Taking Stock! The making of a stock tie.

I understand this post is equicentric. I suppose you could look at it as a Fashion Blog entry...for the horsey crowd. Or it is a Craft Blog How-To...but in any case, unless your fashion sense veers towards the 18th century, you are employed by Ralph Lauren, or your kid's ball team is manning a craft table at Equine Affaire, this blog is probably for Horse People.
My kids are part of an excellent, active Pony Club. If you are a regular reader, you will have seen a bazillion pictures of them at various Pony Club events. I, too, am a graduate B of the United States Pony Club, lucky me! And, each year, my kid's PC hosts a Winter Camp. This is an unmounted weekend when the club gets together for a sleepover and learning extravaganza. It is fun, yes, but also packed full of learning opportunities. One of the activities at Winter Camp 2014 was teaching the Pony Clubbers how to properly tie a "stock tie".
I found, way back when, that a properly tied stock tie is a badge of sorts. Those who "know", notice, and certain assumptions are instantly made. The same happens, but in reverse if your stock tie is sloppily tied. Pony Club graduates of a certain level definitely know. You are assessed, horse, rider and tack every competition in a "formal inspection" before you ride. If you are of a level where you are sporting formal attire, and therefore a stock tie, your tie will be inspected and found to meet standard, or....not. In which case a penalty may be assessed. Of course, not just the stock tie is inspected but all the bits and pieces that make up the horse, rider and tack. So, there are a lot of opportunities for missteps- a stock tie shouldn't be one!

 The higher level PC'ers demonstrate proper tying of the stock tie to the rest of the group.

 Winter Camp 2014

Showing the proper knot and "bunny ear" style. 

The plain stock pin will go horizontally, and through the knot itself.

Stock ties are worn in English riding competitions, mostly the disciplines of dressage and fox hunting. But, you will also see them in show jumping competition. They heritage of the stock tie is long- and maybe this is why it is so closely guarded. They were not originally worn just for riding, but when they became popular, in the first half of the 1700's, certainly riding was the common form of transportation. I mean, from the chariot of Mesopotamia to the coach of Queen Victoria, horses pulled the most wealthy, and the rest of the people rode or walked. And, the fabric around your neck kept it warm, or absorbed your sweat. It also said something about your wealth and status. Your neck covering could be plain or lacy, depending on your income. 

The stock tie has changed little since the 1740s. It's always been white (military uniforms excepted) and the structure hasn't changed much. There are two accepted methods of  tying the stock tie, one is British Hunting style, and the other is the one we use in the U.S.- with the "bunny ears" in the picture above. The reason they have stayed as expected parts of formal attire is they are useful. The stock pin is akin to a kilt pin, very strong and pretty sharp, and the stock tie is 6- 8 feet long, and 8-10" wide. Thus, if one is out galloping about the countryside, and tumbles off their horse, or whacks into a tree( not too uncommon), the stock tie is an instant sling for a broken bone, or wrap for cracked ribs. (Yup, I've seen it used for both.) It can also be used to wrap an injured horse limb (hunt horse caught in barbed wire, circa 1978?) and the injured party can make it to more suitable help. Admittedly, there is little need for this in dressage competition, and so is pretty much there for tradition, and good looks.

José Campeche, Dama a caballo (Lady on Horseback), last two decades of the 18th century

One of the world's top event riders at the Rolex Grand Slam Event, 2014. There are a few changes in the past 300 years.

Which brings me to the craft portion of today's musings. Last year at Winter Camp, I brought both my stock ties. One, which I acquired, most certainly second hand, in the very early 1980s, is manufactured, contoured and has a pass through hole for where the tie crosses at the back of the neck, allowing it to lie flat. 

The other, more recent and less used, is a hand crafted more straight forward version. As the Pony Clubbers practiced their tying, it occurred to one of our fearless leaders, that making stock ties could be a project at Winter Camp 2015. Brilliant idea, I thought, and was volun-asked to assess the viability of the project.

