re: men's knitted undershirts

Ma'am,

Find Steve Hesson's website for undershirt images (US Navy in provenance). Seems a universal undershirt style of the era.

There are patterns on the Yahoo Civil War Navy Group I believe.

They are easy to make as it is basically a shirt on the square with shorter, uncufffed sleeves and a no-collar, slit for a neck opening. Fell the edges over.

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Re: men's knitted undershirts

There is also a section in the Columbia Rifles Research Compendium dealing with knit shirts as well.

[GreencoatCross]

Re: men's knitted undershirts

Vivian,

I wrote a lot about original knit shirts on the Sewing Academy forum, with pictures I believe. You might check there in the men's shirts and undergarments section. I also think that I've posted extensive observations of original knit shirts (and those that appear in photos...they're more prolific than most realize) here on the AC but it was some time ago if memory serves.

It's hard for me to generalize the originals I've studied in person or by looking at photographs, but some of the "regular" (used loosely) features include knit-on ribbed cuffs, somewhat narrow and long square bodies, tapered sleeves without gusset, and bound or hemmed wide neck openings with off-set plackets. The knit pattern or ribbing always runs the length of the body and the length of the sleeves as opposed to the width of the body depicted in the Columbia Rifles Research Compendium. Knit shirts in photos run the gamut from what I believe are Federal issue knit shirts to clownish, skin-tight striped things, with much finer and professionally made knit shirts thrown in for good measure.