Leather Jacket

[DonnieBlaze]

I have Been wanting to make my own leather biker syle jacket but i have not been able to find any patterns. Has anyone made on yet ? and if so where did you get the pattern and can you share the pattern? I have looked all over the net and can't fined anythink like what i am looking for.

Edited December 20, 2009 by bikerd69

[olliesrevenge]

Hello,

I lurk here mostly for tips on holster making as that is my primary leather interest, but your post caught my eye because I too would like to make a leather jacket and have had zero luck in finding a good pattern. Since your post has gotten zero replies in almost a month, I figure this is as good a place as any to submit my 1st post.

One idea that I have come across (I forget where), is to look for a very inexpensive jacket (at Goodwill, flea market, etc) that is of the general design that you want to copy-emulate, and then carefully cut & disassemble that jacket in order to use it as your pattern. The article wouldn't necessarily even have to be made of leather.

My ideal motorcycle jacket would be something on the lines of a Fox Creek Commander, or perhaps a "Classic"...

http://www.foxcreekl...nsjackets.phtml

...with a gun pocket, & with articulated & hardened internal leather armor ( ie, couir boulli) built in to the jacket. Something like a compact & minimalist version of this type of stuff ...

http://leatherworker...showtopic=18945

http://leatherworker...showtopic=16175

..instead of the plastic Forcefield armor that Fox Creek uses.

Anyway, I'm currently looking for an extremely cheap "Classic" type motorcycle jacket that I can dissect in order to create my dream jacket. Thought I'd share.

Take care and good luck,

OR

[cybertracy]

You can go to any fabric/sewing store and look in the clothing pattern books or their on-line sites (McCalls, Simplicity, etc). Most jacket patterns can be adapted to leather, but they have many leather-specific designs as well. This is a link on very basic instructions on how to sew a leather jacket once you have the pattern. Good luck!

Edited January 26, 2010 by cybertracy

[DonnieBlaze]

all ready serched all the pattern companys no men's stuff but a lot of woman's stuff though. i do have an old biker jacket that i am going to disassemble and make a pattern out of and my wife has a jacket that the sleeves ar to long on and i am going to disassemble that to.

Edited January 27, 2010 by DonnieBlaze

[Ian]

I'm not sure what your sewing/pattern making experience is, but here's how you can make just about any bike jacket:

The pattern I use is from Dawn Anderson designs (Falcon Jacket) http://www.dawnandersondesigns.com/servlet/StoreFront . What you need to do is cut the paper pattern out and with spray adhesive, attach all the pieces to poster board and cut them out. If you don't like the seams on the jacket body, cut off the seam allowances and tape the pieces together. You can then re-draw your own seam pattern. Also, ignore all the pockets in that pattern.

To make the zippered pockets, you need to have a pretty good sewing knowledge, but you can find instructions for doing that. You can then place pockets any where you want them. You'll also need some zipper knowledge to do the sleeve zippers.

Now, if you want to make the traditional (police) lapel style jacket, that's a whole other can of worms. But basically, you need to get a regular men's sport coat pattern and get the lapel and collar pattern from that (you'd enlarge the lapels, of course) Next there's the front zipper issue, which involves altering the jacket pattern on the front to accomodate a slanted zipper. There are also expansion panel you might want to add.

I wouldn't even attempt a zip out liner.

If I were you, I'd get some practice on each element (zippers, inserting the collar, pockets, etc) before hacking into a hide. Also, you need to have a machine that can handle multiple layers. In some spots where seams overlap, you're going through 6+ layers. You can get by with 2/3oz if you have a quilted liner, otherwise go for 3.25.

To be honest, it's a huge undertaking. I've made a few band collar style bike jackets and kind of gave up in the middle of making a police style jacket, though I'm getting ready to give it another go. But, I did make a decision that any jacket making I do will be for me or a few friends. I can't see how making them for random customers could ever pay unless they were paying a grand for a jacket, and there are some pretty nice imported jackets out there, so..... But, good luck, I hope this helped a bit

[DonnieBlaze]

I'm not sure what your sewing/pattern making experience is, but here's how you can make just about any bike jacket:

The pattern I use is from Dawn Anderson designs (Falcon Jacket) http://www.dawnander...vlet/StoreFront . What you need to do is cut the paper pattern out and with spray adhesive, attach all the pieces to poster board and cut them out. If you don't like the seams on the jacket body, cut off the seam allowances and tape the pieces together. You can then re-draw your own seam pattern. Also, ignore all the pockets in that pattern.

To make the zippered pockets, you need to have a pretty good sewing knowledge, but you can find instructions for doing that. You can then place pockets any where you want them. You'll also need some zipper knowledge to do the sleeve zippers.

Now, if you want to make the traditional (police) lapel style jacket, that's a whole other can of worms. But basically, you need to get a regular men's sport coat pattern and get the lapel and collar pattern from that (you'd enlarge the lapels, of course) Next there's the front zipper issue, which involves altering the jacket pattern on the front to accomodate a slanted zipper. There are also expansion panel you might want to add.

I wouldn't even attempt a zip out liner.

If I were you, I'd get some practice on each element (zippers, inserting the collar, pockets, etc) before hacking into a hide. Also, you need to have a machine that can handle multiple layers. In some spots where seams overlap, you're going through 6+ layers. You can get by with 2/3oz if you have a quilted liner, otherwise go for 3.25.

To be honest, it's a huge undertaking. I've made a few band collar style bike jackets and kind of gave up in the middle of making a police style jacket, though I'm getting ready to give it another go. But, I did make a decision that any jacket making I do will be for me or a few friends. I can't see how making them for random customers could ever pay unless they were paying a grand for a jacket, and there are some pretty nice imported jackets out there, so..... But, good luck, I hope this helped a bit

thanks for the pattern link i can use that pattern for a lot of diferant jackets. my pattern drawing skills as far as sewing is very good i can do all the zippers and stuff i make a lot of clothes for me and my wife. i have an old police syle jacket that i am going to take apart and make patterns out of. and my wife has a kool jacket that the skeves are to long on and i am going to take that apart and make patterns out of that to then shortan the sleves and put it back togther. i also found other patterns for leather jackets and leather pants, skirts to that i am going to get in the futer

Donnie Blaze