(Nearly) Completed full winter clothing

[torjusg]

Thought I'd share some developments on my full winter clothing.

I found I very rarely would need two layers of reindeer fur, so I decided to turn my inner coat into an outer coat. Very few modifications were made, but a collar with the fur turning inward were added around the neck to reduce draft.

The coat is wild reindeer body fur. The hat wild reindeer belly fur. Early autumn killed. Around my neck there is a fox-tail fur collar.

The outer mittens are bark tanned reindeer skin. The inner mittens; cropped winter fur of domesticated reindeer.

Under the leggings, I'm wearing trousers of moose buckskin. The leggings are of cropped winter fur of domesticated reindeer.

The shoes were originally made as stockings out of cropped winter fur of domesticated reindeer, fur turned inwards. They work pretty well as shoes on their own, but I don't like wearing hairless skin towards the snow, as the moisture absorbs so easily. New winter shoes of leg skins are in the works.

Additionally I'm going to make a light inner parka out of fox, marten and feral cat skins. And I'll make a kilt, loincloth or breechcloth to wear with the fur leggings, possibly without the buckskin trousers. The inner mittens are becoming worn out so I probably have to make new ones soon and leg skin outer mittens is an additional priority.

If you have any questions in regards to how to make this kind of stuff I'm more than happy to answer.

 

[danny358]

that looks great, i wish we got the weather here to wear stuff like that. you would cook urself alive here in fur clothing.

 

[ozzy1977]

Amazing job, well done

 

[TallMikeM]

excellent. How warm is that outfit? Can you move around without cooking yourself or is it more suited for low exertion activities?

 

[Chris the Cat]

Best kit post ever ! lol!

Good work Torjus!!

Best.

Chris.

 

[Coldfeet]

Looks toasty! Wish we had the opportunity here to warrant such nice clothing.

 

[ammo]

Love this post. Just discovered your links. Very, very interesting. Thanks for posting this.

 

[Macaroon]

Best kit post ever ! lol!

Good work Torjus!!

Plus one to that! Excellent!

 

[Blood]

WOW!
Would it be possible to see a pattern for the footwear?
+1, best post I've seen for DIY!

 

[torjusg]

Glad you guys liked it.

TallMikeM

Before I turned the parka hair out it was way too warm for most temperatures. With the hair out it's warm enough on it's own down to about minus 5C without anything underneath, provided you are walking. With some buckskin or other clothing underneath you can go in very cold weather without any problems. The open front allows you to regulate temperature more easily than a closed parka. The hair out also sheds the snow beautifully, making sure you are less likely to get wet.

Down to about minus 10C you don't need the leggings, buckskin trousers are enough if you are on the move. In colder temperatures they add a lot to the warmth. The fur hat is good enough on it's own down to at least minus 10C with quite a bit of wind. For colder weather I'm going to make a separate fur in hat.

 

[torjusg]

Blood

I'll draw up the pattern for the footwear and post it.

 

[Twodogs]

outstanding kit ,,,,wow that looks warm

Twodogs

 

[Blood]

Wahoo! Thanks so much, I've been looking for a high legged woodland moccasin for Ages and I think that pattern looks very similar to pics I've seen.

 

[Nalsheen]

Thats amazing! Looks really toasty too.

 

[Chris the Cat]

Blood

I'll draw up the pattern for the footwear and post it.

Plus one for that please!

Best.

Chris.

 

[torjusg]

I hope you understand the drawing...

1. The triangular part of the gusset is sewn onto the lower end of the boot top. The remaining part of the boot top is sewn closed.

2. The boot sole is as you can see quite large and has to be puckered all the way around the sole. Start at the front and move along each side to ensure that it's symmetrical.

Sinew seems to "fuse" into the skin, so it is all I use. If you don't have sinew, waxed linen should work pretty well. Overhand stitches are used for the whole boot.

Remember to allow for the extra space the fur requires when it's on the inside.

If any other questions, feel free to ask.

 

[Goatboy]

Great post and pictures.

You look like you could've stepped out of a history book! Fantastic stuff. Wish I too had kit like that, I really on natural fibres as I feel they perform better for what I do outdoors and I'm not keen on rustling like a crisp packet in synthetic fibres.

Love to see more of your kit as you always post up good stuff.

ATB,
GB.

 

[Blood]

Great post and pictures.

You look like you could've stepped out of a history book! Fantastic stuff. Wish I too had kit like that, I really on natural fibres as I feel they perform better for what I do outdoors and I'm not keen on rustling like a crisp packet in synthetic fibres.

ATB,
GB.

Second that, natural materials don't melt from hot ash or getting too close to the bush tv either.

Thank you Torjusg

 

[MT606]

sorry to sound american but that is AWESOME!

how much does the fur shed worn both ways, if at all ?

 

[torjusg]

Thanks guys, I'll continue to post stuff when I make it or find it in my stash pile.

I agree with you on the natural fibers thing. Another great advantage is that it is easy to do field repairs on such clothing.

MT606
If you are referring to how much the fur sheds hairs, it's not much. The parka has been through heavy use in carrying rucksacks and firewood, but doesn't slip much. The fur wears shorter, but slowly so. The skins are tanned in a central Siberian way rather than the Eskimo way. The Eskimo way makes for extremely soft and warm skins, but the fur slips out in bundles, so the garments have to be replaced every other year. With the Siberian method, care is taken not to crack the grain, so you can keep the parka for about 5 years as a winter garment, then it can be used as autumn and spring coat for at least a decade after that. The hairs don't fall out, but wear shorter and shorter.

Worn as an inner parka the hairs seemed to wear short faster because of abrasion on my skin. I think it would be preferable to use soft haired animals like pine marten, dog, fox, sheep or similar as an inner parka.

It also matters a lot when the skins are harvested. August and September is the best for clothing around here.