How to Make Riding Breeches

Riding clothes can become an expensive part of equestrian sports. But making your own riding gear can save you some money. With a little time and practice, it is possible to create breeches for riding that are easy to wear for everyday riding and competition.

Things You'll Need

  • Riding breeches pattern
  • Medium- to heavy-weight knit cloth
  • Suede leather or synthetic leather
  • Lining material
  • 7-inch zipper
  • Size 14 knit-material needle
  • Thread
  • Interfacing
  • Cutting board
  • Scissors
  • Pins
  • Sewing machine
  • Bobbin spool
Show More

Instructions

  1. Getting Ready for Construction

    • 1

      Buy a pattern for riding breeches. Read directions for fabric requirements and needed notions. Buy the appropriate fabric, interfacing, suede leather/synthetic leather, matching thread and a zipper. Make sure you have a sewing machine needle for knit material that can also handle leather/synthetic leather. Pre-wash interfacing and let air dry.

    • 2

      Read through pattern directions. Cut out needed pattern pieces. Lay out the cutting board. Place material on the cutting board per layout directions of the pattern. Pin pattern pieces to the fabric according to layout design in the pattern direction. Cut out pattern pieces from the fabric. Once the pieces are all cut out, remove knit fabric from cutting board. Lay out lining fabric. Place and pin pattern piece. Cut out the pattern piece from the lining fabric. Remove remaining lining fabric from cutting board. Place leather on cutting board. Place the pattern piece on the leather and cut out the pattern. Put all cut-out pieces to the side.

    • 3

      Prepare sewing machine by filling the bobbin spool with thread. Place needle in the needle holder. Thread sewing machine according the the directions in your sewing machine manual. Place in bobbin and bring up the bobbin thread.

    Constructing the Breeches

    • 4

      Read the sewing directions two times to make sure you understand the steps of construction. Begin with the first step. Most patterns have you sew together the inside seams, then the outside seams. Zipper placement will happen during the sewing of the outside seams.

    • 5

      Read directions thoroughly for attachment of the leather pieces. Attach leather pieces to the inside of the garment according to the pattern directions. This might be done before the outside seam is completed to make attachment easier during construction.

    • 6

      Complete the hems at the bottom of each pant leg. Go over the garment to clip any hanging threads.