Lynn's (Brief) History of Sewing Professionally

I've been sewing since I was a teenager in high school. I love, love, love to sew.

I've made my own clothes, baby clothes, quilts, quiet books, my kids' clothes, prom dresses, bridesmaid dresses, and much, much more. 

Susan's quiet book octopus (that is also a nod to her parents' affinity for the University of Illinois. See all that orange and blue?)

But I never intended to open one, let alone two, sewing businesses. 

The pandemic actually spurred the formation of Horsiemama's Haversacks and Mercantile. Due to the quarantine, I could not hold my show Happy Trails here in my home as usual. I turned it into a photo show that year instead, and decided to make pony pouches for all the entrants as gifts.

It was fun, I got to use all kinds of horsey fabrics, and people began asking me if I'd make more pouches for them. A business was born. 

(Any guesses as to how many haversacks I've made since formally opening the Mercantile in August, 2020? Scroll down for the answer.)

Jolis Chevaux, my 18th century sewing business, was more of a deliberate accident. (Now there's an oxymoron.) Lisa and I had begun participating in living history events, and I saw an opportunity to return to a business that I'd shared with my sister Leslie and our mother back in the 1990s - Chien Noir Trading Company.

Look between me and my sister and you will see the Chien Noir sign hanging on her tent. Our mom passed away in 2016, but Leslie and Rick still run the company.

I started sewing 18th century clothing back in the 1990s with them but after a couple of years, I had to leave Chien Noir. My kids were all still at home and very busy with school and church activities, I was working on a degree at the University of Illinois, and it was just too much to sew commercially on top of all that.

But, when Lisa really became involved with living history five years ago, I realized that I now had time again to sew historical clothing. But instead of rejoining Chien Noir, I formed my own company.

It has been So. Much. Fun. It's very different from making pony pouches and can be highly challenging, but there is a wonderful sense of accomplishment when I complete each garment.

I have a solid group of loyal customers that seek me out at events.

"Keith the blacksmith." Lisa and I have dubbed him that - we know he's a blacksmith but we are not sure of his first name except that it begins with the letter K. (Kevin? Ken? Not Kyle; we'd have remembered that one! LOL)

Mackenzie and a friend. (Both wearing my shirts!)

This lady was my very first customer as Jolis Chevaux. She was just starting out, hesitant, and trying to learn what kinds of clothing were appropriate for the time period. Now she's a confident reenactor, volunteering and helping others, and knows her stuff.

(Any wonder why I look forward so much to KZoo and Feast?)

I've really turned a corner with my healing - I'm no longer exhausted and moving slowly. And while I am still ouchy, I don't need help getting in and out of chairs and the bed, picking things up off the floor, and more. 

Which means I am also back in the sewing room. Woot!

The first thing I pulled out of the prep cart were the two wool pockets I'd cut out pre-op.

Pockets are easy peasy and a good place to start when you are still recovering.

I got both done in one sitting and was able to move on to another project the next day.

Chemises! (That's the French word; the English called them "shifts.") Making a shift is surprisingly similar to making a trade shirt, and I was able to complete most of one yesterday.

They can have gathered sleeves and cuffs or pleated ones, and I always pleat them. There is an elegance to pleats that I like and honestly, I think they look much nicer than a gathered sleeve.

Leslie and I are trying a little experiment together. Her business focus is importing and selling block print fabrics, not sewing, but she does occasionally sew.

And with all those block prints in Chien Noir's inventory, she has begun doing some sewing herself.

To help boost their visibility, I offered to make a folder on the Jolis Chevaux site and let her showcase them there. We are not combining our businesses, but we are collaborating.

Hmmm, does my bed gown look familiar? LOL

Today Nashie and Mama are coming over (mind the lamps, boys!!) and with Mama's arthritis flare-up, we will be keeping her downstairs. Craig and I will take turns sitting with her and doing other things (I have some hand sewing I will bring downstairs) and I will still get some things done in preparation for KZoo.

So, just how many haversacks have I made since I opened Horsiemama's Haversacks & Mercantile in August of 2020?

1,184. That's a lot of cutting, pinning, turning, and stitching! 

BreyerFest 2023: Almost Time!

It's the day before BreyerFest and the Clarion is filling up. Room sales have begun, friends are reconnecting, and hobbyists are touring thoroughbred farms, Keeneland, and other horsey sites.

I'm grateful for all the photos and stories flooding social media. Jennifer Buxton, also a virtual attendee, is sharing lots of news and photos on her blog - if you aren't attending BreyerFest in person, it's a good place to go to see what's happening. (It's a good place to go regardless!)

I'm replicating BreyerFest week as much as I can. I usually leave on Thursday, after spending Monday through Wednesday making final preparations to go. This year I chose to work on a project that really needed to be done - inventorying and reorganizing the Horsiemama's Haversacks & Mercantile sales albums.

