Making a Hobby Horse Fun

Ever find yourself in a crafting funk?  I was there about a month ago when a friend of mine contacted me asking if I thought I could make a hobby horse for her niece's 2nd birthday.

We messaged back and forth picking fabric and notions and I finally got excited about trying something new.  You know that excited can't wait to get started and for little packages to arrive in the mail feeling, I had it.  But timing worked out that the fabric showed up right before we left for our vacation so starting on the hobby horse had to wait.

Two weeks later, I finally got started with a nice little shopping trip for the making items I didn't have like pinking shears and long doll needles.  Then I had to wait for nap time (so much waiting!) before I could download the Whimsy Wooie Pattern and start cutting.

Then the anticipation of getting started gave way to doubt.  What if this turns out horribly!?!  Well too late now, gotta at least try.  So I carefully cut fabric, and I mapped out the type of eye my friend had requested.  And then nap time was over, and I had to wait some more.

That evening I hand stitched the eye detailing.  (Something I could do while the kids were playing in the yard, and I sat on the deck!)  Using my spray adhesive I repeatedly placed the eyes trying to figure out a placement that would allow for good side and front view.  I didn't want the side to look good but then have the eyes too close together in appearance from the front.  Once the kids were in bed I machine stitched the eyes the finished eyes to each head panel.

Once the head was together and I cut the hair strips I was starting to feel more confident again.  I can do this.  It's looking like a horse!  Stuffing with small handfuls allowed me to get the full and firm look I was going for.  Then after seeing how the hair was lying over the eyes and where I would want the horn I trimmed the "bangs" and actually cut out some of the hair material to allow for the horn placement to be where I wanted it.

 I asked Crystal and Jen how they had attached the ears on their wooie's when they did them in the past and just like on the FB board each had their own preference on how to do them.  Crystal is a sew after stuffing and Jen is a sew before stuffing.  I went with after stuffing using a ladder stitch as I didn't want the seam line showing.  Did the same for the unicorn horn.  Maybe Karly will have to make her kiddos a wooie to balance out the ears before or after stuffing within the SHEs.

Stitched in the mouth and added the bridal and the fabulous buttons (from FRANCE!).  Looking more and more like a unicorn a 2 year old will be proud of (and to be honest this mama was pretty proud of too).  We are almost done!

Next was a trip to Home Depot for the dowel and rubber tipped stopper.  That was an adventure all on it's own.  I went in the evening, and I swear there was NO ONE THERE.  I found the dowels in the wood area with the other dowels.  Then the epic search for the rubber tipped stopper.  I finally found a Home Depot employee and what do you know as soon as I start to ask my question another (male) customer steps in front of me and asks a question, seemed like a follow up question to something the guy had asked earlier so I let it go and waited my turn.  Then as that guy walked off ANOTHER guy stepped up and was asking his question to which the home depot employee went off to show him whatever it was they needed to find.  On my own again.  And home depot's website to the rescue.  Plugged in my "local" Home Depot and looked to see if they had them in stock and there in the bottom corner the aisle location.  Hallelujah!  If you are curious it was with other non slip furniture items which was NOT with the other furniture aisles but rather the "random" aisle that has things like the locking mail boxes.

My darling husband and father in law then chopped the dowel down to size and drilled the holes.  While they enjoyed s'mores after their hard work, I sat inside finishing stuffing the horse and attaching the dowel to the bottom fabric cuff while waiting for the kiddos to fall asleep so I could too join them for some dessert fun.  Well the kids took FOREVER to fall asleep so the horse was completed before they finally took their trip to dreamland.  But we have a finished Wooie!!!!

--Viever