Well, it's winter. 2015.

So, this weekend, I made a stock tie, then instructed Middlest through making one- 40 minutes start to finish. Middlest does have some experience at the sewing machine (4-H projects), but has not sewn for a few years. To that matter, I haven't either! But, this is an easy project!

First step was a trip to the fabric store. As I said, stock ties are usually white, and so I shopped for a bottom weight cotton. I found one with a faint stripe to it, and snapped it up, as straight lines in the fabric help straight lines in the sewing machine. I bought 2 yards, the length of the finished tie. 

The next step is to wash and dry the fabric. I hate this step, as I'm not a patient girl when it comes to tackling a project, but it's necessary, especially with a cotton. You want to minimize shrinkage after you complete the sewing and wash it the first time!
Next I cut a 10 inch wide strip down the whole long length of the fabric. So you have a piece 10 inches by two yards long.

See the white lines on the white fabric.

Then, to the ironing board! Press the fabric in half, length wise, so you have a 5" by 2 yard long piece, doubled over.

Pin, (I'm super lazy, and often don't for this basic of a project- blasphemy!) and sew a tight seam- by this I mean as close to the edge as practical. I made it the width of the sewing foot on my machine. You don't want extra bulk here, and I want the finished tie to be wide-ish. Sew down the long side, then across one end.

Snip the corner of the seam, to make the corner lie flat:

Iron the seams open and flat. This makes the edge crisp. Then, pull the whole thing over your hand and arm and turn it right side out. Outside out?  And, press it again. This project is more ironing and less sewing. Now you have a long sleeve, with one open end and one closed end. To close the 2nd end, you patiently turn the raw ends of the fabric to the inside until it looks pretty and square, pin it, and then sew right on top of the seam. This seam will be visible. But, the end of the stock tie won't be visible, it is under your coat, and doesn't bother me one whit. If it bothers you, (you sewing perfectionist- were you in 4-H?) turn the seam and hand sew it closed with a hidden stitch. Inverted mattress is my favorite, but that is just my latent surgeon.

 In this photo you can see the 2nd, open end, that Middlest folded inside and top stitched.

Last step is just more starch and more pressing. Fold the 5 inch piece in half once more, press. And, you have a stock tie. Finished length ~2 yards, and finished width ~5 inches, but folded and pressed into 2.5 inches.

Well, I guess it isn't worth much unless you can tie it. So, here are some instructions. I chose to use a pink shirt so that you could see the white tie. In reality, your shirt would be white.

Find the middle of the tie, and move about 6 inches to one side. Place it in the center of the front of your neck and wrap the ends around your neck and back to the front.

Then, aiming one side up to your chin tie the beginning throw of a square knot, making sure the top arm of the tie comes prettily vertical.

 Keep it there and wrap the end around the bottom end in the second tie of the square knot.

 Arrange the knot so it looks nice and boxy and vertical.

Then, simply take the loose ends and fold them up into the bunny ears, tight to the knot, small and symmetrical. Your stock pin should be sturdy, 2.5" long and unadorned- serviceable. Place it through one side of the bunny ear, through the middle of the knot and through the other bunny ear. This takes some doing. But do it anyway. If you don't get the pin through the knot, the whole she-bang will loosen up and become sloppy!

The last bit is to use safety pins to pin the loose long ends of the tie to your shirt. It wouldn't do for them to come loose and flap about the outside of your coat! 

To demonstrate the dashing look of a finished stock tie, I employed Youngest. Plus, an informal stock I made from suiting. This tie could be used in the informal Hunt Season, but, not with the black coat I have on Youngest. Black coat= formal, but not white stock = informal. I am mixing things up! Naughty girl.  Still, looks great, and will hold up with jeans and a sweater for me outside of the riding arena. You know, equestrian looks are eternally fashionable. Ralph Lauren has made a fortune proving that point!

 

 

 

Simply Dashing!

Now, for our fearless leaders to decide if Winter Camp 2015 will include the making of stock ties....