Southern New England moccasins?

[rabjr]

I'm looking for patterns for Moccasins that were worn here by the Eastern Tribes, particularly, high top or knee high moccasins if such a thing was worn here. Any info is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Celt5494]

Take a look at Yatahai.com she made a really nice elkskin shirt and high top mocs for me. Really easy to deal with. Hope it helps....

 

[John Wasmuth]

I'm looking for patterns for Moccasins that were worn here by the Eastern Tribes, particularly, high top or knee high moccasins if such a thing was worn here. Any info is appreciated.

Thanks!

Swampy, as far as I know there is no such animal as a knee high eastern native moccasin. from the area you describe. Tallest ones from the east where Creek, Mikasuki, Seminole types and they went about just above the ankle, wrap around style. You could modify these to make them taller, not the most hc correct but would work. http://www.southernindiandept.org/mocpattern.htm
Hope that helps you my friend.

 

[rabjr]

Well shoot, I figured with our winters there must have been a high Moccasin worn here.. I can't wear hunting boots anymore and thought maybe I could go this route.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Well swampy, why not make a set out of sheep skin and add the upper as a legging from the knee down?
Kinda like this:

You can make the basic foot using a side seam pattern

The upper is just measured around the opening at the top of the basic foot and then around the leg just below the knee. Kinda like a stove pipe and then just whip stitched together.
If you mink oiled them they should stay pretty dry and the sheeps wool will keep your feet and legs warm even if it kets wet.

 

[John Wasmuth]

From what I have learned is that the winter mocs were made with the deer hair still on the skin and turned inward so they are inside out from what the deer wears them. Then they would hair on tan deer skins and make the leggings so the hair was on the inside as well. I am told that these would last one season if worn full time. I am suggesting sheep plivers because they can be found fairly inexpensive and are chromium tanned for the most part and will not shrivel up if they do get wet, plus the wool is warmer. I hope that this will help.

 

[rabjr]

:hmm: Thats kinda what I was hoping for. Could you send me the pattern for that in email, or post here? Thanks Micanopy! :thumbsup:

 

[John Wasmuth]

I'll try to post my tutorial from another site, hope that is ok with the booshways here.

 

[rabjr]

Yeah, I helped a cute little gal who was from one of the western tribes, I can't remember which now, making Moccasins to sell here 30 years ago. I wouldn't know now how to go about it without a refresher course lol.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Ok, well that didnt work. If you look at the picture from my other reply you have the pattern for the basic foot. You'll have to modify the measurements to compensate for the thickness of the wool, you can do this by wearing several pairs of socks when you trace your foot onto the paper, I use manila folders. Place your foot about 1/2 inch away from the fold. Trace around the foot adding the same until you get to the outside edge of your foot and then draw the line straight back to the edge of the folder. When you cut the leather leave at least an inch and a half for the heal, remember the sheeps wool is thick so you have to compensate for that.
Basic foot pattern from manila folder

Leather cut out.

whip stitch seam

basic foot complete, seam is on the outside edge of your foot.

Add the stove pipe. Once the basic foot is complete and the heal is stitched up put the moc on your foot and then measure around the opening.
Then lay out your hide, decide how tall you want them and mark your first measurement. Then measure around the thickest part of your calf. That will be the opening at the top of the boot. Double check all your numbers and then mark the hide and cut it out. I always stitch the bottom of the stove pipe to the foot first and then make any adjustments needed there. Once that is done then whip stitch the back edge of the stove pipe to the top and yer done.

I hope that helps you swampy and if I can answer anything else please let me know. Some times my instructions come out about as clear as mud! :rotf:
Oh, one last thing, when you are fitting them to your foot; place your foot inside the moc as far forward as it goes, remember, you cut down the center of the moc leaving about 4 inches from the toe intact. With your foot in the moc snugly but not to tight, pinch the heal together until they touch and mark both sides with a pencil or chalk, dont use pen as it leaves a line, and that is where you'll trim the moc so you can sew up the heal. :thumbsup:

 

[rabjr]

Thanks Micanopy, I'll print this out. I gotta see about getting a hide now before I can do anything else. :thumbsup:

 

[John Wasmuth]

Yer more than welcome my friend. :hatsoff:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Check places that sell sheepskins as covers for car seats. They tend to be cheaper than other sources, because its a volume business. The skins are already tanned, and you just have to put them to a new use. Understand that all that fur will be warm, but you will want to make the moccasin Wider for your foot to fit in there with all that wool. Wool can't be crushed, or you drive all the air out of it, and it loses its warmth.

The first time you put them on, you will feel like you are wearing your father's boot- not our own. But, you will get used to them in the cold.

The warmest boots I have worn in the past 20 years were some cheap rubber bottoms with nylon uppers, that had felt liner inserts in them, that kept the feet warm. I think I found them at K-mart for less then $30.00. Only double wool socks, with a synthetic sock against the skin, in waders have kept me warmer, than those wool liners did. :thumbsup:

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

Swampy, if your search does turn up more info on moccasin styles worn by the tribes that were native to Southern New England, please do share what you learn with the Forum. I have several books on mocs styles and patterns but Southern New England is one area I've never found much information about.

 

[rabjr]

Paul, I have a pair of U.S Army Mukluks which are canvas with a felt liner that I figured I would start using but I got to thinking that if I try to dress the part, it will look funny wearing modern boots. So naturally I thought of a knee high Moccasin I could line with something, would work. I didn't give sheep skin a thought until Micanopy mentioned it. That should work fine and give me something to do here as I'm going crazy atm. Having a project will help pass the time.

 

[rabjr]

Muskeg Stomper, I'll be happy to but I haven't found anything myself. There was a couple of Eastern Indian sites I once had book marked a few years ago that showcased the bead work mostly of these tribes. Wish I could find them again and look at the Moccasin types..

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

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I suspect that you are talking about the grey-green canvas mukluks with rubber soles.

The photo that I have posted is a pair of my older style military Survival Moccasins that used to be included in avaitor survival kits. With a little modification, these look pretty good for period wear. They use the same wool bootie liners as the later style military mukluks. By the way, the black rubber sole material that you see on mine was Sole Saver that I put on. The bottoms really are all leather.

A cheaper way to go working with Paul's suggestion of sheepskin seat covers is old sheepskin coats from thrift stores. Just a thought if you can find one.

 

[rabjr]

Yeah, there is an Airforce one thats a lighter color, the Army ones like what I have are Olive drab. I like them because they are light weight and easy for me to get on and off. But if I'm sitting there wearing a period hat, coat getting ready to take a pic with the huge deer I just shot with my flinter :wink: , it kinda ruins the moment showing me wearing mukluks. :haha: If I can sit here and make practical foot wear closer to period correct, then I gotta try.

 

[BillinOregon]

Swampy: PM incoming!

 

[rabjr]

I think I may have figured this out. :hmm:

I can make a pair of Eastern Mocc's that are lined with an extention up the calf like what Micanopy shows, I can then attach a canvas wrap around the calfs covering the extended leather above the Mocc's. I may split them down the middle of the back where no one will see, to help getting them on and off. I could put buttons on them to hold them together when on. From the front they would look like real Mocc's with a canvas wrap above them just like Longhunters wore. :hmm: