by Carolyn Penna

Note: all references below in this color reddish brown are links!

Materials Required: Click here to go to the SOURCES FOR MATERIALS section.
  • sidesaddle apron pattern in your size and custom adjusted to fit
  • preferred fabric for your apron:
    • for leather or suede - one full hide/skin (30-50 sq.ft.) of garment or chap quality soft, lightweight leather (1.5-2.5 oz.), or at least 2 full sides matched for color, weight and feel (large full skin preferred to prevent piecing the apron) See "Calculating how much leather to buy" below.
    • for Ultraleather or Ultrasuede (or other faux leather/suede) - 2.5 yds. of 54"-60" wide, or 3.5 yds. of 44"-48" wide fabric (54"-60" preferred to prevent piecing the apron)
  • lining, if desired (use yardage stated for Ultrasuede/Ultraleather, above)
  • silver trim (conchos, bars, corner plates, etc.), or other trims (fringe, contrasting cutwork, buckstitching, piping, etc.) if desired
Things to consider before you begin:
  • Skillset: This "how to" assumes that you have basic machine sewing skills and have had experience sewing with and laying out patterns. If you have never made a sidesaddle apron before, it is IMPERATIVE that you make a prototype apron of fabric before tackling the tougher materials, and custom adjust the pattern to fit you, and STRONGLY SUGGESTED that you make a "test" apron (or other garment) of relatively inexpensive faux leather or suede material before you jump into the "real thing." Mistakes are not easily hidden on leathers and suedes; all your stitching holes are likely to show! Therefore, you will want to get it right the first time. There are many books available on sewing leathers, suedes and the Ultrasuede family of fabrics, and you may want to invest in one for the many tips and tricks they contain.

  • Cost of materials: The suggested materials are not inexpensive, but they will make the most dramatic western apron. Shop for bargains - Ebay is a great source for low cost Ultrasuedes & Ultraleathers and similar synthetics, and you often can find good garment or chap quality leathers and splits there at a good price, as well. A variety of suitable trims frequently are available at good prices, too. If you don't have a fabric store near you that offers some of these fabrics at good prices, an internet search will reveal many sources. Expect to pay at least $15-20 per side for leathers and suedes, or $50 and up for full hides. Ultrasuedes and Ultraleathers, at discount retail, will cost you at least $20 per yard. Other synthetics (ie, those not bearing the "Ultra" brand) will cost less. Even at discount prices, your apron is likely to cost you at least $40 to make before you begin to add trim! Also, be aware that Ultrasuede now comes in several different weights. The best weight for an apron is the original Ultrasuede. Ultrasuede Light and Sensuede may be too light to produce satisfactory results. These weights will make great appliques and cutwork, however.

    There are some nice polyester faux leathers on the scene at prices way below the "Ultra" brand. I found a very nice 54" wide black "pleather" recently for $3.99/yd! It doesn't quite have the marvelous soft hand of the Ultraleather, but it's not bad, and, at a fraction of the price of the brand name stuff, it will do just fine! It's very realistic looking - not at all like those awful vinyls of several years ago. It also came in some other lovely colors, so do scout around the fabric shops before you plunk down your money.

  • Colors: The apron should be either a dark or neutral color, in the tradition of sidesaddle apparel generally. Not only will it be more subtle, but it likely will coordinate with a wider choice of tops. Experiment with bolder colors if you dare, but remember - brighter colors will attract more attention to your riding ability, so be sure you sit quietly in the saddle before choosing a bright apron color! And, don't forget - for the right look, your breeches or pants underneath the apron must be of the same color! You also want to coordinate with whatever you will wear as a top. Popular now are vests and jackets of all kinds of materials, many with sparkle and shine. You may also want to consider buying enough of whatever material you choose for your apron to make a matching vest or jacket, or to trim a contrasting one. With a little planning, you can pull together a very coordinated and polished look.


Careful coordination of your ensemble will provide that showring look.
Here, a sparkly brocade vest by Hobby Horse is combined with a rhinestone collar slinky from Sergeant's.
The apron is of smooth hunter green leather, and will be trimmed in silver with gold accents, to match the gold in the vest.
When putting your outfit together, don't forget a matching hat!

  • Apron fullness: If you choose to make your apron of genuine leather or suede, a pattern with less fullness in the skirt is preferable to a fuller one, as it will be easier to work with, will use less material, and will have less weight. Trust me - chaps weight suede aprons are HEAVY!

  • Basic style: Western aprons generally come in two flavors - traditional or chaps style. The traditional apron is virtually identical to any other sidesaddle apron, except that the material may be different, the cut may be a bit longer, and it may feature western style trim. The chaps style apron copies the look of western chaps in the front and back, and rides somewhat lower on the hips. Chaps style aprons almost always are made of genuine or synthetic leathers and suedes. Generally, the traditional style apron is plainer, while the chaps style allows you to add a lot of silver. Decide on the style before you begin to cut your material!


