Loopwheeled/Vintage T-Shirts

[edmond]

guys UES TEES I SWEAR BY THEM!  and yes i can fit in a size 3 they stretch out.

 

size 3 stretched out after a couple of wear to a size 44 chest

[ironheartfan123]

link?

[edmond]

http://www.uesdenim.com/shopdetail/000000000245/t-shurt/page1/price/

[SuperJackle]

Those do look pretty great Ed. Who has them on rakuten?

[garden gnomes in space]

those are really small. 

[Hobocho]

I'm not so much worried about the chest as much as I am about the shoulders, and ideally I would need somewhere around 17 inches. How much stretch did you manage to get on the size 3 Ed? The site lists them as 15 inches which is a bit unsettling for me.

[edmond]

Im a 22 inch chest and fits like an undershirt to me id say ot atretched to 20-21 inch from 15

[bod]

They're quiet short though, 24" in body length for a size 3

[edmond]

They stretch too maybe an inch or two

[S-Town]

If I try really hard, I can probably get into my 6yo nephew's "Life is Good" tees, but I find it hard to get any work done while the seams of my clothing are being destroyed.

[Flash]

not loopwheeled but i really like the embroidered graphics on the Taylor Toyo tee i got 

 

 

[Iron Horse]

I didn't know they made a T, only saw the jacket at Take 5.

[TheIntelligentHoodwinker]

I'll post pics of this t at some point, but the quality is amazing. One of the nicest t shirts I've owned, although the neck is a bit wide.

 

Champion Made In USA

 

http://www.hunkydory.jp/?pid=89333259

[Nei.Nor]

One of my favourite tshirt is a vintage loopwheel army tshirt - I'm surprised it's loopwheel. Is this a common thing? I'd expect the army would save money on this sort of thing. Seems unnecessary - although I do love the result

Also, does anyone know if the process for making a loopwheel tshirt the same whether it's pure cotton vs a mix?

[TheIntelligentHoodwinker]

Kind of off topic, but has anyone had the neckhole of a t shirt altered so its tighter? Is that even possible??

[Nei.Nor]

Kind of off topic, but has anyone had the neckhole of a t shirt altered so its tighter? Is that even possible??

 

I have had a go a couple of times - it really depends on the tshirt. You can sometimes replace the hem of the neck and cut out some of the fabric. It's tricky though and my results have been okay but not great. But it really probably does depend on the tshirt.

 

 Also, in case anyone was interested here's the army tshirt I was referring to:

[Foxy2]

One of my favourite tshirt is a vintage loopwheel army tshirt - I'm surprised it's loopwheel. Is this a common thing? I'd expect the army would save money on this sort of thing. Seems unnecessary - although I do love the result

Also, does anyone know if the process for making a loopwheel tshirt the same whether it's pure cotton vs a mix?

How do you know it's loopwhheled?

Army T/Under-shirts from before WWII are more likely to be loopwheeled...shirts from the 60's & 70's are most likely not loopwheeled.

The sewing for cotton or cotton-mix tees can be done in the same manner. The knitting needs to be done on a Loopwheel machine - otherwise it's not loopwheeled...

Depending on the yarns, the machine and the desired effect the are multiple options in regards to the type, composition, texture, number and position of the threads/yarns...

[Nei.Nor]

How do you know it's loopwhheled?

Army T/Under-shirts from before WWII are more likely to be loopwheeled...shirts from the 60's & 70's are most likely not loopwheeled.

The sewing for cotton or cotton-mix tees can be done in the same manner. The knitting needs to be done on a Loopwheel machine - otherwise it's not loopwheeled...

Depending on the yarns, the machine and the desired effect the are multiple options in regards to the type, composition, texture, number and position of the threads/yarns...

 

Maybe I'm mistaken  but I thought if it didn't have seams on the side - it would need to be loop-wheeled?

[TheIntelligentHoodwinker]

Maybe I'm mistaken  but I thought if it didn't have seams on the side - it would need to be loop-wheeled?

