Western Style Vest

[JD50]

Up until now my experience in leatherworking has been holsters, knife sheathes etc made from veg tan leather so I'm moving into an totally unknown area here. I'm thinking about trying to make a Western style vest and I have lots of questions.

Is there a source for patterns for these vests? I would like for it to be made from a very soft leather...what would be a good leather to make it out of? Would I be able to use a standard sewing machine to sew it? If so, are there special needles that need to be used? What type of thread would I use?

Hopefully I successfully attached a picture of the type of vest I am interested in making.

Thanks for any info.

JD

[Dwight]

If you live near a Goodwill or Salvation Army store, . . . they usually have a supply of vests there, . . . buy the one that fits you, . . . take it apart at the seams, . . . you have the pattern.

OR, . . . I personally don't like them, . . . but Tandy does have vest patterns.

Go to leather shop (find it in the yellow pages) and let them show you appropriate garment leather.

Yes, . . . many sewing machines can sew this type of leather, . . . but probably an equal number will not be able. You need to go to Jo Ann fabrics, . . . buy the appropriate leather needle for your sewing machine, . . . get some scrap leather pieces, . . . and try it.

Personally, . . . I would hand sew the thing if I didn't already have a machine, . . . the tools and thread for that are available at Tandys.

May God bless,

Dwight