Friday, December 2, 2011

Possibly the Most Glamorous Hobby Horse Ever

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Yeah, you read that right. Glamorous hobby horse. You may laugh, but take a look at this awesomeness:


Awwwww yeah! She's so pwetty. I wish I had some awesome pics taken outside with a little tyke enjoying her new friend, but alas, this is a Christmas gift, so these pics of the poor horse propped up with my feet while I click away quickly (hiding upstairs while my daughter watches Dora downstairs) will have to suffice. :)

If you follow my blog, you might remember the hobby horse I linked to in my 25+ Gifts for Boys Round-up. That hobby horse by Dandee Designs really lit the fire for me. I was hoping to find a cute girly hobby horse or unicorn or something and kept browsing Pinterest and Google, and I found another good hobby horse tutorial! This one is from Family Fun:



The two tutorials are pretty much identical, and while I like the concept, the lazy mom in me kept saying, "I REALLY don't want to cut and thread a million pieces of yarn!!"  So I kept brainstorming for something else to use as hair.  What better way to get my creative juices flowing than to clean!! Yippee!!  (where's that sarcasm font when I need it?)

But this time it really worked! I picked up one of the 1500 feather boas we have in our playroom and was like, "LIIIIIIGHT. BULB." (in my best Gru voice)   HAIR!!!

So please feel free to use either Dandee's tutorial or the Family Fun one, and I'll fill you in on the differences I did.

Supplies for my Girly Hobby Horse:

-1 fluffy sock - These fuzzy socks found on Amazon are less than $3 for a pair
-Filling of some kind (I used an old pillow's guts)
-Googley eyes - This multi-pack found on Amazon is $5 for 120
-Eyelashes (found at Dollar Tree in make-up section)
-Glitter foam or felt for ears (found my glitter foam at Dollar Tree in craft section)
-Hot glue
-Yarn (for nostrils, bridle, and to attach reigns)
-Yarn needle - found mine at Walmart near yarn -- who knew? ;)
-Regular needle and thread (to attach feather boa)
-Feather boa - mine was about 60", and This $2 one found on Amazon is the cheapest one I've found
-Wooden dowel (I used what I had on hand, and I think it's a bit small. I would recommend about 3/4" wide and cut it to 2.5' long)
-Beaded necklace (Dollar Tree has a pack of 10 for $1)

Like any obsessive crafter, I had all these supplies on hand except the fluffy sock.  Here's my fluffy sock. It looks sparkly. I've seen other fluffy socks at the Dollar Tree, but this one is like snow. I love it.



Follow their directions and fill the end of the sock first.


Then thread your yarn needle and make a couple of nostrils.



I used the googley eyes and eyelashes from one of our two FLAMINGO COSTUMES since I knew they probably wouldn't be needing two of the costumes at once again. One glamorous flamingo is sufficient. I also used the glittery beak as the ears. I set my eyes back 5" from the front. My first instinct was to have them set back farther, and no one really explained where to put them. I decided to check with the "mane" on, and I definitely needed more space for the coiffure.


Bust out your 5th grade skills and trace out some ears. Then cut them out and pray it doesn't look like a demented rabbit.


Pinch each ear together in the center and hot glue it. Don't glue too far down the sides. You don't want it closed completely...just a nice center crease.


Since the foam is stiffer than felt, I propped mine straight up and just stitched straight through the foam and then went back down through the sock. The fluffiness of the sock meant that I could be a little sloppy. He he


Plus I knew the mane would be covering it...




I tried braiding a few pieces of yarn for the bridle but decided I liked the simple elegance of four pieces of yarn next to each other. I believe I started with 15" pieces and then trimmed down. I hot glued them right to the sock (underneath the chin to keep it more hidden).


Make sure your lines are nice and straight and not crossed over each other and then glue the second end on top of the first and cut your ends, so they're nice and straight.


Our beaded necklace was 30" long once I cut it. And I just whip stitched it right to the face. Don't be scared if she whinnies a little. Just assure her that lots of women go under the knife for vanity's sake. ((cough cough))


I opted for the yarn to attach mine since I knew my kids would probably be using the reigns to drag it around everywhere. I stitched between beads 1&2, 2&3, and 3&4.



For the mane, I took one 60" feather boa and cut it in half. I laid the two pieces next to each other and folded the one on the right down to the right until the top side was almost lined up with the bottom.




Then I took the piece on the left and also folded it down to the right like a rainbow on top of the first piece. I made them cascade down, so the top piece was the shortest, and it got longer from there.



Then I pinched it at the top where the two pieces met and then whip stitched that one spot right behind the ears. That way she can change her hairstyle as she pleases. She's going for the "bangs in the eyes" look today. ;)


And OF COURSE she needed a flower in her mane and a ribbon around her neck!


I made this for my 2-year-old, but I'm debating whether or not to make them for my older daughters as well...I think they might have just as much fun as the little one! Plus now that I've got it down, they'll only take me about 20 minutes ANNND I've got that one lonely sock laying around now...

I think the fact that her mane is a feather boa might also qualify her as part pegasus. So magical powers are sure to be part of this horsey's future...

Aloha,

Charlie