Buckskin Clothing

By Stephen Graham

I had never sewed anything in my life but buttons on a shirt.That was even an experience that I did not relish. Doing research on my family tree I became aware of the fact that my great grand parents were listed on the American Indian rolls. The rolls were instituted during the infamous time of the trail of tears. I had always felt that I had indian lineage because my mother looked the part. All of her brothers and sisters had Indian features. The Indian aspect of our heritage was rarely discussed by family members. My mother never discussed her heritage even though she was dark skinned with black hair and high cheek bones. My sister looked Indian. I was dark complected. My dad was Irish. He was fair skinned with light hair. I have always felt a kinship to the Indian race.

I became very interested in anything Indian. I went to Indian art shows and inspected indian ware on e-bay. I had purchased a head dress which ended up being too small for my head. I read books and articles on Indian history. I purchased many articles which somehow seemed to quench my thirst for a feeling for the past. I am a large man with a large torso and feet. I had been buying my clothes from a big mans store for years. I had ogled the war and buckskin shirts on e-bay and other sites for months. I had trouble finding indian war shirts in my size. When I came close to finding the right shirt the price tag was out of my price range.

The next step? With my poor sewing knowledge I decided to try to make a war shirt by myself. I bought the buckskin and then a sewing machine from Wal- Mart. The sewing machine was not big enough and did not have the power to sew through leather.. I went to e-bay and purchased a sewing machine which was advertised to sew leather. In fact this new sewing machine was cheaper than the used machines that I had been outbid on by more aggressive bidders. I purchased a war shirt pattern from a company that I buy Indian articles from. The pattern was not in my size. I could not find any patterns in my size. I took one of my shirts and traced around it , adding a few inches extra for the hem. I had bought a thread that was too large for the machine and continually experienced bobbin problems. The thread was even too large to go through the needle of the machine easily. I went down to a smaller thread and began to make progress. Buckskin is not an easy material to work with. It is very pliable and has almost a spongy texture to it. Use heavy needles that are meant for sewing leather to do the hand work. Some type of lubricant is needed on the needles to make them go through the leather easier. I used a heavy piece of leather to protect my hands while hand stitching. I also used a pair of pliers to push and pull the needle through the leather. To my amazement I got all of the parts to match. I had even got huge compliments for my sewing ability. It looked as good as any thing that I could have purchased. I next looked at ways to decorate my shirt besides the usual fringe. I decided on horsehair, beadwork and medallions. I now had an expensive war shirt at a price that I could afford and in a size that would fit me.

I needed pants to go with the shirt. I sent off and ordered a pattern for leggings and a breechclout. The pattern worked. The leggings and breechclout were relatively easy to put together. I now have buckskins that will compare to almost any other. I saved money. I learned a new skill and got a feel for what it must have been like for the indians of old to produce their clothing. I am still searching for ways of recreating the Indian of the past. Yesterday I walked in the living room with a full drape red fox hat on my head. My wife does understand.

Stephen Graham-Avid hunter and fisherman, enjoys many hobbie that he likes to share with others.

http://www.phmnetwork.com

http://huntn-n-fishn.blogspot.com

http://buckskinnews.blogspot.com

Stagecoach Drivers and Their Whips
By Alton Pryor

Not everyone could manage a stagecoach. The stagecoach driver was held in higher esteem when on the summit of the Sierra than was the millionaire statesman who might be riding beside him.
While most stage drivers were sober, at least while on duty, nearly all were fond of an occasional “eye opener.” A good driver was the captain of his craft. He was feared by his timid passengers, awed by stable boys, and was the trusty agent of his employer.

The seat next to the driver, weather permitting, was the preferred seat of the men passengers. But this was one seat that was reserved, and it was not gotten by simply being the first to hop on the left front wheel rim and climbing into the box.

If the driver didn’t want the person who took the seat there, he would firmly order him down, and then enjoy the passenger’s discomfiture for the next ten miles.