 

No, you can have that tubular fit without it being loopwheeled. I have some cheap Carhartt ones that are like that. 

 

Good thread on it here with pics of the machines and stuff.

 

http://www.ironheart.co.uk/forum/?topic=3794.0

[Nei.Nor]

No, you can have that tubular fit without it being loopwheeled. I have some cheap Carhartt ones that are like that. 

 

Good thread on it here with pics of the machines and stuff.

 

http://www.ironheart.co.uk/forum/?topic=3794.0

 

Thanks for the link!

 

So, I definitely thought tubular/loopwheeled were one and the same!  

 

Is it possible to tell these apart?

Edited July 29, 2015 by Nei.Nor

[SuperJackle]

^I think the jury is still out on that one haha. If you actually look back a about a year in this same thread there is a lot of debate about this.

[itsbenhere]

I think it's almost impossible to tell. Maybe it's possible to tell if you have two things that are exactly the same but one is loopwheeled and one is only tubular knit, but to tell if one thing is in isolation is loopwheeled... almost impossible.

[Nei.Nor]

Fine. In which case, the army tshirt is definitely loopwheeled - prove me wrong people!   

[mpukas]

...

So, I definitely thought tubular/loopwheeled were one and the same!  

...

When I found out what loopwheeled t's are, I thought it was the same as tubular knit too. Fella's here told me the same thing to read through this thread, and I did. Took a long time, but there's a lot of good info in here. Most of it could be condensed into a 10 minute read. 

 

Basically loopwheel machines are very old, and only used by small groups of makers looking to make something to their particular standards. Loopwheel machines are hung from the ceiling and knit the threads into fabric at zero tension, so the fabric has a very natural drape. They knit very slow, making only enough fabric per day for a small number of shirts - like 10 or 12 shirts, IIRC. The machines are very complex and very finicky, and require very skilled crafts-people to operate them. 

 

I picked up 2 Barns loopwheeled tees, and the texture is very irregular, and soft. Lots of character. 

 

Are they better than modern, tubular or side-seam t's? That's a matter of personal opinion. Mine are too small so I don't wear them and can't comment from experience. I think there are many other nice fabrics that can be made into t's that are not loopwheeled. There are other things like construction details and fit that are ultimately more important to me than if the fabric is loopwheeled. Don't get me wrong, though, I think loopwheeled t's are awesome, if for no other reason than because the machines are so cool. 

[Shorty Long]

Forever and always...a tubular t-shirt, loop wheeled or not, is better than a shirt with side seams. I think there was a UN declaration that confirmed this.

[itsbenhere]

Yeah, it feels weird to have side seams now. 

 

But jacquard t shirts can't not have side seams right? My dry bones and flat head both have them.

[kiya]

Yeah, it feels weird to have side seams now. 

 

But jacquard t shirts can't not have side seams right? My dry bones and flat head both have them.

 

That is correct, there is no such thing as a loopwheeling machine which can do a jacquard fabric.

[itsbenhere]

Jacquard stuff is super cool, I wonder why more people aren't into it. Seems like they all have that really light/airy/springy feel to them!

[garden gnomes in space]

so Ill shut the fuck up now because I copped a Strike Gold loop wheeled t shirt today at SESF.  LOL tho because I got the XXL.  The XL fit like a glove but I dont want to have to do anything different to it than my other shirts.  That means cold wash, tumble dry and tossed into a drawer, if I even get that far.  I know these are washed but Im forever nervous about losing length.  

 

The shirt fabric is great.  XXL has a side seam, but I dont care.  Its a nice weight, not as heavy as Iron Heart shirts but it has substance.  Neck hole is perfect.  

[itsbenhere]

Hope it works out bro. I had a little collection of size 42 flat head tees that I had to get rid of because they ended up too big even after casual wear. the 40's are tiny but end up the right size after casual wear.

 

Strike golds are nice, it's been so long since I felt one though. At this point I already have the perfect midweight tee so I have 0 desire to investiage