Leggings

[Black Hand]

Seams often in the front.

All the leggings (Eastern and Western) I've seen had the seam on the side. Any documentation/extant pieces with the a center seam that you could provide?

 

[tenngun]

Never seen it with cloth. Saw it in older drawings of skin. First came across it when talking to Pat Tearney many years ago, I think he was still in California at the time. I though that just seems an odd way to do it. How ever there is no counting for style.
Center seam leggings were made without any sort of decrotive flap. Pat had told me that he felt the makers were the men wearing them. Pulling them together and tieing or basting as they went.
Pat's chapters in the 'Book of buckskinning" vol 1 or 2 had instuctions for this sort

 

[LRB]

I cannot give hard documentation, but have seen a few references to the Creeks wearing center seam leggings, but no others that I recall. By far, white or Indian, the most common style would be side seam with short flaps, short fringe, or just a clean seam.

 

[George]

This drawing of Cherokees visiting London in 1762 seems to show them in center seams.





Spence

 

[Black Hand]

If you look at the legging seams, they run down the side of the leg.

The moccasins, on the other hand, are definitely center-seams.

 

[LRB]

Yes Black Hand, that's what I see also, and too me, it appears that two of them may even be two piece.

 

[George]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I was convinced enough that I made mine in the center seam style.



Spence

 

[George]

Pat's instructions for center seam leggings are in BoB 2. He says Iroquois and Chippewa used them, and maybe several other tribes.

Spence

 

[Crewdawg445]

Good stuff spence! :thumbsup:

 

[Black Hand]

Yes Black Hand, that's what I see also, and too me, it appears that two of them may even be two piece.

I agree - the front piece appears to be made of a different material with no evidence of a center seam.

I will limit myself to side-seam leggings, as there is ample documentation.

 

[tenngun]

Tearny also referenced them with the Fox in 1760s. I don't think they were mixed with the Sauk yet. ( well in to my 20s I thought it was one word 'Soccenfox' :haha: ).

 

[Black Hand]

Could you provide the complete source? Thanks.

 

[tenngun]

Sadly no, would like to but just stuff I've seen. Like the above drawing could be just inturpation. I see a center seam others see a side seam with decoration in the front :idunno: ...Gentleman place your bets.

 

[MC One Shot]

Could it possibly be a sewn in ribbon or colorful stitching?

 

[tenngun]

Well you can't go wrong if you put them on the side. How ever, I will stand by my first point that eastern leggings fit fairly tight, and cutting the leg out of jeans for a pattern might not give you the right fit.
Your best way is to stand and have some one wrap materal around your leg and tie at points.
You don't want to invest in brain tanned Levi legs.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

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...

Agreed

I've made a couple of pair. First was out of some thin ox leather and second pair was deerskin.

I made mine:
Ӣ by wrapping the deerskin around my leg with my breeches and socks on and marked where to cut for length.

Ӣ After cutting to length, I wrapped them around my legs again and had my wife use her large straight pins to pin them close and hold them in place.

Ӣ Then I took them off and cut them leaving a 2" overlap away from the pins.

Ӣ Next just sewed them up where the pins were, taking the pins away as I got to them.

Result was close fitting leggings with the 2" flap (not fringe) that was common. First set I cut a thin fringe in and then found out that would be extremely unusual during the time period. So I had to make more. :shocked2: :redface: :redface:

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan