Category Archives: Sewing

Sewing

Guerilla? Or Just an Outlaw

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Jesse James was one of the most famous or infamous outlaws of the American west – robbing stage coaches, banks, trains, and leader of the James-Younger gang.

Why am I talking about Jesse James you might ask? And where does the guerilla bit come into it?

Well, once upon a time, in a land far far away….lol, no simple really. Jesse and his brother Frank James were confederate guerrilla's (also known as bushwackers). Road Runner, fellow Okie when we are there, requested a Jesse James guerrilla shirt.

With eyebrows slightly raised, of course I accepted the challenge and had him send me a picture. (As seen below)

 

Not hard really, finally found fabric that would drape nicely in the required grey, a simple black bias binding should work and found some studs that could replicate the trim.

It came time in the book to get onto this one and so I fiddled around with a pattern and created the very simple oversized guerilla shirt with slanted rounded pockets. Ta dah! Road Runner's guerilla shirt.

(Hmm they could actually have had more slant on the pockets now seeing it on the mannequin, noticeable when it's laying flat)

These shirts with their pockets shaped like that apparently made for ease of carrying extra ammo and accessibility to it. (so I've heard)

Personally I'm thinking that if you are galloping around on a horse at break neck speed you might lose it but then I thought about the drape of the fabric and figured it might well stay put due to the weight of the ammo.

The guerrilla shirts were often made by wives or sweethearts, some were elaborately embroidered, some plain, some with a placket and collar, made from various fabrics and patterns. According to civil war websites the shirts originated in Missouri but were similarly worn down through Texas.

Here are some more examples worn by the Duvall brothers and Bloody Bill Anderson.

 

All very different indeed!

And the whole guerrilla story with William C Quantrill and Bloody Bill Anderson is a tale for another day.

Cheers

Kat xo

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_James#Quantrill.27s_Raiders

http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/civil_war_history/v058/58.2.beilein.pdf

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-guerrilla-shirt.26529/

 

Few Days With Filly and Wrangler

Posted on by kathousekelli70

We arrived at Aspen Filly’s and Aspen Wranglers on Sunday afternoon and spent the next few days visiting with them.

Monday consisted of heading to the shop for me where Filly and I spent the day, chatting and sewing. Gym session in the afternoon before heading back to the house. Jack cleaned the car and the guns and enjoyed a somewhat restful day.

Dinner was had at Clancy’s Irish Pub – spectacular food and we all left there rather full.

Tuesday we started late and later went to Wrangler’s shop where it was sawdust and lacquer smells. Ahhh. Viewed some high end cabinetry these guys build and the went to lunch with his crew at Red Rooster Cafe.

Leaving Jack at the wood shop in Five Points (affectionately known as the ‘hood’) with Wrangler for a bit, Filly and I headed on over to Colorado Fabrics where I scored some fabrics for future projects and was happy to have been able to find them.

Jack got picked up and on the way home we had a ‘drive by’ tour of downtown Denver. Filly took us via the City Park, the City Golf Course, round past the Original old elitch’s gardens and fairground. We went past the theatre – Denver Centre Theatre Company – where Jane did 13 years of theatre productions. (12 shows a year) been a busy lady all these years and that wasn’t the only theatre she worked for at the time. (It’s the glass building in the pic below)


Buzzard Walkin and Lil Chickadee came over for barbecue and the 6 of us sat, talked and laughed til late into the evening.

Wednesday started with a gym session for Filly and I with a quick bypass to Inspiration Point, where we took in the views and got a little more exercise walking the pathway to the point.

The four of us then jumped in the truck and headed west in search of ‘white longjohn’s’ – mountain sheep butt’s in other words. Also deer and elk were on the list to find.

York Gulch road, the way to their mountain property and all along the way is gorgeous little wild flowers of all colours. Their trailer on the property sits up at 9600ft.

 

Down the mountain trail into Central City, an old mining town that now has casinos, fortunately some have kept the original facades. We saw the old Festival Hall, the Opera House and it’s neat little courtyard, Williams Stables building where opera shows are also held, Teller House still maintains its glory of yesteryear and the famous “face on the barroom floor” is protected under glass.

