ClayB Report post Posted March 11, 2009 Here is a project I have been working on for awhile. Does 5 years qualify for awhile? Anyway, I found these Icelandic sheep skins in a shop when we were on our way to Glacier park for a vacation and they were just begging to be made into a pair of chaps. Like I said, I started on them way back then, but couldn't really decide how to put them together. I don't make a lot of chaps. Finally this winter I decided it was time to finish them up. I learned a lot of things while working on these. The hair on these things is about 3 inches long and is magically attracted to thread. It finds it's way under every stitch and it really likes to crawl through the holes too! One of the best lessons I learned was to make sure you sew the right top piece to the right leg (not the left one!) Sewing them together the second time wasn't any more fun than sewing them together the first time was. One thing I am really not happy with is that the leg straps show from the front. These hides weren't big enough to wrap around any farther around the leg, so there wasn't a lot I could do there. I think if they did wrap around the leg, it would have made it really uncomfortable to sit on to, unless the hair was all trimmed off. Other than that, I was pretty happy with how they turned out. Seems kind of fitting that I finished them up right now. People around here are getting into calving full swing, and this morning it was -21 degrees. If I had to be on a horse, I think I'd like to have these on! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrooperChuck Report post Posted March 11, 2009 awesome! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lui Report post Posted March 11, 2009 That is an awesome pair o chaps, I can imagine how much of a pain it must have been sewing them. Lui Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leatheroo Report post Posted March 11, 2009 very furry!! are your legs in there somewhere??? great carving Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bree Report post Posted March 11, 2009 Spectacular Viking Gaucho!! I love it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
imw Report post Posted March 11, 2009 Awsome chaps look handsome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldtimer Report post Posted March 11, 2009 Awesome, Clay! / Knut Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spider Report post Posted March 11, 2009 OMG these are awesome. I could totally sport these on my bike but would be worried that i might catch fire. But I love them... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hennessy Report post Posted March 11, 2009 Here is a project I have been working on for awhile. Does 5 years qualify for awhile? Anyway, I found these Icelandic sheep skins in a shop when we were on our way to Glacier park for a vacation and they were just begging to be made into a pair of chaps. Like I said, I started on them way back then, but couldn't really decide how to put them together. I don't make a lot of chaps. Finally this winter I decided it was time to finish them up. I learned a lot of things while working on these. The hair on these things is about 3 inches long and is magically attracted to thread. It finds it's way under every stitch and it really likes to crawl through the holes too! One of the best lessons I learned was to make sure you sew the right top piece to the right leg (not the left one!) Sewing them together the second time wasn't any more fun than sewing them together the first time was. One thing I am really not happy with is that the leg straps show from the front. These hides weren't big enough to wrap around any farther around the leg, so there wasn't a lot I could do there. I think if they did wrap around the leg, it would have made it really uncomfortable to sit on to, unless the hair was all trimmed off. Other than that, I was pretty happy with how they turned out. Seems kind of fitting that I finished them up right now. People around here are getting into calving full swing, and this morning it was -21 degrees. If I had to be on a horse, I think I'd like to have these on! nice work clay, i'm gonna have a go at some woolies soon,hope mine turn out as good pete Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted March 11, 2009 Hey - you finally finished them! They look really sharp. That black hair looks great with the veg-tan. I wonder if wetting the hair down a little would have made the sewing a little easier...? Dunno, just a thought. (You probably already tried that, anyway.) Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tina Report post Posted March 12, 2009 Yyyihaaaa:-) Love'm, the color on the wool is super nice, this is the first pair of black I have seen, I promise, i woun't laugh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crystal Report post Posted March 12, 2009 They came out beautiful! And second Tina that this is the first pair I have ever seen in black. Great work all around from the color combos to the buckles and conchos to the design and tooling on the leather! Definitely something to be proud of! Now - how about a matching woolie hat? Crystal Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clay Report post Posted March 12, 2009 Ernie, I need to borrow these to keep warm when I walk to work in the mornings!!! They are great!!!!! Cept that they would be woolie chinks on my long legs!! Bert Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
