Hunting a Rifeman's hunting shirt or frock pattern

[crowbarforge]

I need to make a rifleman's shirt/frock for an upcoming event. I cannot find the patters I used to have. Any good freebie patterns online?

If I purchase one, what is your favorite?

 

[Brokennock]

Order the late Beth Gilgun's book, "Greetings From The 18th Century," it will not only have the pattern you seek but several others and lots of other good information.

 

[simonbeans]

Sketch Book ‘76.

 

[user 34486]

Don't need a pattern. It's just squares and rectangles except for the cape. Make the sleeves way big so you can pleat the forearms if it's a pre1800 shirt. There's a center seam down the back with one set of selvedges and the others will be the from opening. That's all there is to it!

 

[crowbarforge]

Thanks for the responses. Off we go.

 

[J. David]

What are good patterns that you can buy for 1750 to like 1770? every thing that is advertised as 17th century seems to be revolutionary war era? any specific examples?

 

[Brokennock]

What are good patterns that you can buy for 1750 to like 1770? every thing that is advertised as 17th century seems to be revolutionary war era? any specific examples?

Do you mean in general or "hunting shirt" specific?
No really evidence for what we call a hunting shirt in the 1750s, so you probably won't find a pattern for one pre-revolution. We can't really be sure when they became common in the area they originated. They don't really become known until people from southern and western parts of the colonies started heading toward Boston at the start of the revolution. They were unique enough to be commented on as these men headed east and north.
If, you are from these areas you best bet is probably just to follow a regular man's shirt pattern, split it down the middle, add your own pattern cape, and add fringe. I'm not sure if those 1st shirts seen as the Revolution started had the pleated and well fit forearms. @Beau Robbins would be a better source of info on that than I am.

 

[J. David]

How's this for 1750-1770

 

[Artificer]

Do you mean in general or "hunting shirt" specific?
No really evidence for what we call a hunting shirt in the 1750s, so you probably won't find a pattern for one pre-revolution. We can't really be sure when they became common in the area they originated. They don't really become known until people from southern and western parts of the colonies started heading toward Boston at the start of the revolution. They were unique enough to be commented on as these men headed east and north.
If, you are from these areas you best bet is probably just to follow a regular man's shirt pattern, split it down the middle, add your own pattern cape, and add fringe. I'm not sure if those 1st shirts seen as the Revolution started had the pleated and well fit forearms. @Beau Robbins would be a better source of info on that than I am.

Actually, that's not correct. Here's a re-post of info from 2014.

Neil Hurst explains, "
"During the early years of the hunting shirt, the garment remained highly regional, blocked from the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains. Recorded in a will book from Augusta County at the death of one man named John Smith established the first written reference of the term hunting shirt in the eighteenth-century.

At the death of Smith in 1759 without a will or heirs, the county clerk recorded an inventory of Smith’s Located in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Augusta County formed from Orange County in 1738 as Virginia’s largest county without a western border until the American Revolution.

The small inventory received an appraisal of twenty pounds, with his horse as the single most expensive item. Clothing constituted the majority of the recorded items and these garments included a jacket, coat, leather britches, leggings, shirts, and most importantly a hunting shirt.
http://www.academia.edu/3336557/_k...eculiar_to_America_The_American_Hunting_Shirt

So at least we know by 1759, the Hunting Shirt was well known enough that an Augusta County Clerk recorded it simply and with no explanation needed.

Gus

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I used to buy a shirt like above several times a year.
The arm pits tear out very easy when shooting, or trail walking.
They need a arm pit shield to sturdy the sleeve up.

Now I wear a tee shirt under my frock, and Ive used the same tee for over a decade.

 

[Brokennock]

Actually, that's not correct. Here's a re-post of info from 2014.

Neil Hurst explains, "
"During the early years of the hunting shirt, the garment remained highly regional, blocked from the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains. Recorded in a will book from Augusta County at the death of one man named John Smith established the first written reference of the term hunting shirt in the eighteenth-century.

At the death of Smith in 1759 without a will or heirs, the county clerk recorded an inventory of Smith’s Located in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Augusta County formed from Orange County in 1738 as Virginia’s largest county without a western border until the American Revolution.

The small inventory received an appraisal of twenty pounds, with his horse as the single most expensive item. Clothing constituted the majority of the recorded items and these garments included a jacket, coat, leather britches, leggings, shirts, and most importantly a hunting shirt.
http://www.academia.edu/3336557/_k...eculiar_to_America_The_American_Hunting_Shirt

So at least we know by 1759, the Hunting Shirt was well known enough that an Augusta County Clerk recorded it simply and with no explanation needed.

Gus

Kind of part of what I was trying to say...... I think.
Until the Rev War, the hunting shirt was regional. The above that you provided does give us an earlier reference point, and a basis to suppose it goes back a bit earlier,,,, in that region.

 

[Artificer]

Kind of part of what I was trying to say...... I think.
Until the Rev War, the hunting shirt was regional. The above that you provided does give us an earlier reference point, and a basis to suppose it goes back a bit earlier,,,, in that region.

OK, but not to be critical of you personally, the hunting shirt obviously was well known west of the Allegheny mountains so well that a court clerk (who almost certainly would not have worn one) actually described it and had no need to explain what it was. This of course means it was a common frontier article of clothing and thus that is excellent evidence of the use of hunting shirts in the 1750's.

Yes, the hunting shirt was not generally known in the entire 13 colonies until the AWI, but it was obviously a very common article of clothing on the frontier in the 1750's.

Gus

 

[user 34486]

Despite the use of the term we don't know exactly what he's referencing since we don't have images of hunting shirts prior to the later examples. Hunting shirts obviously were common in the 19th c as well but clearly don't match the known 18th c examples in pattern or style either. It's probably a safe bet, like everything fashion wise, that the hunting shirts prior to the Rev war were as different as those after. With the plethora of known good options there's little reason not to go with one.

As for @J. David 's questions, the Rev war was actually in the 18th c, so check your search parameters. The shirt you're referencing has almost no 18th c characteristics, so I'd recommend avoiding it. You'll be happier.

 

[Salt River Johnny]

Here is a pattern, make the shirt as longer to the knees if need be.
Salt River Johnny

 

[Salt River Johnny]

Do not put the lace in the neck. You can cut it up the center front and make it a wrap.

 

[Artificer]

The following article is about AWI period Hunting Shirts and shows known originals. It also shows the pleating of the sleeves that Beau Robbins mentioned. You may scroll down the pages.



Gus

 

[hwb13]

Regardless of the period correctness, I have used the pattern from the crazy Crow. But don't forget the sleeve gussets, they are my wife bain. The first shirt took an hour to get them right, but you don't tearout underarms

 

[Woodwright]

Whatever pattern you choose, be sure to use only 100% linen fabric. Cotton was available in the 18th century, but was very expensive and a "hunting shirt" or "rifleman's frock" would never have been made from cotton.

 

[Brokennock]

Whatever pattern you choose, be sure to use only 100% linen fabric. Cotton was available in the 18th century, but was very expensive and a "hunting shirt" or "rifleman's frock" would never have been made from cotton.

Cotton would have been unlikely it's true, but linen wasn't the only choice, certainly not just "100% linen."
I may be mistaken as I don't have it in front of me, but I believe Neil Hurst's excellent paper on extant hunting shirts lists at least one of them as being of lindsey-woolsey.

 

[oreclan]

Here is a pattern, make the shirt as longer to the knees if need be.
Salt River Johnny

I would not use this pattern. There are no gussets under the arms and typically capes were attached to "split shirts", not pullover shirts.