Making your own breeches - has anyone done this successfully?

[SnicklefritzG]

Has anyone made their own breeches successfully, or taken a pattern or design to a tailor and had them made for them?

I contacted Ovation about the Euroweave Side Zip breech and they confirmed that it has been discontinued. They have another side zip breech, but it is available in only one color.

I haven’t found anything else that fits quite like the Euroweave side zip breech and am considering taking one of my current pair to a tailor to see if they can make it. Even if it costs a bit more than the normal price, I would be ok with it since I haven’t found anything else I like. Either the breech is too long, and I have to fold up the ankle (or have a tailor cut it down), or it fits in the waist but not the bum/leg or the other way around.

For anyone who has tried this, were you able to find suitable fabric?

[GraceLikeRain]

Following with interest.

[RockstarPony]

I haven’t actually made my own breeches, but I’ve done some research on the materials & pattern making in the past. I’ll post what I know; hopefully it’ll be enough to get you in touch with the right people if you can’t find someone on COTH!

SuitAbility Patterns isn’t selling directly anymore, but they used to be the main source of equestrian-related sewing patterns. If you or your tailor prefers to work from an actual pattern instead of just trying to trace your Ovations, SuitAbility’s breech pattern might be a useful reference. They might also have some advice about finding fabric or parts if you get in touch with the owners.

Jalie makes patterns for a bunch of sports, but they did recently release a pattern for “running tights” that’s based on full seat/euro seat breeches. I know they work with a lot of bloggers to promote their patterns, so they might have contact info for someone who’s making their own breeches? They’re also the go-to people for stretch fabric based patterns, so they might be helpful if you have questions about how to put everything together.

As far as fabric - I think the biggest issue is that the style and material of breeches has changed so much in the past ten years. The “equestrian” section of a technical fabric store might have everything from old-school cotton knit to a nylon knit like Irideon to a stretch woven soft-shell type fabric. I get the impression that the breech manufacturers are changing their materials every other week & it’s taking a while for the online by-the-yard stores to start trickling down some of those materials.

Anyways, fabric sources:

• I’m guessing that EuroWeave is a stretch woven; Rockywoods probably has the best selection - on their website under Durable Stretch Wovens. They also have some weird technical spandex fabrics that might be worth looking at. I would honestly just order a big stack of samples and see what feels right to you before you actually buy your material; sometimes they turn out to be totally different from the website descriptions.

• Seattle Fabrics has an equestrian fabric section but it’s mostly stretch knits; they also carry SuitAbility patterns, but not the women’s breeches pattern for some reason? I’ve ordered samples from them before but I can’t remember if there was anything in there that would work for breeches.

• Spandex World has some stretch suede that might work for knee patches, and probably the widest variety of types/weights of stretch knits (also great if you want holographic spandex glitter breeches, which, I mean, who wouldn’t).

Hope some of that is helpful! I think it’s doable, but it might take a while to sort out all of the materials and parts.

[soloudinhere]

I cannot imagine that between the pattern making and the tailoring plus materials that this venture would not cost you several hundred dollars per pair.

If you can’t do the sewing yourself, you’re looking at quite a bit of time to get someone to do this for you.

It’s unlikely to be a “little bit more” than the $80 per pair retail price. That’s the nature of custom clothing.

[SnicklefritzG]

@rockstarpony: thanks for all the detailed info. This is great! I have a lot of family members who sew and who make their own clothes so if I can find a suitable pattern and fabric it would be more economical compared with sending it out to s tailor

[poltroon]

It always seemed like getting one’s hands on the right fabrics was the hardest part of this adventure - thanks RockstarPony for shedding some insight here.

(also great if you want holographic spandex glitter breeches, which, I mean, who wouldn’t)

:lol:

[red_mares]

[QUOTE=RockstarPony;8996001]

• Spandex World has some stretch suede that might work for knee patches, and probably the widest variety of types/weights of stretch knits (also great if you want holographic spandex glitter breeches, which, I mean, who wouldn’t).[/QUOTE]

I was in their store last fall. It is almost beyond words. Eye candy are the words that do come to mind. OMG. Definitely not Joann Fabrics.:lol:

[dynamite0319]

I’ve made a few pairs of my own breeches as well as a couple hunt coats. The SuitAbility patterns are great and they came out with a low-rise breeches pattern a few years ago. Some of the fabric sources RockstarPony listed sell the patterns and you can sometimes find them on Etsy or Ebay. I was able to get some Scholler fabric a couple years ago, but haven’t gotten around to using it just yet. It is the higher content cotton weave, before they added more polyamide to the fabric making it easier to clean.
The Rain Shed is another good place to find fabric.
Making breeches is pretty easy with a good pattern. Finding fabric is by far the hardest part! If you have family who sew you will be fine. Plus it’s fun and gratifying. My Mom made ALL my show clothes when I was showing as a youth in AQHA. Hunt coats, shirts, breeches, chaps, horsemanship and showmanship shirts, pants. Everything. Once you make a pair that fit well, you can churn out a few more pairs pretty easily.
Good luck!

