Purple chaps

[Mulesaw]

I helped my daughter make a set of chaps. 

We used the old Tandy free pattern to make a set of shotgun chaps. The leather was something I bought at a sale without a distinct use in mind. 
The patterns was pretty easy to follow, and she wears the chaps on a regular basis as a regular garment (fashion).

We made the yokes out of the same leather ad the rest of the chaps, Laura liked that they matched, but I think that for the next pair of chaps I'll try to make the yokes stand out a bit more.

All the sewing was done on my old patcher.

Laura posing with her chaps.

Me trying to figure out the plans.

A temporary break caused by a newfoundland on the leather and a labradoodle puppy being provocative.

As soon as the dogs left - the work could continue.. 

[Dwight]

Don't be bashful about dressing them up . . . 

This was my pair up until I quit riding.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Dwight]

And if you really want to go for it . . . 

Take a look at these . . . 

May God bless, 

Dwight

[jrdunn]

Mulesaw, Something I have done for just a little "contrast" is make the yoke flesh side out (assuming the color is struck through).  Most of my chaps and my customer's are generally bling free as the are usually working chaps.  One more idea particularly on the Tandy pattern, most people need the inseam higher. On some people, especially "low waisted ladies", the crotch area hangs halfway to the knee.  It is a small thing but makes a big difference on a "custom" look versus "off the shelf".  One other pointer, if you can orient your pattern so the outside of the leg runs along the back, it will usually make the most noticable part of the chap more consistent in appearance and stretch with less wrinkles.  The other edge goes behind the outside and is less visible.  Good work.  JM2C,  Jim

Edited March 7, 2022 by jrdunn

[Mulesaw]

@Dwight I can see that I shouldn't be afraid of adding a bit of ornamentation. But us Scandinavians are a bit afraid of things that stand out. That is also why Scandinavian furniture look so much like Shaker furniture. 

The good thing is that my daughter has received so many compliments from people when she has been wearing the chaps that she just might be willing to make a set with a bit more bling the next time. 
Your chaps look really good I think!

 

[Mulesaw]

@jrdunn  Hi Jim
Thanks for the good suggestions. I have to admit that besides it is the first pair of chaps I have made, it is also the first pair of chaps I have seen except on films, It seems as no one over here uses chaps for riding. So I just followed the Tandy pattern blindly.

Turning the flesh side out on the yoke makes a lot of sense, it will stand out just  a bit more without too much bling effect. It is actually one of the things I regret most about the chaps. Since the shape of the yoke is kind of dramatic with lots of curves and points etc. But no one gets to see it because it just blends in with the rest of the chaps.

I also see what you mean about the inseam.  I purchased the Tandy rodeo chap pack, so I'll try to see if they need to be made higher in the inseam too, or if it is just this free pattern that needs it.

I never thought about orienting the pattern the other way. I was just trying get as little waste as possible. Which was kind of not needed as the leather was  bought at a sale, and I think I paid like 15$ for the piece. I have to admit that I would much rather have had wrinkle free legs instead of saved 2$ worth of leather that I probably won't need anyway. 

This is further proof of how good this community is! Sound advice from all who chimes in. 

Brgds

Jonas

[chuck123wapati]

those came out really nice indeed. I'm more of a plain dresser myself.   I love those dogs, i have had four labs in my day they will always be in my heart.

[Mulesaw]

4 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

those came out really nice indeed. I'm more of a plain dresser myself.   I love those dogs, i have had four labs in my day they will always be in my heart.

Thanks, I have never tried to wear chaps, I am a bibbed overall type, and that works for me (no need to change something that works just fine)

I love dogs too, there is just so much personality in them, and who am I to say that they can't lay down on the leather? 
Our youngest son said some really wise words a couple of years back when our old Newfoundland passed away, and we were getting a new puppy. I think he was maybe 10 or 11 at that time. He said something along the lines of that since we outlive our dogs we could choose which dogs we wanted to get. But a dog doesn't have that possibility, it only gets one chance of a family, so we are obliged to make sure that the dog has as good a family as possible, since it can't call quits and go to another family to see if it is any better. 

