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What Jacket Are You Wearing Today?

AerGuitar

A-List Customer
Messages
465
Location
Missouri
Beautiful jacket and great fit.

If I may ask, what is your background that enables you to decide to make a jacket like that and have it come out so good?
Well… over the summer this year I made a couple of custom leather seat covers for mine and my dad’s motorcycles because I was too cheap to pay someone a crazy price to do it. I saddle stitched those by hand, and it was brutal as far as time and effort. I really enjoyed the process, so last month I bought an industrial flat bed sewing machine to make more seat covers as a side hustle. I spent a few days getting acquainted with the machine as far as adjustments, etc. My jacket obsession led to me working up the nerve to try it, so I bought another cylinder arm industrial machine and a vintage domestic, then got to work! Did a canvas practice run and then made this puppy. I have zero prior experience sewing, but have worked with wood doing elaborate finish carpentry and some guitar making, so those skills sort of translated to leather for me. Thank you for the kind words!
 

Biff42

A-List Customer
Messages
435
Well… over the summer this year I made a couple of custom leather seat covers for mine and my dad’s motorcycles because I was too cheap to pay someone a crazy price to do it. I saddle stitched those by hand, and it was brutal as far as time and effort. I really enjoyed the process, so last month I bought an industrial flat bed sewing machine to make more seat covers as a side hustle. I spent a few days getting acquainted with the machine as far as adjustments, etc. My jacket obsession led to me working up the nerve to try it, so I bought another cylinder arm industrial machine and a vintage domestic, then got to work! Did a canvas practice run and then made this puppy. I have zero prior experience sewing, but have worked with wood doing elaborate finish carpentry and some guitar making, so those skills sort of translated to leather for me. Thank you for the kind words!
Thats amazing.

You had the aptitude for such an undertaking, but it was just a different medium. A luthier decides to make a leather jacket.
 
Messages
17,509
Location
Chicago
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Made my first leather jacket this week.. did a couple more tweaks on the canvas version that I made a couple weeks ago, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the way it turned out. Pretty easy to nail the fit when you’re OCD and making it yourself. This turned out to be the easiest wearing jacket I have. Hide is a mid weight chrome tanned cowhide called “Venetian” that I picked up locally, and I really dig it. Aside from just a couple wonky stitches(cuff end topstitching), my machines cooperated very well and it was tons of fun to build. I’ll definitely be doing some more. If anyone knows a good source for repro zippers, hook me up! I used vintage Talons for the sleeves and main zip. Ball chain chest zippers came from Headwinds, but I got the last two and can’t find anymore.
Dude. Fugg’n awesome!!!! I’m impressed man. Absolute fuckkng banger right out of the gate!!!
 

Yamahana

One Too Many
Messages
1,051
Location
Buckeye, Arizona
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Made my first leather jacket this week.. did a couple more tweaks on the canvas version that I made a couple weeks ago, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the way it turned out. Pretty easy to nail the fit when you’re OCD and making it yourself. This turned out to be the easiest wearing jacket I have. Hide is a mid weight chrome tanned cowhide called “Venetian” that I picked up locally, and I really dig it. Aside from just a couple wonky stitches(cuff end topstitching), my machines cooperated very well and it was tons of fun to build. I’ll definitely be doing some more. If anyone knows a good source for repro zippers, hook me up! I used vintage Talons for the sleeves and main zip. Ball chain chest zippers came from Headwinds, but I got the last two and can’t find anymore.
Whoa there buckaroo! Very, very impressive work and results. Here I thought I was half a bad ass sewing buttons on my jacket. I tip my hat to you sir!
 

Viking752

Practically Family
Messages
624
Location
Central Florida
Northeaster Flying Togs Beck in distressed FQHH for a quick dinner run.
IMG_5050.jpeg
 

AeroFan_07

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,726
Location
Iowa
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Made my first leather jacket this week.. did a couple more tweaks on the canvas version that I made a couple weeks ago, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the way it turned out. Pretty easy to nail the fit when you’re OCD and making it yourself. This turned out to be the easiest wearing jacket I have. Hide is a mid weight chrome tanned cowhide called “Venetian” that I picked up locally, and I really dig it. Aside from just a couple wonky stitches(cuff end topstitching), my machines cooperated very well and it was tons of fun to build. I’ll definitely be doing some more. If anyone knows a good source for repro zippers, hook me up! I used vintage Talons for the sleeves and main zip. Ball chain chest zippers came from Headwinds, but I got the last two and can’t find anymore.
Really amazing work right here!

Truly an interesting jacket and honestly and very marketable pattern and design. Even the leather & lining are just spot-on!
 

AerGuitar

A-List Customer
Messages
465
Location
Missouri
Thank you, much appreciated. It’s amazing how well an off the rack jacket can fit. May I ask why you gave yours up?
I got a size 40 off the rack as well, and it fit quite nicely, but I was wearing my Premier Highwayman more at the time and I went through a phase where I sold off a few jackets and guitars to justify buying another bike.. the one I regretted selling was the Dom! I sold the new bike later that year too. Go figure
 

AerGuitar

A-List Customer
Messages
465
Location
Missouri
Really amazing work right here!

Truly an interesting jacket and honestly and very marketable pattern and design. Even the leather & lining are just spot-on!
Thanks man! I wasn’t 100% sure about the leather when I bought it, but was waaaay to nervous to spend $600-$800 on Badalassi or Shinki to do the first jacket with, but man oh man, this hide is really great for a jacket. Really nice drape already and by the time I turned the jacket several times during the sewing process, the grain started popping. As far as thickness/hand, it’s comparable to one of the lighter weight batch Vicenza jackets I’ve owned in the past. It’s advertised as a 3oz thickness, but varies across the hide, I’d say it’s 3 oz at its thickest. This liner is just basic smooth cotton, with cotton sateen in the sleeves, but it looks and feels pretty nice.
 

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