To sit in the driver’s seat, one proceeded very much in the manner of securing an appointment to a high office. He went to the source of authority—above the driver himself—to the superintendent and even to the president of the company.

Charlie Parkhurst was one of the more skillful stagecoach drivers, not only in California, but throughout the west. He was variously called “One-eyed” or “Cockeyed” Charlie, because he had lost an eye when kicked by a horse. For 20 years, he drove stagecoach in California.Twice Charlie was held up. The first time, he was forced to throw down his strongbox because he was unarmed. The second time, he was prepared.

When a road agent ordered the stage to stop and commanded Charlie to throw down its strongbox, Parkhurst leveled a shotgun blast into the chest of the outlaw, whipped his horses into a full gallop, and left the bandit in the road.

One-eyed Charlie was known as one of the toughest, roughest, and the most daring of stagecoach drivers. Like most drivers, he was proud of his skill in the extremely difficult job as “whip.” Proper handling of the horses and the great coaches was an art that required much practice, experience, and not the least, courage.

Whips received high salaries for the times, sometimes as much as $125 a month, plus room and board.
“How in the world can you see your way through this dust?” one passenger asked Charlie.
“Smell it. Fact is,” Charlie replied, “I’ve traveled over these mountains so often I can tell where the road is by the sound of the wheels. When they rattle, I’m on hard ground; when they don’t rattle I gen’r’lly look over the side to see where she’s agoing.”

Yet, little was really known about Charlie Parkhurst before or after he came to California. It wasn’t until his body was prepared for burial that his true secret was discovered.

Charlotte “Charlie” Parkhurst was a woman. One doctor claimed that at some point in her life, she had been a mother.

Unknowingly, Parkhurst could claim a national first. After voting on Election Day, November 3, 1868, Charlie was probably the first woman to cast a ballot in any election. It wasn’t until 52 years later that the right to vote was guaranteed to women by the nineteenth amendment.
All stagecoach drivers, including Charlie, considered their whips worth their weight in gold. Drivers considered their whips a badge of honor.
Some drivers would as soon be caught without their pants as without their whips. Many of the whips used by the stage drivers were fine works of art, generally ornamented with handcrafted silver ferules girdling a handle made of hickory. Many of these whips are prized museum pieces today.
Whips were never sold, loaned, borrowed, or traded. In his book, “Stagecoach Days in Santa Barbara County, Walker A. Tompkins wrote, “Whips were considered a part of the driver, who kept the lashes well-oiled and as pliable as “a snake in the sun.”

Most stagecoach whips had buckskin lashes, usually from 11 to 12 feet in length, attached to a five-foot hickory shaft. The lashes were 10 feet too short to reach the lead team, which was controlled by reining.
Some rare drivers did carry a “six-horse whip” with a 22-foot lash, but these were mainly for circus and rodeo appearances, and considered too unwieldy for practical use.

The driver took his whip with him when off duty, and always hung it up. He never rested it in a corner for fear of warping the stock. Neither did he wrap the lash around the handle for fear of curling the thongs.
Stagecoach drivers were scornful of the way they were depicted in the movies. The top-grade stagecoach drivers used cracking of the whip sparingly. These drivers were concerned that the “pistol-shot” sounds made by the whips would only startle their passengers out of their naps or, worse yet, spook their teams.

Roads had to be built at public expense before stagecoaches were given a route. Some were little more than ox-cart tracks linking the various ranchos. Even the El Camino Real, the storied “King’s Highway", was little more than a foot trail.

A tale is told about stage driver Whispering George Cooper. He got his name because of his loud bellow, which was said could be heard for miles, even against a wind, while he pushed his team up a treacherous pass.
At one point, Whispering George needed to repair a broken single tree that had developed a bad split. He scoured the stage for a bit of rope or a scrap of baling wire, to make the repair.

