I think my alter ego is a cowgirl. I remember having a cowgirl costume as a young child and remember watching Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. I have always liked cowgirl boots and denim. My favorite jacket in high school was fringed suede and western style. As I got older and moved to Tucson part of the year, I sewed more Western themed clothes including a cowgirl apron and a fleece jacket. I am always on the look out for cute cowgirl fabric. Little did I dream that I would become friends with a couple of real cowgirls!
I made my first cowgirl friend, Millie, at a daytime ASG meeting. I have turned to her for creative advice during sit-and-sews and we trade stories. I knew that Millie was compassionate about animals and owns some dogs that her family rescued. Recently Millie showed an amazing wall hanging with a cow being roped by her grandson. She explained that she and her family kept a cattle ranch and she often roped cattle. She is a sophisticated sewist who I could imagine being at home in Manhattan. Apparently I was wrong with my guess about her background.
My second cowgirl sewing friend, Karen, is a banker with a machine embroidery business. In her younger years she lived in Cody, Wyoming on a cattle ranch where she helped her husband take care of a large herd of cattle. This included getting hay to them in the bitter winter, moving them around, and helping with the birthing that went on for a months. She said that she lived in a barn during birthing time and must have helped with the delivery of over 1,000 calves. I guess that qualifies her as a cowgirl. She does not walk around with boots and spurs anymore, but I bet she has pictures of herself in her former work clothes. Now she embroiders Western wear for groups participating in the rodeo coming up in February.
I'm glad that I now know some real cowgirls who even sew. It makes me wonder how many more I'll meet here in Tucson.
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