# making sheep coats



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I am making coats for my sheep this year. I ordered 500 denier cordura nylon fabric from Seattle Fabrics and am following the pattern/instructions from this site: http://www.desertweyr.com/sheep/sheepcoats.php

Anyone have any advice? Have you coated your sheep? What would you add to a coat to make it fit better or wear better? Any kind of adjustable fitting you have seen that would be worth adding?

Thanks!


----------



## FMO3 (Nov 22, 2009)

I have coated many a head of sheep. The big thing to remember is that you will use about 4 coats per year with long wool sheep. they just keep getting bigger and bigger. The ones that I use, have a bungie cord across the hind end, over the dock area...and one at the brisket. That keeps them pulled down where they suppose to stay. Also, a cord down the side...these cords are just about 8 to 12 inches long. They just hold the coat down, that is all. Also, one thing if I was to coat again, would be make each size a different color, or have a way of marking them. As, you will by trying to hold a sheep, pull a coat off, get a coat on.


----------



## VA Shepherd (Dec 26, 2010)

I just want to give a big :goodjob: to this design (thanks Callieslamb!). Oogie McGuire, the lady who runs Desert Weyr, is a friend of mine and an *incredible* shepherd. Her fleeces stay pristine, and she does make the coats herself, hence this pattern. 

There's some great info on the DW site, and yup-- it's coat-making time again!

I have a couple of sheep that are just not built for these things, or are especially good at getting them off (those with even a drop of Icelandic blood in them, to be precise). My favorite method of adjusting the fit is to find a rock, about the size of an egg, and place it under the coat in the center of the offending sheep's back. Hold the rock from the top of the coat and twist, then tie the rock and twisted coat tightly with a piece of twine when the fit seems right. It ain't pretty, but it works! 

And don't be tempted to use things like velcro or snaps-- if it's easy for you to get it off, it'll be even easier for them....


----------



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I think I will just stick with her design....I might have to put them on the sheep to see how many tucks they will need. I had too much VM in my fleeces last year. I might bring the neck up higher a bit. My sheep are very small ones so I don't know if we will need 4 coats for them. I HOPE NOT!!!! But...I am sure if ewe grows out of hers- maybe a yearling will have grown into it. I hope to shear before my finns get so wide they don't fit through the stall doors. 

I am not sure what you are hooking the bungie cord to?

I did order different colors for different sizes, but some might have to be a mix of colors to get all the pieces made. I would have loved to have found some printed fabric. I think my shee would be the talk of the town.


----------



## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

We use eleastic on the leg bands. The elastic needs to be wide and also slightly loose but you don't need it as loose as the not strechy ones. It seems to get caught on less.


----------



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Good idea. I thought about putting elastic in the sides and around the neck also rather than the tucks. I am not sure how heavy the fabric I ordered will be so I'll wait on that decision.


----------



## FMO3 (Nov 22, 2009)

The way the bungee cord works...is you make a hem, and cut two holes in it, then put the bungee cord though it. I tired elastic, and it just did not work. It became worn out in no time flat. If you buy coats from Rocky Mountain sheep, they use the bungee cords instead of tucks. That way, you can tighten them up by just pulling them tight, and putting another knot in the cord.

You don't want them to big, or they will slip out of them. To small and it will felt the wool. There is an art to coating sheep. Some people are great at it...I just take the bush hog out to the pastures.


----------



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Okay...I can see the bungee cord now. How do they anchor it so you can draw it tight? I wondered if a toggle thing like on coat hoods would work also. Do they still use them at RMS? I saw tucks. I looked at theirs and I can save $8 a coat by buying the fabric from Seattle Fabrics. Or course, I ordered blind- not quite getting the weight of the fabric I bought. For the same price as RMS, I can double the fabric on the coat....or save it for the next size up.

What does the brush hog do? It's the hay that I feed all winter that's the problem for me. Though I think most of that comes from carrying it TO them.


----------

