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How to Make Mountain Man Clothes

The mountain man is a frequent character in American mythology and pioneer history. They have been enshrined in film, television and novel alike for centuries and continue to captivate the imaginations of many. To fashion your own mountain man clothing, you can collect simple textiles such as linen, leather or muslin as well as traditional hat molds for producing the head-wear. In the end, you could enjoy re-enacting this daring aspect of American history and looking very much the part.

Things You'll Need

Shirt pattern and materials
Painters pants
Leather or canvas
Sewing needles and thread
Hat mold

Instructions

- 1
  Start with the shirt. You want to use homespun fabric because the pigment will be similar on both sides. Some of the more accurate materials you may use are wool, linen and muslin. Make three sections: two sleeves and the torso portion and sew them together. Historically, the torso portion was often quite long, dropping to mid thigh.
- 2
  Purchase some painter's pants at a local supply store. These are rather close to those that the mountain man would have worn. Don't worry if the waist contains any buttons or other hardware that doesn't seem to fit the part. Your long shirt should cover them nicely.
- 3
  Gather some flannel and six to eight matching buttons for the vest materials. You can find patterns on the Internet for the style of vest that mountain men wore. Sometimes you have to purchase these but if you want the effect of the vest it should be worth it.
- 4
  Purchase felt and a hat mold. The hat can then be fashioned using the mold and a solution of starch and water. The exact instructions for this should accompany the mold. The most common hats worn by mountain men (and you can search for a mold consistent with the style) were the large brim-high crown, soft brim-low crown and clerk or wheels cap. Canadian caps, liberty or voyageurs caps were also worn and do not require a mold. The latter -- liberty or voyageurs -- can be crafted through uncomplicated wool knitting rather than using the felt and mold.
- 5
  Fashion a possibles bag out of a heavy duty material like canvas or leather. The overall body should be cut to around ten square inches or so. The primary goal of this bag is utility so include a button or clasp that allows a flap to secure the bag closed.
- 6
  Measure the bag strap so that the opening of the bag falls about waste high. The mountain man would have wanted immediate access to the bag as it often carried their ammunition and/or food.
- 7
  Make sure you include a belt that will also secure the strap of the possibles bag to your body. The other benefit of a snug-fitting belt is that it can hold the sheath of your hunting knife without fear of it falling out and getting lost.

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