[vxf111]

RockstarPony you ARE a rock star! Thanks!!!

[MIKES_MCS]

Before you go through all this have you tried RHC micro fiber breeches
http://rhcequestrian.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=18_46_61&product_id=215

[Foxglove6]

As someone who sews and wears breeches, I would never do this. But I also do not work with knits or stretch fabric and I think the best breeches and riding pants are of those fabrics.

Make sure to talk to your sewing family members. There are some technical skills that they will need in order to make this project easy on them. Someone who makes a few cotton bags or skirts is not necessarily the same person who can set a zipper, serge a stretch knit (the worst of both possible worlds to me), and fit a good waist band.

[MIKES_MCS]

I agree with foxglove6, it probably takes 4 different machines to make a pair of breeches correctly . I would contact Custom Riding Apparel to see if they could make your breeches the way you want before attempting to make them myself

[Scribbler]

I never sewed anything much after Grade 8 Home Economics class, though I have a little sewing machine. My mother sewed, though, and made lots of our clothes, and hers, through the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Foxglove is right to say that sewing stretch fabric is a whole other thing, and something that a traditional sewing machine can’t handle well. However, I know that you can now buy sergers to sew stretch material at home.

My limited experience with sewing, and with wearing hand-made clothes, is that fit is a huge thing. You basically don’t know how a pattern will fit or hang on you until after you have the thing sewn up, and by then it is impossible to make anything but minor alterations.

I would suggest having your sewing person run you up a pair in very cheap stretch material, just T-shirt material, for fit: no zipper, just pin it shut. Maybe with extra-deep seams so you can alter more easily. Then once you have the fit perfected, you can transfer the alterations to the pattern and cut into your high-priced tech fabric. A more substantial fabric will of course alter the feel and give of the garment, so take that into account. Once you have the pattern sized, your sewing person can run you up multiple copies.

[digihorse]

The fabric that has been used forever, and was favoured by Schumacher: Schoeller Stretch Woven Dwr You can find suppliers by Googling.

[Fillabeana]

Well, my mom made my breeches, genuine suede knee patches and white stretch fabric, in ooooh maybe 1981 when I weighed 50 pounds and had no curves.

Mom wasn’t an experienced seamstress but I don’t recall seeing her have a hard time with the breeches…I do remember crying frustration with some other sewing project, though.
She had a pretty nice sewing machine for the day, but nothing over the top specialized.

So I think that if you have someone who’s actually GOOD at it, that would enjoy doing this project with you…try it!

And whoever starts the Holographic Spandex Glitter Breeches pattern, I want two pairs, please.

[Knubbsy]

[QUOTE=RockstarPony;8996001]

Anyways, fabric sources:

• I’m guessing that EuroWeave is a stretch woven; Rockywoods probably has the best selection - on their website under Durable Stretch Wovens. They also have some weird technical spandex fabrics that might be worth looking at. I would honestly just order a big stack of samples and see what feels right to you before you actually buy your material; sometimes they turn out to be totally different from the website descriptions.

• Seattle Fabrics has an equestrian fabric section but it’s mostly stretch knits; they also carry SuitAbility patterns, but not the women’s breeches pattern for some reason? I’ve ordered samples from them before but I can’t remember if there was anything in there that would work for breeches.

• Spandex World has some stretch suede that might work for knee patches, and probably the widest variety of types/weights of stretch knits (also great if you want holographic spandex glitter breeches, which, I mean, who wouldn’t).

Hope some of that is helpful! I think it’s doable, but it might take a while to sort out all of the materials and parts.[/QUOTE]

Rockywoods is having a sale right now, I’ve ordered fabric for show/sun shirts and the quality is nice.

Seattle Fabrics has a fun selection of hard to find athletic wear but do not expect fantastic service, they’re known for having bad service actually but the yardage is accurate and prices are pretty fair

[luvmyhackney]

If someone starts making riding tights, I want a pair out of this material… I would light up the arena and not with my talent!! I think I’m going to order the fabric to make something. I’m not good enough to make riding tights though.

http://spandexworld.com/c3/catalog/product/15400
http://spandexworld.com/c3/catalog/product/15953

[ChasPonyCat]

@RockstarPony;8996001

• Spandex World has some stretch suede that might work for knee patches, and probably the widest variety of types/weights of stretch knits (also great if you want holographic spandex glitter breeches, which, I mean, who wouldn’t).

I feel this is relevant here: https://www.facebook.com/justjodz/videos/1328301400573481/?pnref=story

[TC3200]

There is an old thread at myhorseforum where someone made Suitability breeches. They turned out too large. I remember a blue plaid fabric. I’ll look for that thread when I have access to a computer. I haven’t sewn anything lately, but have made sretch garments on ordinary zigzag sewing machines without too much problem. I used zigzag to finish the edges.

[GirlGeek]

Dynamite, where did you find your Schoeller fabric?