Leggings

[Ray of the Yankees]

I am trying to figure out how much leather I need to order to make a pair of leggings. I am going to order the leather online but dont know how much to order. Pant size would be 36 waist and 34 length for an idea of what size leggings I would need to make. I am thinking just the straight tube legging with some fringe. Any help would be much appreciated. Also any suggestions or tips would more than welcome.

 

[Black Hand]

Wrap some material around your leg, measure the dimension needed, double the amount and add extra. Should give you an idea. On average, it will take one medium-sized deerskin per leg.

 

[SgtErv]

Check out my post on the second page, "Tips on Making Buckskin Leggings" - pretty informative.

An old pair of pants will get you in the ballpark measurement wise. Cut at the seam and wrap around snugly securing them with pins.

I forget the dimensions I ended up with but I believe it's in that old post

 

[nwtradegun]

http://www.nativetech.org/seminole/leggings/buckskin.php

 

[ohio ramrod]

To make leggings I use an old pair of loose fitting jeans. Cut off the leg to desired length then take out the seam for the pattern. Sort of reverse engineering. :idunno:

 

[ohio ramrod]

To make leggings I use an old pair of loose fitting jeans. Cut off the leg to desired length then take out the seam for the pattern. Sort of reverse engineering. :idunno:

 

[Mickc01]

To make leggings I use an old pair of loose fitting jeans. Cut off the leg to desired length then take out the seam for the pattern. Sort of reverse engineering. :idunno:

Genius!!! :hatsoff:

 

[Black Hand]

The issue is that leggings are not supposed to fit like loose jeans. Use a modern item for a pattern and you get a modern item made from period materials...

 

[LRB]

The issue is that leggings are not supposed to fit like loose jeans. Use a modern item for a pattern and you get a modern item made from period materials...

Exactly. Leggings should be close to form fitted. Not necessarily skin hugging tight, but certainly not loose and floppy. One modern way to fit them is to wrap around the leg oversized, and have someone staple them together like you want them to fit, sew them up and remove the staples, then trim the flaps.

 

[Brokennock]

Are there any HC patterns that get closed after putting them on? For someone just starting out on a limited budget, a thigh length shirt and a pair of leggings just higher than the knee, might hide a pair of trousers for those who haven't made the jump to britches or a clout. But, properly tight leggings would be very difficult to put on over painters pants or tan jeans.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Don't over complicate leggings, while you do need to be very mindful of their styling, approximately 10sqft. of hide will make one legging and leave you enough for other various small projects. The above advice is good information about fitment.

If your wanting Eastern Native styling, no fringe as it gets tangled and caught on heavy brush. Plains style, have at the fringe.

For the length they should not extend anymore than a handwidth above the knee and cutoff at the ankle. Keep in mind they are not pants.

Here's a picture of me in mine, cut Above the knee right were my shirt has my leg covered, also cut at the ankles. Side seam is also approximately 1/2". Each was made from one 8sqft. piece of hide.

If you have hesitations on wearing them correctly, get yourself a good pair of period linen pants and botas? I believe they are called? I apologize as clothing outside of native wear isn't my specialty.

 

[tenngun]

A rose by any other name. Botas are a Mexican adaptation of the same idea. The iceman was wearing leggings 6000 years ago or so. Gaiters and half gaiters are British American adaption of the same idea. Doing laundry was hard work and clothing expensive to replace. Smocks,aprons, and gaiters saved a lot of time cleaning and wealth replacing.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Yes gaiters! That's it, I couldn't think of the other name. If my memory is right, gaiters only cover the lower leg correct?

 

[tenngun]

Yes gaiters! That's it, I couldn't think of the other name. If my memory is right, gaiters only cover the lower leg correct?

There were half gaiter, about middle calf and full gaiters that were about mid thigh, hitting at about the top of the thigh/cuff buttons on breaches.

 

[Crewdawg445]

So mid thigh, wouldn't that just be considered a form of chaps more or less?

 

[SgtErv]

Some British Army gaiters reached up there fairly far. They were made of painted or plain canvas. The period images look like they're wearing hip waders with buttons.

Joseph Doddridge wrote that towards the 1780s the English and Scotch-Irish settlers in western Virginia and Pennsylvania were wearing their leggings a bit longer, mid-thigh, to cover more leg when wearing breechclouts.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Colonists always changing things! :grin:

 

[tenngun]

Another rose, by anothe name. 'Chaps' is a coruption of a Spanish word for them. Picked up in Texas and New Mexico, along with rodeo,lareite ect. Same idea, protect the clothing underneath. Chaps pull on like pants, just no croch.
Izzi the iceman was wearing leggings. I expect some bright had the same idea. Tie them together to a ready belt and pull them both on almost at once. Puff trouser are invented.

 

[Ranger1759]

Just cut an old pair of Jean to use as a pattern......simple as that....cut them high on the thigh and them split them down the seam....lay out on your leather and trace around them...use the cut off leather to the fringe....just sew a piece in when you sew the seam and cut into fringe....

 

[tenngun]

That works for western, eastern tended to fit tighter, and fringe wasn't as common. Seams often in the front.