Jason Chaney Report post Posted January 13, 2013 I have a friend that trains horses, and she needed some working chaps. Nothing fancy. So after looking at about a thousand pictures of shotgun chaps and measuring her up, down, sideways, and diagonally, I made these. Entirely my own design. Though I'm sure there's nothing original about them. I just didn't use any patterns. Now that they are done there are a few things I would do different next time. The zippers are a little too far to the rear, and are hard to reach. They need to come around to the outside of the leg about an inch. I would also make the cut out at the inside of the leg a bit lower, and have it stay lower around the back. Maybe put the top of the zipper a couple inches lower. Overall I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. My first garment of any kind. My friend is super stoked. And that's what matters, right? Some details... Legs are 3 oz. upholstery leather. Sides of the yoke are 6-7 oz. veg tanned, hand stitched to the leg. I don't yet have a machine that will do that. Back and front belt parts are 2 layers of 4-5 oz. Also hand stitched. Conchos and buckle are from Tandys "Diablo" set. Thanks for looking. Jason Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BondoBobCustomSaddles Report post Posted January 13, 2013 Ya done good pilgrim. As for your critiques, you are pretty much on the money with what you would do different. I have made a lot of chaps and especially a lot for the excercise guys at the track. I would plan that the zippers come around to about the outside seam on the chaps and on those that don't have fringe, ((some like it some don't like it), I would leave about an 1 1/2" flap to cover the zipper from getting crud in it while in use. Also, I put the zippers in so that they sip down instead of up and make them left and right hand so the zipper slide is on the part that comes in from the back . It makes it a lot easier to start them that way. In cases where the rider is actually riding 6 or 7 hrs a day on lots of horses, I also put a wear patch on the inside of the leg so that when they wear them out a new patch and they are off and riding again. Oh and one more thing, I put a 3/4" binding in the top of the leg cut from where it comes away from the yoke all the way around to the zipper. It adds a little strength inthat area. Here are a couple of pics of ones that I made. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jason Chaney Report post Posted January 13, 2013 Thanks for the tips and pics Bob. The next pair will have more of those details. I just wanted to keep it simple for the first try. I also had no idea there were left and right handed zippers. That would sure make that one side easier to zip. LOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BondoBobCustomSaddles Report post Posted January 13, 2013 Jason, actually, the zippers only come one way, but; if you take off the stop at the end of the zipper on the side that has the slide, and turn the slide 180 deg. and put it back on you will then have the opposite hand zipper. Works well. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
David8386 Report post Posted January 13, 2013 Chaps came out very nice. Bob thanks for the tip on the zippers and the clarification. I could just see the little old ladies faces at Joann's when I went in looking for left and right handed zippers. David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jason Chaney Report post Posted January 14, 2013 (edited) Thanks David. And Bob... ditto what David said... thanks for the clarification. That could have been a little embarrassing. LOL Edited January 14, 2013 by Jason Chaney Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aurelie Report post Posted January 14, 2013 Nice chaps for a 1st and i can tell you .....came though the same troubles on my 1st ones too and Thanks Bob for the left/right things with zipper i would not have dared "modify" them that way Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