Front of a chaps style apron


Popular styles for chaps backs
(Photo: Sergeant's Western World)

  • Because the chaps style apron will show more of what you are wearing underneath, you must be sure to have pants, breeches or jodhpurs of the same color as the apron, and, depending on where the apron sits on your waist or hips, you may need to wear a belt with a western style buckle under your pants loops. You also will have to adapt your traditional pattern to the chaps style yourself, as I don't know of any apron patterns marketed in this style.

  • Showring fashion & breed requirements: Fashions in the showring change all the time, and you will want to keep up with current styles, within reason. Familiarize yourself with what is the preferred look for your breed, and put your outfit together with that look in mind. Current trends and fads may determine whether and what types of trims to go with, such as silver, cutwork, fringe or buckstitching. Also be aware that rider turnout for equitation often is somewhat more conservative than for pleasure.

    You also must be aware of what is acceptable for your breed. What works in an open show may not be considered proper in a breed show! Some breeds are very specific about what is considered proper attire. Be sure your planned outfit meets the requirements. Check the applicable rulebooks, and, when in doubt, ask for help from someone with experience in the showring.

Is your sewing machine up to the task?

Ultrasuede and Ultraleather should pose no challenge to the average sewing machine. They handle like fabric and are very easy to sew through. Performance will be improved, however, with the use of special leather needles.

Sewing genuine leathers and suedes can be difficult on some machines, however, if the hides chosen are too thick, or you are attempting to sew through multiple layers. So long as you choose leathers with a weight of 3 oz. or less, you should have no problem sewing through two or three layers of them on your machine. Special leather needles are a must here, and be sure to have several on hand, in case you break one or more. If you choose to go for more layers, you may have to hand sew or use another fastener type (such as a concho fastened with Chicago screws).

Lay out your pattern on the material:

When using leathers or any of the pricey synthetics, you will want to maximize your efficient use of the material, so that you either have a sufficient amount left over for another project, or so that you don't have waste. Ideally, you want to be able to lay out all pieces on a single thickness of material, without the need to piece or seam any of the larger segments (such as the apron skirt). If you are working with synthetics at least 54" wide, or with full hides, this probably will not be a problem.

Opinions vary on length, but the western apron, generally, is longer than the traditional hunt apron. Your favorite pattern may require some adjustment to accommodate this. Apron length is often a matter of preference, with the acceptable range anywhere from the hunt length apron, on the short side, to one which comes to the sole of the rider's boot, on the long side. The following never varies, however: always be sure the upper leg and foot is completely covered; and, be sure the finished apron hangs level, parallel to the ground.

Calculating how much leather to buy
If you are working with the real thing, and don't want waste, here's one way to figure out what to buy:

  • Measure the main skirt piece of apron pattern across the widest point (probably the bottom of the skirt), and measure the length from top to bottom. Mine, for example, measures about 36" across and 37" in length.
  • Measure the other pieces of the pattern the same way (width at widest point and lenth at longest point). The longest piece of my pattern is 54" long, for example, and 20" wide.
  • Add the widths together, and use the longest lenth needed for length. For mine, that would be 56" in width x 54" in length.
  • Round these numbers up to the nearest factor of 12. Now I am dealing with 60" x 60".
  • Divide the measurements by 12 (in my case, 5' x 5') and multiply these together, to figure the absolute minimum square footage required for your apron. In my case, it's 25 square feet.
  • If you don't want to piece anything, be sure to purchase a hide slightly larger than your absolute minimum, and with a width and length at least equal to your requirements.

When working with hides, it is important to bear in mind that suede (and even Ultrasuede, to a degree) has a nap, and the nap direction may influence how your pattern pieces are placed on the material. Also be aware that, typically, not all areas of a skin will be useable. It is not uncommon for hides to have holes, brands, marks or discolorations, or for portions of the hide (especially as you approach the edges) to be of a different thickness or color, or less soft. (The less expensive your hides, the more likely this is to occur!) Your hide(s) must afford you enough leeway to permit you to either avoid these areas, or to be sure they fall in a hidden part of your apron. (Using first quality synthetics avoids this problem.)

If you must piece your apron, plan where your seams will fall before you lay out the pattern, and, by all means, before you cut! Ideally, seams should be placed where they will be the least noticeable - you don't want to disrupt the flow of your apron with an unsightly seam! It is always preferable to attempt to piece the smaller parts of your apron, if doing so will allow you to leave the skirt "whole." If piecing the skirt cannot be avoided, seams should run from the top to the bottom of the apron, rather than from side to side, and must be straight. And, where piecing is unavoidable, remember to allow seam allowances for the seams you are adding.


This apron was made from matched sides of split leather, and the skirt required piecing.
Note how the seam drops from the knee, parallel to the skirt edge.

Let's Do It!

I've cut out my green leather apron, and I'm now ready to mark in the darts and other tailoring items, and sew up the seams. For leather and other heavyweight aprons, I use a very simple 3-piece apron pattern, which is not at all full, and has a minimum number of darts. The hide I used here was small, however, (under 25 sq.ft.), and I never thought I'd get a whole apron out of it, but I managed to squeeze one out! Here are the three pieces, laid out on the worktable:

You see the main skirt piece in the foreground, with the back above it, and the long leg / side draped over the end of the table.