randyandclaudia Report post Posted March 12, 2009 They are extremely on the cool side! very nice. I bet you are psyched to have finished them. You should give yourself a big pat on your back. Great job! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grunt Report post Posted March 12, 2009 THanks for posting pics. That is an awesome pair of chaps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted March 12, 2009 Clay, Very cool, or warm as the case may be. Rundi likes them too, but said I can't make any unless we move up to where the arctic blasts come through. That ain't likely. We both remember growing up in it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted March 12, 2009 I'm really glad you all like these. Thank you all for the comments. Viking Gaucho, I really like that description Bree. Spider, they are mostly black so they'd probably work on a bike. If you lived up here, you could ride later in the year too! (of course you might need tire chains too) If they did catch on fire, it'd look really cool for a couple seconds, and smell TERRIBLE!! Kate, I never thought of wetting the hair. It would have looked like a big drowned rat..... or cat.... hmmm....opps, sorry. Someone suggested covering it with masking tape, and that was probably a really good idea, but too late now. If I ever try something like this again, I'll have some ideas to try. Glad you aren't going to laugh Tina, but one of my inspirations to keep working on these was to hear you giggle with a Sweedish accent! I dug through all my scrap bins to see if I had any extra pieces of this stuff, but no luck. I'm sure you could have made something really fun out of it. Crystal, back in the 70's, Larry Mahan used to wear a woolie hat. I think he even sold them in his western clothing line. I saw one a couple years ago, and Stacy said "NO!" Too bad, I always thought they were pretty fun. Bert, I'll bring these along next time I come down, but you're right, I think they'd be a little short for you. Maybe we could add some nice long fringe? Bruce, it's supposed to be be 45 degrees warmer this afternoon than it was yesterday morning, all the way up to 23. It's a heat wave, cant believe you and Rundi dont miss springtime up north!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dually Report post Posted March 12, 2009 Now try to get our horse to stay in the territory when he see's you comin. LOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BondoBobCustomSaddles Report post Posted March 13, 2009 Nice job Clay! I have often thought I might do a set myself, just cause I like to wander off the path a little sometimes, but; generally I use what I make ( a good way to advertise) and if I wore a set around the folks that I ride with, welllll, maybe some day. Anyway, nice job. If you hand stitch, be sure to burnish your thread vigorusly with a piece of paper, I use grocery bags. That will take off the extra wax and "slick" down what's left and will help keep the thread from grabbing the hair on it's way through. Happy Trails! Bondo Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yaklady Report post Posted March 13, 2009 I wonder how a yak hide would look as chaps? It would be long enough to make chaps for Bert, and it even has built-in fringe. If I murdered a yak in the middle of winter when their wool is the thickest, it would be super warm and even a bigger challenge to sew. What do you think, Clay? Want to make another pair? I bet you would put the yokes on the right sides this time. Yak hair is longer than sheep and would follow your thread a loooong ways. You could use the tail as the leg straps. Or you could have it hanging down the front in the middle. Wouldn't that be attractive? Just don't be using any cat tails for the straps, even though you have an abundance of them. I do have an extra yak . . . Kathy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mulefool Report post Posted March 13, 2009 those look great, it would probably take me TEN years to get them finished. I do have a tip on keeping the hair away from your sewing. I do make a fair number of anqueros (the saddlebags with the angora flap) I pull the angora away from the stitch line and then run a line of packing tape over it to hold it back. I also clip the angora down to the skin right at the hair line where the stitch will go. when they are finished I pull the tape and the long hairs cover where I clipped it down. Not sure if that will work in all situations but it's helped me keep from tearing my own hair out. Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted March 14, 2009 Thanks again you all for the nice comments, and the sewing tips. If I ever do another pair of these, I am going to have to try the tape tip. Johanna gave me the same tip, but just a little late. Kathy, I do think that the Yak hide would probalby make a great pair of chaps. You should make a pair and let me know!!! Chris, I'd love to see pictures of the anqueros you make. If I had any of this sheepskin left, I'd make a set out of it. Another thing to add to the list. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freak Report post Posted March 14, 2009 cool doesn't began to describe these chaps. They are so much more then that !!! The first thing i thought of when i saw them was , Looks like Kathy had another bad yak. I don't care how long they took to make, the end result is well worth it. The leg straps look fine but if it really bugs ya, you could die them black. Man, i'd wear those all over the place. That one week that we have cold weather here, i'd wear them the whole week long. You need to make some matching sleeves also. Like the ones welders wear. Now we're talking goodtimes !! BTW, you do know you have a saddle in your living room , rite ?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PANTHER Report post Posted March 14, 2009 ClatB, WOW! Can I play with your legs? Those are just outstanding! Well worth the five years till they were finished. The thing I would have done about the leg straps is used leather straps covered in black rabbit fur with maybe two or three small tooled leather conchos down the center of them or just black tooled leather straps. Believe me though I'ed take them as is! Great job! Panther Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted March 15, 2009 Thanks Freak and Panther! If I decide I really dont like the straps, I could make some black ones. They probably wouldn't stand out so much that way. I was just trying to keep all the tooled leather the same. I'll have to live with them for a while the way they are and then decide. I can just picture you in these Freak, with the arm sleeves. But if you tried welding in them, I think you'd be taking more chances of catchin on fire than Spider on his bike! Stacy said I have to tell you that the saddle isn't in the living room, that's the downstairs family room/storage room for finished leather projects that have no other home. (There's a couple more saddles around the corner) Panther, that cat in you avatar looks like it might make a great pair of chaps too!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