Opened in August 2020, the Mercantile was pandemic inspired - my annual pony party, Happy Trails, could not be held as usual. So, I held a photo show and made haversacks as thank you gifts to all who entered. One thing led to another, and suddenly I was in business.

It's been three years, and while I have done some inventorying in the past, never have I gone album by album, comparing what I had in stock with what the album showed, and deleting SOLD photos and adding others that never were posted.

I'd never counted those albums, either. I was stunned to see that I had a whopping 166 albums! The inventorying project is now finished and I winnowed that number down to 138 - still a lot, but far more manageable.

And, while I knew that I had been selling a lot of haversacks recently, I had not realized just how low my inventory had become. I desperately need to cut out more and get busy! (I've been sewing, but it's been 18th century clothing, not haversacks.)

Today is Thursday and that has always been my travel day. Since I'm staying home, that can't be replicated. I'm going to do some cleaning and sorting, and maybe even cut and prep some haversacks. Rain is in the forecast but I hope to run out to the barn for a candy cane moment or two with Abby and the herd.

Look for a special announcement tomorrow in honor of BreyerFest! 

Stay 'tooned!

Haversacks are Inventoried & Packed!

 Horsiemama's Haversacks & Mercantile is all inventoried and packed!

This closet was MUCH easier to throw open and find what I needed than the one that stored my show tubs and supplies.

My sewing room is also a guest room, so I had a nice bed to use as I sorted and counted haversacks.

My inventory is lower than I'd like even though I have been sewing constantly. I've never had so many custom orders for the spring show season and BreyerFest. (Not that I am complaining.)

Mixing and matching bins - I have more than I need and I like the option to take those that suit what I am bringing best.

All done! Three sizes of pony pads,

two baskets of Traditionals, one of XLTs (Extra Long Traditionals), and one of Classics, Curios, Stablemates, and Odd Sizes to fit specific models. (Like the recent Maggie Bennett Rearing Mustang.)

The last thing I need to do? Tie fresh price tags onto the baskets and the Mercantile can go in the car!

The show hall for the Clover Classic is a little over an hour from here and is in a different time zone, so Leslie and I won't be leaving as early as I do for most shows tomorrow. That will be nice, but it also means we will be getting back late which will be a little hard. The fun will be worth it, though!

Wish us luck!

Horsiemama's Mercantile - Some Unusual Fabrics

I got a very interesting response last night to yesterday's blog post about my odd PAS. I don't have permission yet to post it, but I'm pretty sure she will agree to letting me share her thoughts. (She's a long time friend.) I'll check with her today and hopefully will share it here tomorrow.

In the meantime, check out some unusual fabrics I was able to get ahold of for the Mercantile!

Not only do I like the design theme of this fabric, but that shade of blue is gorgeous!

The stark white contrast of the dog against the horse really makes it pop.

Here's a close up of it so you can see it better.

This fabric is kind of a flip of colors for the horse and dog from the previous fabric.

A much more detailed dog. Orange is my favorite color so I may put some of this fabric aside and make something for me out of it.

Primitive ponies against a background of flowers and mountains.

I've been asked where I get my fabrics and the best advice I can give people is to do a Google search for local fabric stores. Go state by state with your search and you will be surprised as to what is out there. If prices are more than you want to pay but you see something you like, bookmark it and check back occasionally. Or, sign up to get notifications of sales, new fabrics etc.

And don't be afraid to look internationally, either. Many of the fabrics I use for my 18th century living history business are actually from out of the country.

Check back later this morning - this is a two blog post day!

Stay 'tooned!

 

New Haversacks

It's been a while since I posted much about Horsiemama's Haversacks & Mercantile, and while the 2022 show season is winding down, I am still sewing and sending out orders.

This order went out yesterday.

An extra long Traditional in Chalk Horses. (That's proven to be a very popular fabric.)

A Traditional in Flamingos. (The last from that fabric - it's sold out now.)

A second Traditional in Candy Colored Jumps. (Another very popular fabric.)

And a Stablemate haversack in the Candy Colored Jumps.

I had enough fabric to make a Classic haversack from it to sell.

Model to show size.

And while I could make another Stablemate sized one or possibly two, for all intents and purposes the Candy Colored Jumps fabric is sold out.

The past two years I have closed the Mercantile for a few weeks so that I could sew holiday gifts for my family and friends, and I will be doing that soon. In the meantime, though, the sewing room is busy with haversack and 18th century period clothing orders.

It's a good thing I like to sew!

FAMulous Fabric Haversacks!

Note to self: holding a live model horse show just three weeks after BreyerFest can really ramp up the pressure. I'm doing virtual BreyerFest and feeling swamped; I can only imagine how Allison, co-host of FAMulous, who is going to in-person BreyerFest feels! 

And while I haven't said much about it, I have two 18th century events that I am taking Jolis Chevaux to this fall and am also madly preparing for that. (So much for living the easy life in retirement, right?)

