Going to use something other than straws for his legs..maybe dowelling. I like them to be sturdy!

I finished him after spending at least a whole day sewing him up (it’s been raining all day so no reason to go out), which included swiss darning his leg patches. Swiss darning isn’t my favourite pastime and so I avoid it where possible. After doing his two front legs..in poor light and therefore very badly (thank goodness for black permanent marker pens!), I rediscovered the easiest and quickest way to do it….by working down the knitting in single columns…this way, you can see where the next stitch has to go.

I stiffened his neck and hooves with some recycled plastic, cut to shape and kept in place with double sided tape, (which has become indispensible to me for putting these toys together without using messy glue).

I used 4 cotton buds taped together with d/sided for each leg and managed to get them the exactish length and angle as specified in the pattern. This makes pretty sturdy legs….weight tested (see photo) to prove it!

I sewed his legs on too far down the body (this is just one of the many mistakes I made but they mostly don’t show). This was because I did the first one then had to do the rest to match as I just couldn’t face undoing any more sewing.

I used another cotton bud to get the right curve and stiffness in his tail which I bent by hand into shape then flashed a lighter along it to soften it, holding it as it cooled and rehardened into a permanent stiffish curve.

I rather like him so he’ll stay here with me….