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Sewing goat coats - joecool911 - 12-17-2013
I have some gore tex coming from eBay. Need to know what size/kind of thread would be best and needle size. I am currently set up for canvas. I bet I'll need a smaller needle. Going to back it with fleece.
RE: Sewing goat coats - Nanno - 12-17-2013
I've made and owned quite a few blankets over the years, and my suggestion is to line it with something other than fleece. The fleece likes to create static buildup which makes the blanket cling to the goat, reducing its insulating properties and making it uncomfortable to wear. The poor goat gets shocked every time the blanket is removed, and it bunches up in places because it can't slide over the fur. Plus, it's impossible to get loose hair out of it. I suggest a nylon liner with an insulating fill between that and your gore-tex shell.
I've made a few blankets myself, and between cost of materials, time, mistakes, and broken needles, it's cheaper for me just to buy one. I'm not a good enough seamstress to whip one up in an hour. Plus, I'm lousy at making contoured hips and shoulder gussets. I buy the blankets and save my sewing skills for making alterations, repairing tears and broken straps, re-sewing loose stitching, etc. Unless your goat runs under barbed wire fences, a good blanket should last for many years with care. I prefer to buy miniature horse blankets because these are nearly always heavier-duty than anything made for goats.
RE: Sewing goat coats - joecool911 - 12-17-2013
Well, I'm committed to the process as I have 9 yards coming. I'm not looking for anything but rain protection when in the field. Do I need any liner at all?
I bet we don't have the static problems here that you have. Has to be pretty dry here for that to happen.
RE: Sewing goat coats - TOU - 12-17-2013
Best of luck Joe...should be an interesting project, please take photos and keep us updated.
(12-17-2013, 08:15 AM)Nanno Wrote: I've made a few blankets myself, and between cost of materials, time, mistakes, and broken needles, it's cheaper for me just to buy one. I'm not a good enough seamstress to whip one up in an hour. Plus, I'm lousy at making contoured hips and shoulder gussets. I buy the blankets and save my sewing skills for making alterations, repairing tears and broken straps, re-sewing loose stitching, etc. Unless your goat runs under barbed wire fences, a good blanket should last for many years with care. I prefer to buy miniature horse blankets because these are nearly always heavier-duty than anything made for goats.I came across several patterns for Goat Coats on the Internet and thought about making them as well but in the end I decided the same thing as you...just haven't found the right ones to buy yet. Any chance you still have the links for the mini-horse blankets? Are they Gortex?
RE: Sewing goat coats - Nanno - 12-17-2013
Ah, if it's just for rain protection in the field, then you probably would do better with a nylon liner. That way it's less bulky to pack and won't hold water if it accidentally gets wet on the inside. I'm not positive, but I think gore-tex without a liner is not quite as waterproof as when it has one. You also don't need all the heavy-duty hardware and the contoured fit on a field blanket like you need on a stable blanket, so yours should be really easy to make. You'll probably want to use a lightweight needle for the hemming and seams and a medium needle for sewing the straps. Don't take my word for it, though... read the needle packaging and perhaps ask someone at the sewing shop if you're not sure. I also like to test the needles out on a scrap piece of material and if the thread starts knotting up I try a different weight.
TOU, I have tried several different types of miniature horse blankets over the years, and finally found one I absolutely love. It's the Stormshield midweight miniature turnout from Schneider's. I like it so much I even wrote a product review, which is something I don't normally care enough to do. My does wear the 36" size, which is still slightly too big for them. They should fit perfectly in a couple of years when they're done growing. I can't remember what size Cuzco wears, but I want to say it's the 44". I had to order one size larger than whatever his chart measurement was.
Here's a link: http://www.sstack.com/horse-blankets-and-sheets_miniature-blankets/stormshield-miniature-turnouts/
RE: Sewing goat coats - Huckleberry - 12-17-2013
I made some coats earlier this year out of water resistant nylon and lined them with fleece. Then we sprayed them with several layers of water proofing spray. They were for a high buck hunt we ended up canceling due to bad weather so I can't give any advice on how well the fleece works. Hope to put them to use this year! I used polyester coated polyester thread and a 14/90 needle. Actually found the larger needle made too big of holes in the nylon I used, but your material will be heavier. I actully found them very easy to make and I do not sew. The rump darts were really easy and they fit the goats really well. A lot cheaper than buying one with the materials I used. Maybe Idaho Nancy will pipe in, I know she made some out of gortex.
RE: Sewing goat coats - IdahoNancy - 02-15-2014
I like the rump darts but I am glad I did not think of it at the time I was making them. My boys grew much bigger than I expected and their rumps poke out the back side a bit. Mine have an adjustable rump strap, 2 breast straps up front and one chest strap under their ribs. All are adjustable. The gortex was purchased on Ebay and the fleece was noted as having a durable water repellent finish. I have put them to the test with good success. The goats were warm with dry bodies and don't seem to mind having them put on. I use an old heavy duty sewing machine from Germany.
RE: Sewing goat coats - deschutes dawn - 02-24-2014
I am going to try something when I make goat coats. My endurance gelding is death on horse blankets but there is plenty of material to redesign into a wool lined waterproof blankies for my guys! Hope this works!
RE: Sewing goat coats - ledel - 08-16-2014
Any know of a place/website where I could order a pattern for baby goats if my goat is bred she due early January so there's a barn but I wanted a little extra for them I know it's a bit early but even if she's not bred there nice to have around for when she is
thanks
RE: Sewing goat coats - Taffy - 08-18-2014
An easy way to make kid coats is to buy baby sweater at a 2nd hand store and cut the sleeves off. Also - you can buy sweat pants, cut the legs off then use the elastic bottom over the goat's head, cut arm holes then cut it to length. For bucklings you may need to cut the material back so they don't urinate on it.
Here's a link to a good article on making a custom coat.