The One In Which I Become A Pioneer Woman

A couple weeks ago my Pops asked me if I would put my sewing skills to work and make him some cowboy gear.

Yep. You read that right, partner. Cowboy gear.

And I don't mean the football team.

Specifically, he wanted me to stitch up some "half-leggings".

Oh. And they needed to be historically accurate. Accurate enough to pass an inspection.

Me: Dude. Dad. I sew baby quilts, pajama pants, and Simplicity shirts. Cowboy gear is a bit out of my league. Especially historically accurate cowboy gear.

Pops: You can do it. I trust you. You're a professional.

**scoff**

Me: OK, Pops. But I ain't no pioneer woman......There is a pattern, right?

Pops: Sure there's a pattern. It will probably only take you a couple of hours.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS.

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Texans take their state history seriously. Very seriously.

My parents live in Goliad, which is on the Texas Independence Trail.

Each year a reenactment is done at Presidio La Bahia.

I've mentioned that my Pops is a huge history buff. One of his hobbies is dressing in historical garb and doing these reenactments and "live shoots".

He's even entered Blog Land to write about his adventures in all things cowboy.

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Pops offered to keep The Offspring if I would make his cowboy half-leggings.

Smart move, Pops. Dangle that carrot.

First of all...there was no pattern. There were instructions. Very different from a pattern.

I had no choice but to channel my inner-pioneer woman.

This is what transpired. My thanks to The Mr. for his modeling skills.

They are made from cowhide and lined with a plain cotton fabric. The binding is wool felt.

They even have hand stitched button holes.

This was the hardest part.

The thread included with the kit resembled a bunch of corn silk stuck together with wax.

I've also determined that pioneer women must have had hard-as-nails-finger tips. That cowhide was impossible to stitch. I finally got a pair of pliers to help pull the needle through to the other side.

What ultimately matters is that Pops was pleased. They fit. He passed cowboy inspection.

And he was able to be a part of living history.