Third-Year Journeyman: Leather Products III

Tailoring Tools

A trim knife is used to make difficult cuts in the leather.  Its blade is curved, making it harder to handle as it bites into the leather more.  The turned-down point also makes it ideal for getting into hard-to-reach places that a straight knife can't reach.  It is often used for cutting multiple strips on a single strap for braiding.  It should be sharpened regularly, but carefully so as not to lose the curve in the blade.

Tailoring Techniques

To add padding (wool) to leather garments, a pad stitch should be used.  Typically, on the side with the wool, the stitches will appear to be horizontal, resulting in diagonal stitches on the leather side.  If horizontal stitch patterns are desired on the leather, the pad stitch can be reversed; however, this will have a detrimental effect on the padding properties of the wool.  The pattern is accomplished by creating a vertical row of diagonal lines of stitching.  The bottom of the diagonal should be even with the top of the next diagonal below it.

Leather Choices

Ovine hide is used for making heavy coats.  The hide can be tanned in such a way that the wool remains on the hide, giving the coat natural padding and insulation.  Because ovine hide is rare, these are typically reserved for dragonriders, who have to fend off the chill of between.  However, Lord Holders or other wealthy Pernese may choose to purchase such coats.  High Reaches holders frequently save their Marks to ensure that they can afford to purchase these coats for their winters.

Tailoring - Fashion

With the spread into the Southern Continent and the end of Thread, leather fashion is trending more toward the heavy jackets for traveling between and small decorative items.  The need for warm leathers is declining because those who needed them for comfort now have the option to travel south for the cold months.  More clothing is being created in which only parts are leather, such as the palms of gloves rather than the entire glove, or just the shoulders of a jacket for someone who carries a pack or yoke.  Leather footwear remains popular as it can be used to make boots for travel or sandals for lounging.

Tailoring - Preparation

After selecting sheepskin hides for making into a jacket, it must be measured.  The leather grain should travel vertically along the front and back panels of the garment.  It should travel lengthwise down the sleeves.  Once the garment is measured, it cut into several pieces: back panels, front panels, sleeves, cuffs, hems, under-arm panels, and collar panels.

Tailoring - Practicum

Measuring Guide for Jackets
To be fitted for a jacket, I had to be measured in six places.  First, around the fullest part of my chest, which was 46 inches.  Second, around my waist at the navel, which was 42 inches.  Third, around my hips (about six inches below the waist measurement), which was 45 inches.  Fourth, across my shoulders (from point to point), which was 21 inches.  Fifth, down my back (from my neck to the the waist measurement), which was 18.75 inches.  And finally, my arm from my sternum, to the point of my shoulder, to the point of my elbow, to the outside wrist bone (standing with my fist at the hip measurement and arm bent accordingly), which was 32.5 inches.

This meant that the jacket measurements to fit around my torso had to be 21 inches across the shoulders, 54 inches at the chest, and 46 inches at the hem (the hem is based on the hip measurement).  To be long enough in the torso, it had to be 25 inches from the bottom of the collar to my waist, and to be long enough in the arms, the sleeves had to be 34 inches.