Leslie's 18th Century Side Saddle

First Post of the Day

Ever held something in your hands that you know is REALLY old, even centuries old? 

Participating in living history has allowed me to have that opportunity more than once. My two favorite items?

Parson John's 1726 Anglican Bible.

Frank Jarboe is a minister in real life and his living history persona reflects that - Parson John. He provides the early morning church services (18th century style) at many events, including Kalamazoo and the Feast.

Frank always lets me look at his Bible and honestly, I get the shivers knowing it has been in use for 299 years (300 next year.) 

The other is my sister's 18th century sidesaddle. And it's sitting in my dining room right now.

The horses who wore this saddle and the women who rode in it are long gone, but still there are echoes from the past that I feel when I touch or look at it. I wonder about those who used it and where it has been. More shivers.

The fixed horn is beautifully decorated

and the leather tooling is exquisite and well preserved. Look at those tiny stars!

The sewist in me also wonders about the stitching. The first known mechanical device for sewing was invented in 1755 by Charles Frederick Weisenthal, but I don't know if that was for use on leather or not. Perhaps there was a tool that punched tiny holes together and then they hand sewed it that way?

This saddle has been examined and dated to 1785 - 1795 so it's around 230 - 240 years old. 

The stirrup irons remind me of those that have been found during archeological digs at Fort Ouiatenon.

This is one that was unearthed during one of the digs on the original site.

There is more to come on the things I have for this year's Feast School Day. Stay 'tooned!

Kalamazoo Living History Show - Part 2

For the next day of the Kalamazoo Living History Show, I wore the riding habit I'd made last summer.

Leslie also wore one of hers, and we posed for a photo together in front of an artist who just happened to have a painting of horses on display.

In a nod to her Grandma Martin (my mom), Lisa combined the jacket and petticoat of one of Leslie's habits along with a waistcoat that was from one of her grandmother's habits. The hat was also my mother's. 

Jolis Chevaux had been too busy the first day for me to get away and shop or see the show, but I was able to walk around a bit the second day.

The Kalamazoo Expo Center had four gigantic rooms and they were filled to the brim with participants in the show. It was so massive, I only got to see one room beside the one I was in!

The array of goods and acoutrements on display or for sale was overwhelming. (Look closely - see the horse? Doesn't it look like the horse on my quilt block?)

One thing I discovered while walking around was that I had priced my clothing too low in comparison to what was at the show. 

I'm more of a hat girl than a frilly bonnet gal, but I wouldn't mind having one of those market bonnets on the top left.

Every year Leslie puts together some sort of Peeps display (which has nothing to do with living history and everything to do with stress relief) at the Information Desk.

This year she did a Peeps tribute to Ukraine.

Romantically Bent's display was my favorite and I spent some time looking at Cristine's work. She is the best of the best, and her work was stunning.

Another gorgeous riding habit. 

By the end of the show, I only had a few articles of clothing left on the clothing rack. I'd also been asked if I would sew 40 (FORTY??) military uniforms that would be needed in 2023, had a query or two about custom orders, and a most unusual request to make a loin cloth. (Not even going there, although it was a legitimate request and not just a guy trying to play or rattle me.)

 I was so worn down that, after we packed up and loaded the car, I hopped in without changing my clothes.

Such a fun time, but it was so good to be home again. 

Living History in Lisa's Classroom

When my children were younger, I sewed and sold period clothing to re-enactors. It was always fun to go to The Feast or other events and see someone wearing something I had made. I made myself several outfits, too, including this one (my mother made the fichu as a gift to me.)

Friday Lisa, asked me to come speak to her class about The Feast of the Hunters' Moon as she was taking her students there on a field trip. I dug out my period clothing and a few other items and spent an enjoyable afternoon back in the classroom and teaching again.

I had to go early in my street clothes while her students were at lunch because those stays (a forerunner of the corset) need to be laced up in the back and I cannot do that without help.

 I was so happy to be back in the classroom; I may be retired from teaching, but I still love being with children and sharing information with them.

My favorite part was explaining the reason why people, especially women, from the 18th century wanted to look heavier than they actually were. The students had some great ideas as to why that was the case, and one girl actually got the answer right.

Being heavy communicated to other people that you were wealthy and could afford more food than most.

 So, women would wear an undergarment called "panniers" that would make their hips look wider especially if they were single or widowed and looking for a husband.

The kids thought that that was pretty funny and had a lot of questions. I slipped out for a moment and slid my panniers out from under my skirts so that I could show them what they looked like.

 This boy volunteered to try them on.

He was a very good sport and took a walk around his classmates so that they could see them.

My sister, Leslie, has a great love of Hershey Bars.

When this girl tried on my panniers, I shared with her that Leslie stashes the candy either in her panniers or in another tie-on garment called a "pocket." (The forerunner of the pockets which are now sewn into our clothing.)

I told her to watch out for Leslie when she went on the field trip and to ask her if she might have some chocolate stashed away.

Then, she and I did a tongue-in-cheek practice on how to approach Leslie to see if she might share that chocolate.  

Lisa had a fun surprise -  the joke was on me! (She knows her Aunt Leslie well!)

 I passed around my hen basket for the kids to examine

and taught them a little bit of fan language at the end of the presentation. And then it was time for me to wrap up and head home. 

Such a fun afternoon being with kids and teaching a subject that I enjoy. And I really do think that I am going to make myself a riding habit for next year when Lisa will invite me back again to teach living history.