 

Had pizza and beer at the Dostal Alley Brewing Co for lunch.

From there we went to Estes Park via the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway.

We saw a moose! Yes a female moose grazing at the waters edge. Can just make her out in the shadows in the photo.


Trivia: moose, elk and deer have blood flowing through their antlers and are tender through May-August. Then they will shed their velvet and the antlers go hard. This occurs just before they start their fight for females and lose them before growing a new set each spring. The blood flow caps off at the base when they go hard and will start again come time for the new growth. If they are injured or a deformation occurs in the antlers, each year after the same deformation occurs.

Arrived in Estes Park 7522 elevation, time for a pit stop and ice cream, winding roads have been making us doze!

Here up on the hill, taking prime position, is the sprawling Stanley Hotel which is supposedly haunted. Built by Freelan Oscar Stanley of Stanley Steamer, it was opened July 4, 1909. He and his wife Flora moved to Colorado for his health. The hotel served as accommodation for wealthy socialites. It even had a hydraulic elevator and electricity!

Since the 1970’s there has been much paranormal activity and Stephen King has stayed there for inspiration for The Shining. Now that was a wicked movie!

Up into the mountains we go to 12,183ft. Along the way we got to see turkey, elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer. What awesome scenery, what an awesome experience on the whole!!


A great few days with great friends, thank you for having us!

Kat xo

July 23rd, 2015

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stanley_Hotel

http://www.stanleyhotel.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s Next?

Posted on by kathousekelli70

So we have been back from End Of Trail now for almost 2 weeks.

In that time it's been busy clearing washing, folding and ironing, for Jack, cleaning and reloading for the next trip, and of course a couple of club matches thrown in good measure and getting to the gym and swimming.

Then to the new fabric choices on the board, sorting out what needs to be cut, sewn, drafted, ordered and put into production.

It certainly has been a busy couple of weeks.

– finished making a bustle skirt and corset – sent!

– 2 vaquero suits underway, passementerie trim arrived and patterns half sorted in my head from photos.

– 2 reticule's made aka small hand bag or if you are Jack – a shell bag for brass……no comment.

– 8 corsets at varying stages of production on the table. Extra steel has now arrived for completion.

– 1 bar keep's apron.

Ready to cut out – 1 split skirt, 2 shirts, 1 pr bloomers, 1 pr pants.

 

Find fabric for – 1 civil war bodice, 3 corsets, 1 b-western outfit, 2 b-western shirts….and that's only a part of it.

Oh, and just a small portion of embroidery to be done.

But you know what, it's not a chore. Everything is different, I love it and can't wait for the next project.

This next trip though the sewing machine will be going with me to do some portion whilst enjoying some of the Midwest highlights of this great country.

This week coming we will be heading back up through to Colorado to Nunn and then spend a couple of days with Aspen Filly before heading through to Cheyenne, Wyoming and beyond.

Check out the 'Where Along The Trail' on the website to see the schedule.

See you on the trail!!

Kat xo

 

 

Crisis Averted

Posted on by kathousekelli70

I realised this morning whilst doing my workout that something was missing from the sewing room. Things weren’t quite the same and I really needed to change it up to stop any disasters from occurring as in the past two days.

Yes, I’m missing my favourite movies! Burlesque and Maverick. (Jack says, but you’ve watched them a million times already! And?) So before I went any further today I had them downloaded in a flash and ready for action!

Who’d have thought? Everything is in order and I have been on fire all day! Another shirt almost complete, checked for sizing, no mistakes to unpick (touch wood, I have the cuffs and collar to do yet) and ready to hit ‘Paisley’s’ gorgeous lime, hot pink and white.

Life is sweet. Jack’s got a gun cart to make so that gives him something to do and finding that a new saw that actually cuts straight is saving him time, so he’s having fun too.

Woo hoo! Better get back into it and Burlesque my way through the next lot……now I think I might need Bridesmaids as well.

Yeah! Have a spectacular day! 🙂

Kat xo