I've determined that I will make a chaps-style apron of this leather, as I have some very nice matched silver and gold trim I want to use. The back will feature a large ranger buckle as the closure, making the apron somewhat adjustable. The back style will be similar to the single concho style pictured above. Another, smaller ranger buckle will be used in the front, and matching conchos will grace the side. A fancy silver and gold corner plate, placed in the lower right-hand corner, will finish off the skirt. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

 
Coming soon: apron construction tips; photos of finished green leather apron.
 
 
 
Sources:

I personally have purchased almost all my Ultrasuedes, Ultraleathers, and genuine leathers and suedes from eBay, the on line auction site. The likelihood of getting a really great price is higher, since you control how much you are willing to spend for a particular piece or lot of fabric, leather or trim. Here are some search strategies I use to find suitable materials:

  • for Ultrasuedes and Ultraleathers, I perform 4 independent searches. First, I search for ultrasuede yd*, then ultrasuede yard*, then ultra suede yd*, and, lastly, ultra suede yard*. I always perform these searches with the "search title and description" box checked. If the search criteria entered is ultrasuede or ultra suede, not only yardage available will be returned, but also any garments or other items made from this material, so I find it preferable to narrow my search. You can also do separate searches for Ultraleather, following the pattern for the Ultrasuede searches. Be sure the pieces you bid on are of a sufficient size to make your apron!
  • for suitable genuine leathers and suedes, I first go to the "leatherwork" category (accessible from eBay's home page, under "Hobbies & Crafts"), then search for lamb*, calf*, garment, chap*, or a particular color. Again, perform these searches with the "search title and description" box checked. Be sure any skins you bid on are of an appropriate weight (between 1.5-2.5 ounces is ideal), and that you are bidding on one or more skins which are soft, matched in color, and will provide sufficient material to fashion your apron. Garment and upholstery grade leathers often come in fairly large skins or matched lots of skins, and can be your best choice, although high quality garment and upholstery skins will be more costly. Goat, deer and pig leathers are also suitable, if they match the general criteria of weight and softness. These skins can be marvelously soft, but tend to be on the smaller side, and almost always will require piecing (which is true of lamb and calf hides, as well). You will be amazed at the broad palette of colors and textures available, if you are not generally familiar with buying leather.
  • Trims: I personally like to trim my aprons with silver. I also prefer that the trim is removable, so that it may be cleaned easily, so I look for items which attach with Chicago screws or other removable fittings. You will find a large selection of silver items with these and other fittings, as well, such as rivets, wood screw backs, and slots, which can be used if desired (wood screws have to be cut off, and the item glued in place).
    Silver conchos and other trims are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, as well as qualities. Buckle sets are usefule for closures, and provide a very "western" look. Sterling and sterling overlay will be the most costly. Less expensive trims of silverplate, nickel silver (sometimes called German or Alpaca silver) or other metals are also plentiful. Montana Silversmiths make trims of all types which are lacquered to retain their shine, and may be good choices. Saddle corner plates make especially good trim for the skirt corner of the apron. Odd lots of silver items are perfect for spot trims. Searches to perform to find such trims are listed below.
    • perform these searches with the "search title and description" box UNCHECKED: concho*; silver saddle; corner plate*; buckle set; ranger buckle.
    • perform these searches with the "search title and description" box CHECKED: "montana silversmith*"

    Don't hesitate to search for and use other types of trims on your apron! You can achieve very nice effects by making cutwork of small matching or contrasting pieces of leather and suede, which are beautiful when matched to a vest or jacket. Also popular now are soutache trims with crystals and rhinestones. Use your imagination!

I realize that not everyone is into purchasing by auction, however, so several retail sites are listed below. Tell me - how did we EVER find anything before the internet??

Ultrasuede/Ultraleather - some fabric stores carry this material, but, generally, the available colors are limited, the price is high ($60-80/yard!), and only the narrower (45") width generally is stocked. Unless you know of a good local source, I recommend searching the internet for mailorder sources with discount prices. There are several good ones. The best prices I've found so far are from Ultratreasures (see below) at $40/yd for the 45" wide fabric, with a very wide selection of colors. Do not hesitate to check out other sources, as well, however, since new sites come on line all the time.

Faux Leathers - you can find some excellent quality "pleathers" at really great prices at your local fabric shop. I recently found some wonderful high quality polyester faux leather at my local Joann Fabrics for a fraction of the cost of Ultraleather.

Leathers & Suedes - Here are a few names to get you started. A search on the internet under "leather hides" will produce many more:

Apron Patterns -

Silver Trim -

 

How did you like this article? All feedback is appreciated. Send your comments to me at Sidesaddle-NJ.

If you used this article to construct an apron, please send pictures of the final product. I'd love to put together a gallery of aprons for folks to look at for ideas!

Return to the Info Page