Sewing velcro under flap for blocks (English saddle)?

[Xanthoria]

I have a French jump saddle with very minimal knee and calf blocks under the flap (on the sweat flap) - I've attached images of the same type as mine here for reference.

I'd like to remove the current blocks and add areas of velcro under the flap so I can add bigger blocks, and move them as needed.

Assuming I can find sheets of brown velcro loop fabric, would I glue them down? Do they need to be hemmed? And then stitch the edges with back stitch or saddle stitch?

Is there anything I'm missing? It seems fairly straightforward, albeit fiddly to stitch mark the sweat flaps while on the saddle.

[Mulesaw]

@Xanthoria I would not try to glue the Velcro since to my experience many saddle parts have been so well treated with oil that the glue simply doesn't stick very well.

I would use a backstitch so there is extra "thread" on the Velcro side. Also I would put the soft Velcro part on the saddle and the "hook" part under your blocks. That way you won't scratch the upper flap if you ride with only small blocks mounted.

I have got 50 mm Velcro, and I think you could get by with that size, but that off course depends on how big blocks you intend to mount. 
Also I'd sew the Velcro one line down the middle in addition to doing it along the edges. Just so the Velcro won't accidentally be ripped off when you later remove a block.

Nice looking saddle by the way 

brgds Jonas

[Xanthoria]

Thanks Jonas! That all makes sense. I could use a little acetone in that area to strip the leather dry a bit to make it stick better? I'm worried that on a curved or flexible surface the velcro might bubble or warp a bit, though I think your idea to sew it down the middle might be the solution.

[Mulesaw]

On 7/23/2022 at 2:47 AM, Xanthoria said:

Thanks Jonas! That all makes sense. I could use a little acetone in that area to strip the leather dry a bit to make it stick better? I'm worried that on a curved or flexible surface the velcro might bubble or warp a bit, though I think your idea to sew it down the middle might be the solution.

Sorry for the late reply, 

But even if the velcro bubbled a bit or warped a bit, it won't matter.

Your outer flap will press on the velcro or the blocks, so it'll be flat anyway. I repaired a saddle a couple of months ago (I think it was a Passier), that one had the same system, with removable blocks. I forgot to take some pictures of how the velcro was attached to the blocks and the saddle. But if you google: "passier velcro blocks"     - there are lots of pictures of them.

Acetone and contact glue wouldn't hurt and it would definitely keep the velcro in place during stitching.

Brgds

Jonas