I finished one major task for FAMulous this week - haversacks for the judges and volunteers.

I am really pleased with how they turned out and I love the fabric that we designed with our show logo on it.

Several customers have encouraged me to put labels on my haversacks. I use them for Jolis Chevaux but haven't tried them for the Mercantile. (That link to Jolis Chevaux will take you to its Facebook page. I'm not advertising it yet, but you are welcome to join if you wish.)

I got these labels from Etsy but they are not quite what I want. Lorie Black of Pampered Pony Pockets and I were talking and she generously shared her method of making her own with me. I will try those next. (Thanks, Lorie!)

With the show drapes and the haversacks completed, my major sewing for FAMulous is done. There's a myriad of tasks still left to do, but I am chipping away at them.

One day at a time...

Holiday Horses & a Recipe

Horsiemama's Mercantile is closed for this month so that I can stitch up holiday gifts for my family. Here is a peek at two horsey designs I've been working on.

Before I embroider a design, I always make a test piece. I want to get a feel of how the design comes together, and even more importantly, how the colors work with each other. This takes a little time, but is always worth it in the end. 

 

Isn't this Clydesdale design neat? I didn't like the mailbag's side in the taupe that was called for, so I changed it and stitched it to a lighter color.

I also took the green "stamp" off the top right letter, and used the same color of green for the bell strap that was in the mane ribbons. (They were two very close but different shades of green. I preferred the brighter shade.) 

The final product on an apron. I still need to add the text. (And iron the apron - that fold line functions as a marker to help me center the pattern.)

Does that design remind anyone else of the Hagen Renaker miniature Clydesdale like it does me?

I flipped the photo horizontally so the horses were facing the same way. (Photo from Google Images.)

That design was a success; then there's this one which is still in need of tweaking.

The sled is gorgeous, but the horse is in need of work. I even went back to the design directions and stitched it out a second time to check and be sure I was using the recommended colors. I was, and the design really does call for pine-green shading on the horse. That's got to be changed!

I hope to wrap up the project for the grands who will be here on Thanksgiving in a day or two. When I do, I will share that with you later this week. Stay 'tooned!

Today's recipe is an Isenbarger family staple for the holidays. And not only does it taste good, it is EASY. (No candy thermometer or "beat until glossy" needed.) Originally from the back of a Kraft Marshmallow Creme jar, I've been making this fudge since the 1990s.

Easy Chocolate Fudge

Put 3/4 cup butter or margarine, 3 cups sugar, and 2/3 cups milk* in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to medium. Keep stirring and let boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Gradually stir in one package of chocolate chips and stir until melted. Add one 7 oz jar of marshmallow creme and a teaspoon of vanilla. (1 cup of chopped nuts, too, if desired.) Mix well.

Pour into greased 13x9 pan and cool.

Important Note: Be sure to lick the spoon and spatula before washing them to get every bit of fudgy goodness!

* Original recipe calls for evaporated milk. Regular milk works just fine.

Miniatures & a Recipe!

(I've decided that since the holidays are coming, I'm going to occasionally post some of my favorite holiday recipes at the end of a few blog posts. When I do, I'll indicate that in the title. As you can see, there is a recipe today, and it is YUMMY!)

A growing segment in our hobby is miniatures.  They are a lot of fun and can go in scenes, be used as props in show entries, or be prizes at a show.  I was lucky enough to win a few in Anne Field's most recent photo show.

Those rosettes are gorgeous and tricky to make - I know because I have tried. 

Look at the little pink cake, the strawberry donuts (actually a gift from Anne for supporting her blog on Ko-Fi), and that cute pink and purple unicorn eraser. (Yes, I actually called a unicorn "cute.")

I, too, give out miniatures. Everyone who orders from Horsiemama's Mercantile will find a mini haversack tucked in with their order.

Recently I stitched up a batch and then hot glued jewels and holiday sayings onto them.

I have a large supply of horsey charms

which I string on ribbons and put into the mini haversacks to be tucked in with each order.

Occasionally I put stickers in those little pony pouches, too.

It can be a lot of fun to play with things of different scales. This was my office Halloween decor - not a lot went into making it, just grabbing some horses that were all in rearing positions.

Adding in Darth Vader as their trainer was what made me smile - simple as it was, I loved this little corner decoration!

And now, here's a recipe I hope you like. Try not to eat the whole batch in one day. (Er, for the record, it can be done...)

Molasses Sugar Cookies

(Depending on how long you bake these, they can be soft and chewy, or a little crunchy on the outside.)

Melt 3/4 cup butter, margarine, or shortening in a saucepan. Add 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of molasses. 

Let cool, then add 1 egg and beat well.

Beat in 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons soda, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ginger. (I omit the salt and the cloves.)

Form into balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place balls on a greased cookie sheet or one that is lined with parchment paper, and bake 8 - 10 minutes at 375.