How To Make Wooly Chaps?

[MontanaKids]

Hello,

I hope everyone is enjoying the winter weather I was wondering if anyone might have any instructions or advice on making a pair of wooly chaps? I've been wanting to make a pair for my husband for a long time. I've been trying to look on the internet for pictures or instructions but I haven't found a whole lot. I've made chinks but never any chaps. I did see a pair of woolies that were made with chap leather (no canvas) and I liked that idea, my husband would rather have leather than canvas he said. So I have chap leather and an angora hide we got from Sheridan Leather. And he'd like to have zippers so I have those too. I think I have about everything to start (hopefully).

I'm at a loss on how to make these so if anyone has any advice they'd be willing to share I would really really appreciate it. Do you start with a basic shotgun chap pattern and go from there? Do you glue whole angora hide down to each leg with barge or do you even glue them to the legs?

Thanks so much

[Dwight]

When I am making a pattern for chaps I've not done before, . . . I get my handy, dandy JoAnn Fabric coupon (presently either 40 or 50% off on one item, . . . one cut of material is one item) and I go back to the back where they have their heavy duty vinyl with the canvas back. It closely approximates about 2 oz leather in feel and function.

It's now around 20 bucks a yard, . . . and depending on your husband's size, . . . you'll need 1 1/2 to 3 yards. I'm 6 ft 1 inch and 185, . . . I make my size patterns out of 1 1/2 yards. That turns out usually to be about $15.

The coupons can be found on line, . . . and once you get signed up, . . . if you want, they'll put you on THE LIST and send em to you every now and then.

If I was making woolies, . . . I'd start with Bob at klendasaddlery, . . . I got his patterns for both Arizona styles, . . . and I would think the #33 might be OK, . . . he has another one that he does not show a pattern for, it's a #6503, . . . call him up and talk to him, . . . he's a super guy.

http://www.klendasaddlery.com/chaps.htm

May God bless,

Dwight

[oltoot]

Having made and used them over the years, I can share my experience or where I got to, I used bear hide or buffalo because the hide was strong and it had stories to go with it. I would use Angora similarly but differently as noted. Starting with a good fitting pair of shotguns and sitting in a saddle, I marked a vertical line on the chaps that in front, were just a seam thickness under the part of the leg that contacted the saddle and bore weight and in back same at top . Then the pattern from that would be two panels equal the leg. Remember to allow extra on each piece for whatever kind of overlap that you will be incorporating. I would make the Angora panel from lighter weight leather than I was using for the rest and pretty soft and a little stretchy would be best and glue Angora to this with Barges. Pattern the finished product to fit a little looser than you would if regular as the angora will get a little stiff with time. Shear the hair under belt pieces, etc right up to where seams will be then wet the remaining little bit and comb/brush it down flat to glue/sew pieces over/around it. Others have given you enough info on where to find a start. I really think that it would be worth the time and money that it would take to make a mockup out of linen or odl jeans if you can get your hands on enough of them. For me the time spent getting it right was well spent but in the end I decided that if it got cold enough to wear them that i would just stay in the pickup. (now, it's the house) Oh and whatever hair you use be sure that it is well tanned and odor free so that you can get on your horse and not get bucked off while wearing them cause cold ground is a whole lot harder than warm ground.

[Nathan Horn]

I know this post is old, but maybe somebody will catch this. I've been thinking about building a pair of woolies myself and from everything I've read, I feel like I have a pretty decent idea where to start. My big question comes down to the main bodies of your leggings. Is it an entire piece of leather like you would use for regular leggings with the backed woolies sewn over top of them or is it the wooly piece and the leather that would wrap around the inside of your leg sewn together at that joint? I think a picture of the backside a pair would answer my question the best, but I would love any piece of help somebody can provide. Thanks