Back in t he old days, we had to learn to sew. Everyone took one semester of sewing in high school, and it was a popular project in 4-H. Some people even made a lot of their own clothes (me)! Since then I’ve made quite a few things and worn out a couple of sewing machines in the process. I’ve made home decor projects, several wedding dresses, baby clothes, doll clothes, but I haven’t often sewn horse clothes. Well maybe not clothes, but accessories would be a better label for this project. Some horses just want to stand around looking pretty, you know?
It started when my friend and former employer decided to adopt three Freisian horses. They are beautiful animals and have done carriage pulling for a lot of their careers. They are semi-retired now and have the “life of Riley” (they have it pretty sweet, for those of you who don’t know Riley. Come to think of it, I don’t even know Riley, but I know what it means.) My friend also has a lot of horse art and in looking at one of her wall paintings she began imagining her own charges looking just like the horses in the picture. 
Clearly, some horse capes were needed. With tassels, please. I decided to take the job.
I have been to the stable and met my models and measured them. They are sweet animals and on the large side. I have been trying to imagine how to sew their capes ever since. It’s just a rectangle, you say, how can it be hard? I will tell you. There is a lot going on when a horse walks and this piece of cloth has to stay on and not scare the horse, or anyone for that matter. It has to be durable, comfortable, and in this case not terribly expensive. All these things add to the complexity of the project.
I initially spent time on the internet looking for suitable fabric because there aren’t a lot of fabric stores to visit. It wasn’t going well. Fabric is ridiculously expensive in our country, and as I said, these are big horses – lot of yardage. Then luck happened and the only fabric store left in my town went out of business and put most of their stuff on sale at 60% off. The fabric and tassels were there. The purchase was approved. I’m now sewing. This is probably one of my weirdest projects, just sayin’.
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I Just Have to Say... 
I don’t believe we shared that information. I think I probably mentioned it somewhere along the way during the A to Z Challenge, but I wouldn’t hold you responsible for having read and remembered all of that! lol! We started homeschooling half way through his second grade year and just did all of third grade during the last half of the year. (Long story involving a parent/teacher confrontation and a wall of mediocrity.) At the time, the public school’s homeschool program went through eighth grade, so that was my mental end date. As we started 8th, they extended it a year at a time through high school, but I was mentally done at the end of 8th, so he went back to regular school starting in 9th grade. He wasn’t happy about it, but it saved my sanity. 😉
How about you? What kind of program were you following? Did you go the entire K-12 route?
We began home school back in 1985 when it was new, fairly radical and even considered illegal by some (like why would anyone not send their kids to public school?, said everyone). My girls are 2 1/2 years apart. The first one went to grade 10 and then needed the motivation to FINISH things on time and entered public school via a visual performing arts curriculum. She had to jump through all kind of hoops to prove she was ready but she did great. Because it was such a hassle getting in, the second daughter decided to start public school at the beginning of high school (didn’t have to prove anything that way). She stayed with it for two years but didn’t like it. She finished a GED and had a number of junior college credits at 16 years old and went right into a college away from home. I would just say that they learned to educate themselves. They are both very successful, educated young ladies with good careers now. I loved homeschooling.
Our similarities make me wonder if you’re in San Diego. When I sent my son to high school, it was a visual and performing arts school. He found more motivation to finish things there than he had at home, so he graduated at 16 with a full National Merit Scholarship which he ultimately decided was a waste of time. He’s managed to make an unconventional and financially rewarding career out of his diverse strengths — primarily because of his homeschooling and theatre experiences. Much to my relief and pleased amazement. lol
Nope, Florida
🙂
As a self-employed seamstress, I applaud you! Anything is possible, isn’t it?
You are a self employed seamstress?
I am. I’ve sewn ever since my aunt taught me how to use a machine when I was 11. About 20 years ago, I became a children’s theatre costumer for the group my son wanted to join. That lasted 12+ years at the same time I was doing child care and home-schooling. Before our children’s theatre days were done, sewing had become a side business — weddings, proms, ice skating costumes, repairs & alterations — you name it. What costuming taught me was that you can learn to access the right side of your brain at will to build things in your head and make them real. Anything is possible. When I stopped doing day care after 22 years, seamstressing became my sole source of income. Not that it will ever make me even moderately middle class, lol, but we get by. More than you wanted to know, right?
At this point in my advancing age, I think I’d rather have a horse. 🙂
I love knowing all those things about you. We have more in common than I knew, like homeschooling. Did I know that before? I don’t remember…