I have often thought that it was really deep for a kid that age, and true too. So I do my best to make sure that the dogs will have as good a life as possible.

 

[TomE]

18 hours ago, Mulesaw said:

I helped my daughter make a set of chaps. 

Turned out great! Maybe a farrier's apron is in your future?

[jrdunn]

6 hours ago, Mulesaw said:

He said something along the lines of that since we outlive our dogs we could choose which dogs we wanted to get. But a dog doesn't have that possibility, it only gets one chance of a family, so we are obliged to make sure that the dog has as good a family as possible, since it can't call quits and go to another family to see if it is any better. 

Wise words indeed, no matter your age.

I'm no against "bling".  It just doesn't suit me.  I'm kinda plain.  I think the pictures Dwight posted are rodeo chaps.  They are intended to get your(and the judges') attention at a distance of 30 to 100 yards, or meters for the more enlightened.  That much decoration may seem a little overwhelming up close.  JM2C

Your daughter may be starting a new trend!  More power to her.

Sprinfield Leather did a 3 part Youtube video about making chaps.  It really is pretty good.  I don't think they addressed the inseam/outseam issue but I'm not sure.  Just measure the outseam( the distance from where you want the top of the yoke(usually just below the jeans belt area) to how low you want them to hang. Many people like them to drag the floor.).  Then measure the inseam(crotch to the same place. floor?)  The difference is the "rise".  I usually make the rise 1"-2" more than the difference.  You don't want it to bind up when walking, squatting or sitting.  I usually let the person being fitted hold the crotch end of the tape.  That way no one gets the wrong idea, especially my wife!  SLC addresses fitting the thigh and knee areas pretty well in their videos.  I apologize for the length and hope I didn't "overexplain" too much.  Here is a link:

 

[Mulesaw]

5 hours ago, TomE said:

Turned out great! Maybe a farrier's apron is in your future?

Thanks

I have actually thought about just that, but our farriers (husband and wife) already have aprons. But I guess I could ask them if they needed a new one :-) 

 

[Mulesaw]

@jrdunn

Jim, I really appreciate all the help I can get, so all the explaining that you do is more than welcome!

The odds of meeting someone wearing working chaps in Denmark are kind of like that chances of meeting a dotted zebra. So it is all new territory to me. Laura (our daughter) has expressed an interest in making a set of batwing chaps also, and they'll probably be with tassels/fringes, but I don't think that she'll go full rodeo style. Though they sure do catch your eye.

We will definitely try to do the custom measurement next time, since that was actually not super well described in the Tandy pattern. And also we had to shorten the back belt up quite a bit to be able to fit the chaps on her. 
I would love to see the video, but I'm at work now and our Internet connection is really not very good. So watching a video is out of the question. Some days just accessing your email account is also a struggle. I work on a ship, so our connection depends on where in the world we are and how many people need to use the net. We all share the same net, so streaming or video watching messes it all up for everyone else.  Here's a link to the company and the ship https://lehmkuhl.no/ It's a Norwegian tall ship, so we are not as well equipped with satellite discs and receivers as many modern ships. 

Brgds

Jonas

[Dwight]

Mmmm . . . I'd love to get on that ship say in New York . . . sail around to New Orleans or so . . . spent 4 1/2 years in the US Navy . . . and didn't get even a glance at anything with a sail on it.

Much to my displeasure . . . always thought I'd a made a great sailor 150 years ago.

Anyway . . . thanks for the link . . . it was fun to look at.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Mulesaw]

8 minutes ago, Dwight said:

Mmmm . . . I'd love to get on that ship say in New York . . . sail around to New Orleans or so . . . spent 4 1/2 years in the US Navy . . . and didn't get even a glance at anything with a sail on it.

Much to my displeasure . . . always thought I'd a made a great sailor 150 years ago.

Anyway . . . thanks for the link . . . it was fun to look at.

