Leather shirt

[Pablo27]

Wanting to make a shirt out of Deerskin, or maybe calf or lamb.  Any experience in this area?  Looking for anything I need to know, like experience in stitching, seams, stretch, etc.  Any help or advice would be appreciated and is much needed.

 

Paul

[immiketoo]

I would suggest you find a pattern specifically for leather clothing if possible.  The reason is that you need to account for the thickness of the leather compared to cloth.  While deer skin is pretty thin, it still has a lot more bulk than cloth so for example, sleeves that fit in a cloth pattern would likely be too tight with leather.  It's the same as measuring a belt.  The thicker the leather, the longer the belt needs to be to compensate for the thickness.  Hope this puts you on the right path.

[Aven]

Sewing With Leather is all about sewing garments.  Tandy has the paper version and an ebook version.

If you need a pattern look for Missouri River Mountain Man patterns.  There are a couple on ebay now.

[Sheilajeanne]

Funny, if there is someone on this website who sews leather garments, I have yet to meet them!  

Sorry we can't be of more help. But I'm sure there's got to be a website out there somewhere where people who do that hang out!

In the meantime, Tandy is almost always a good starting place for newbies.

[kiwican]

Leather wytch is a member here. She makes those shirts. Haven't seen her post in a while tho

[JD62]

these are nice patterns https://www.springfieldleather.com/Pattern-Frontiersman-Shirt   

There are several if you check all the pages.

                                        

[Pablo27]

Actually what I am trying to make is a Halter top for a lady friend of mine so I have no pattern, just measurements.  My plan is to first draw the pattern on paper, then make it out of cloth, then actually make the deer skin one.  Does that sound like the right process? I don't quite understand where/when  I need to allow for the thickness?  Could someone break that down a little more please.  Thanks for all the reply's.

 

Paul

[Scoutmom103]

You may want to attach some batting or an other  Pellon  product to the cloth so it approximates the thickness and the flexibility of the deerskin.   Pellon products and other batting is sold at Jo-Ann Fabrics.   (some products are sew to the material only, and others are fusible with the fabric)

[Dwight]

I have made chaps and several vests, . . . 

I go to JoAnn fabrics and in the back of the store (both of them where I live) they have a cloth backed vinyl product that will sell for something in the $20 a yard price.  

I think (am not certain) it is called marine vinyl, . . . I do know it is tough as nails, . . . about the same as your deer skin in thickness, . . . and approximates leather very good for patterns.  One yard for you will be a piece 36 inches wide and 45 inches long.

For your shirt, . . . be sure to line it with a substantial but none the less silky feeling material, . . . so it slips on and off easily and will move around on the person without hanging up and looking wrinkled.  I'm not sure what you call it . . . I know what it is when I buy it for my vests.  

I make the vest, . . . then use it for the pattern for the lining, . . .

I then turn both inside out, . . . and apply a very light coating of contact cement to the edges about 3/16 of an inch wide.  I then sew them together around the edges (except the bottom) turn them right side out, . . . go around the edge again about an 1/8 of an inch in from the edge, . . . then fold the bottom under, . . . and sew it together from the outside.

When I make my deerskin shirt, . . .I will use a very similar process.  I want one very similar to the one Roy Orbison used to wear on stage.  Similar to the enclosed picture.

May God bless,

Dwight