If you want to hand-weave a mohair breast collar for your horse, here are four design options that you can try. Each uses a variety of 2-ply mohair cord to make triangles or bars which are easy to create for beginner weavers. Included are the colors and lengths of cord that are needed to make the patterns shown.
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When I started making custom tack for my horses, it was hard to find any breast collar patterns online. After looking at pictures of other makers’ work and trialing different lengths and colors for my own designs, I came up with a few easy patterns that can be used to decorate a hand-woven mohair breast collar.
I make 34-inch, standard horse-sized breast collars for my Quarter Horses out of 8-ply mohair cord that I purchase from U-Braid-It supply. To make the designs, you will need tapestry needles and needle nose pliers. For full instructions on making a breast collar, click here to read my other article.
The designs on the breast collar are made with 2-ply mohair. You can use complementary or contrasting colors to achieve the look that you desire.
Mohair is expensive! Use these ideas to get a sense of how much cord you need and save yourself the grief of wasting materials when you cut it too short.
Here are four design options, named after our horses, with the lengths of cord and U-Braid-It colors used for each. Happy weaving!
“Arrow” Breast Collar Pattern
Breast collar: 50 ft 8-ply “Shiprock”
Center bars (2 rows): 2ft each “Prairie Sage” 2-ply
Small triangles (5 stitch base, each tier 2 stiches high): 2ft each “Adobe Orange” 2-ply
Small triangle outline (2 stitches each tier): 18 inches each “Coral Mesa” and “Sandstone” 2-ply
Large triangles (7 stitch base, each tier 2 stitches high): 3ft each “Prairie Sage” 2-ply
“Maeve” Breast Collar Pattern
Breast collar: 50 ft 8-ply “Atomic Bronc”
Center bars (4 rows): 4ft each “Galaxy Tie-Dye” 2-ply
Large triangles (5 stitch base, each tier 2 stitches high): 30 inches each “Mariposa” 2-ply
Triangle outlines (2 stitches each tier): 30 inches each “Steel Blue” and 32 inches each “Adobe Orange” and “Coral Mesa” 2-ply
“Swagger” Breast Collar Pattern
Breast collar: 50 ft 8-ply “Black”
Center bars (4 rows): 4ft each “Coral Mesa” 2-ply
Large triangles (7 stitch base, each tier 2 stitches high): 3ft each “Adobe Orange” 2-ply
Triangle outlines (2 stitches each tier): 28 inches each “Taos Teal” and “Turquoise Trail” 2-ply
Small triangles (5 stitch base, each tier 2 stiches high): 2ft each “Taos Teal” 2-ply
Small triangle outline (2 stitches each tier): 18 inches each “Turquoise Trail” 2-ply
“Ranger” Breast Collar Pattern
Breast collar: 50 ft 8-ply “Galaxy Tie-Dye”
Center bars (4 rows): 4ft each “Galaxy Tie-Dye” 2-ply
Large triangles (7 stitch base, each tier 2 stitches high): 3ft each “Adobe Orange” 2-ply
Triangle outlines (2 stitches each tier): 28 inches each “Frida’s Flower” and “Turquoise Trail” 2-ply
Mother, farmer, author, and teacher by trade… She loves tending to things and watching them grow!