May God bless,

Dwight

Hi Dwight

Well it sure is the prettiest ship that I have been working on so far :-)

Right now we are doing a world circumnavigation, and I hate to admit it but Covid has made it a different experience as we had all expected. Normally we arrange "open ship" in all the ports we visit, so people can come on board free of charge and have a look at the ship but due to the pandemic we aren't allowed to do that. And likewise in some ports we aren't allowed to go ashore. 

It is a pity since most of the ports we visit will be a once in a lifetime visits. But we just have to get the best out of it as it is. 
At the moment we are en route from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to Punta Arenas in Chile. 
From Punta Arenas the route is round Cape Horn to Ushuaia in Argentina. And then we change the crew so I get to go home for a well deserved holiday :-)

Next trip for me will be from Valparaiso to Tahiti, which is also a trip that I am looking forward to. 

It is interesting that you mention the US Navy, at the moment we are sailing with cadets from the Norwegian Navy. they charter our ship for 3 months every year for the cadets to learn basic seamanship and leadership at the same time. A sailing ship is a perfect instrument for learning that no matter how tough you are - the Sea is still stronger, so you need to learn how to work with it, because you can't really beat it. And it is also a great place to learn to lead others and that cooperation is needed if you want to go anywhere. 

Brgds

Jonas
 

 

[jrdunn]

The ship is very interesting.  I have noticed you talking about being onboard a ship but had no idea. 

Maybe you can watch the SLC videos when you are home.  Your daughter might even watch them too.  I sewed the zippers on my first pair with my wife's domestic machine and hand stitched a poorly tooled(by me) yoke on.  I really had no idea how bad I was back then.  I was self taught(uneducated).  I've sewn some on a singer tailoring machine, bottom feed only.  The stitch length was all over the place.  When I got my Singer 29K71 patcher, I thought it was great.  I now have a JUKI 562 triple feed.  The stitch length is very consistent.  It may be an ideal machine for this type of work.  I have made working chaps and motorcycle chaps.  I think many times both of those end up being worn for "fashion" puposes or just being seen in them.  Your daughter might be interested in "equitation chaps", they are more fitted.  Possibly "chinks", a shorter(slightly longer than knee length) version of the batwing that usually have fringe and at least some moderate decoration.

A tooled yoke does look good, though.  Suede used to be used on the leggings for a less expensive option.  Now, it seems like suede is just as expensive as top grain.  It still looks good but for the same price, I'd go with top grain.  It is stronger although It may not drape as well.

[TomE]

3 hours ago, Mulesaw said:

Thanks

I have actually thought about just that, but our farriers (husband and wife) already have aprons. But I guess I could ask them if they needed a new one :-) 

 

Maybe you need an apron for yourself!  Saw this pattern pack https://leathercraftersjournal.com/product/farrier-apron-pattern-pack/ and am thinking about making a new apron.  I've rasped through the stitching twice on my current apron and it's looking tattered after 12 yrs.  Also, a DVD on chap making https://leathercraftersjournal.com/product/chaps-dusty-johnson/.

[Mulesaw]

@jrdunn
I already sent an email to my daughter suggesting her to look at this thread, so I'm pretty sure that she'll have watched the videos before I get home. :-)

I would love to make either working chaps or motorcycle chaps, but hardly anyone uses working chaps, and not many uses chaps for motorcycle riding either. there are some that use equestrian chaps that have some elastic leather on the back, but they fit more like pants. 
So I guess my best bet is to help my daughter make some and hope that some of her friends will want to buy a pair. Or I could try to approach the line dance community or the western riding community and see if anyone there are interested in having a set of chaps made. 
I have thought about bringing some yokes with me to sea, since I could tool them out here. And they don't take up much space in the bag when I travel to and from the ship.

Brgds Jonas

22 hours ago, TomE said:

Maybe you need an apron for yourself!  Saw this pattern pack https://leathercraftersjournal.com/product/farrier-apron-pattern-pack/ and am thinking about making a new apron.  I've rasped through the stitching twice on my current apron and it's looking tattered after 12 yrs.  Also, a DVD on chap making https://leathercraftersjournal.com/product/chaps-dusty-johnson/.

I have to say that that apron looks really neat. 

I guess that asking them if they needed a new apron couldn't hurt. :-)