Breechclout & Leggings Pattern for Leather or Cloth

About Your Breechclout & Leggings Pattern

The Breechclout is a necessary article of clothing that was common to the vast majority of tribes in North America and was worn by virtually all of the Plains People. Early clouts were made from hide, but with the introduction of Trade Cloth, the buckskin styles rapidly disappeared. Generally, Northern Plains Tribes preferred a breechclout that was quite long in front, while Southern & Central Plains groups wore shorter styles that reached to the knee or mid calf at the longest in front and tended to be a bit shorter in the back.

Decorations run the gamut from none at all to very elaborate, including ribbonwork, sequins, metallic fringe, tin cones, fluffs, beaded medallions, applique beadwork, quill work and many other items.

As for the leggings, skin leggings were generally made using a single deer hide for each leg and were the earliest form of plains leg covering. Common from the Northern to the Southern Plains, they varied in cut and ornamentation from tribe to tribe. When cloth was introduced by white traders, this material generally replaced hide as legging material among most tribes although the Comanche and Kiowa have always seemed to prefer buckskin leggings. By the Mid-19th Century, wool blanket material or broadcloth (Tradecloth) was very much in vogue and continues to be the case today. The pattern shows the proper way of cutting these as well.

Notions & Tools

Thread or simulated sinew, cloth or ribbon for binding cloth breechclout and leggings (approximately 6yds.), cloth for ankle panels (if desired), approximately 14” x 16”. Scissors, Pins, Needels, Chalk (for marking)

Material Requirements

*NOTE: The first dimension is the inseam length, so allow for proper length when purchasing material. *A twin size blanket 66” x 90” will be sufficient for all sizes.

Suggested Materials

Early period leggings and breechclouts should be made of buckskin, either Indian (brain) tanned or commercially tanned with the suede side out to simulate brain-tanning. Cloth leggings can be made of wool blanket material (even the classic Whitney and Hudson Bay Blankets), Tradecloth (generally red or navy blue) such as Rainbow Selvedge Broadcloth, Stroudcloth (with white sawtooth edge), or Tradewool. Less expensive substitutes are appropriate in a heavy wool blend or suede cloth, both in a solid color red or navy.