At that moment, a rattlesnake slithering across the road in front of them spooked his team. George killed the snake, which measured five feet or more in length. A passenger commented how much the snake resembled a rope.

“By gawd, that’s what I’ll use it for!” exclaimed George. He wrapped the dead snake around the single tree and knotted it into place. It worked, holding the damaged single tree together until it reached a relay station.
The term “stagecoach” came about in medieval Europe, when public coach travel was the only way one could get from one point to another without walking.

Trips were generally made in easy stages because of bad roads and the lack of overnight lodgings along the way. Hence, the term “stage” coach.

Alton Pryor has been a writer for magazines, newspapers, and wire services. He worked for United Press International in their Sacramento Bureau, handling both printed press as well as radio news. He traveled the state as a field editor for California Farmer Magazine for 27 years. He is now the author of 10 books, primarily on California and western history. His books can be seen at www.stagecoachpublishing.com Readers can email him at stagecoach@surewest.net.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alton_Pryor

Classy Leather Jackets and Blazers
By Gordon Petten

Possessing a classy leather jacket has become a symbol of status amongst the teenagers. You have plenty of choices in choosing these jackets and blazers. You can find classy leather jackets and classy leather blazers in various colors like black, red, gray, brown etc. Brown and black shades are the most popular shades when it comes to the color selection of leather jackets and blazers. You should not consider use of these jackets and blazers as a tool of protection in particular season. Wearing of these classy jackets and classy blazers gives an intimidating appearance to the person wearing it.

There are many ways in which a classy leather jacket can be styled. Classy leather jackets are popular mainly amongst bikers, personnel serving in the various arms of the Defense Services, college students and tourists.
Leather jackets and leather blazers can be classified in different categories either on the basis of purpose they are worn or on the basis of material they are made from. Some of the categories of jackets and blazers are
•Classic Leather Jacket
•Classic Leather Blazer
•Leather Motorcycle jacket
•Bomber/flight leather blazer/jacket
•Racing and scooter jackets
•Leather waterproof jackets

You can find classy leather jackets and classy leather blazers made up of different types of leathers like suede, buckskin, cowhide, goatskin, ostrich skin, lizard skin and pigskin.

Usually you find leather jackets either with a zip or with buttons. Classy Leather jackets and classy leather blazers are available in different sizes. On the basis of length size these jackets and blazers are subcategorized as waist length size jackets and hip length size blazers. You can find these leather jackets and blazers in the market in different styles like trench-coat and collarless patterns.

Leather jackets gained its popularity mainly during 1950 after it was worn by famous movie star Marlon Brando in two movies. The other contemporary actors followed the suit and add to the popularity of leather jackets. Teenagers are very keen to imitate their filmy idols. This aspect helped in achieving more popularity for the leather jackets when it was worn by Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his movie. Wearing a classy leather jacket or classy leather blazer is considered as a tool to show off machismo.

It is a fact that leather jackets and classy leather blazers are worn either as a fashion or as a garment which offers protection. Though leather jackets are mainly popular among men, women are no exception for their vouch for these classy leather jackets and classy leather blazers. Usually women wear these classy leather blazers to symbolize manliness and machismo. This factor has made the leather jackets a way of displaying life style, personality and attitude in the world of fashion.

As a woman, you have a wide range of classy leather blazers and classy leather jackets to choose like single and double breasted, without collars, close collars or open collars. There are number of designs of leather jackets which add to the beauty of woman. Some of the popular designs of leather jackets amongst women are suede leather jackets, classy leather blazers, overcoats, classy leather jackets, outwears and reversible jackets. Many leather jackets are embossed to make these classy leather blazers and classy leather jackets to make them more attractive and lure more and more customers. Embossing patterns like Crocodile, snakeskin and alligator are more popular.

Undoubtedly classy leather jackets and classy leather blazers adds to your personality as well as your social status apart from providing you protection in different weather conditions.

Classy Leather Jackets and Blazers
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gordon_Petten