Fun with Blankets and Collars

I quite enjoy sewing, even if I'm not especially good at it. So, when I found some of my old slippers that had worn through the soles and weren't wearable anymore, instead of throwing them away I saw an opportunity to turn the fabric into blankets for some of my model horses.

 When I say 'blankets', I really mean simple slips of fabric that can be slid over the model's head and rest unsecured on their backs. I'm not going for realism here: the main objective was really just to make something that would help to protect the models from rubbing against each other on my shelves. I don't have the skill or materials to make anything like a real horse blanket.

 The fleecy material was surprisingly forgiving, so the end results don't look too bad, in my opinion. I added the black bow on the adult rug for decoration. 

 With leftover material I then fashioned into a couple of foal rugs for Tobi and Tawny. Again, they just slip on over their heads to protect the babies from knocks and bumps.

 I'll have to get some more fabric if I want to make any more blankets in future, but these simple, easy rugs were fun to craft.

 Not to be left out, Kep and Dylan then asked for some accessories too.

 Kep got a bandanna, or half a bandanna at least. I started off trying to make a proper bandanna with a square of cloth, and then folding it diagonally to make the triangle and two tying ends.

But it was way too much material, so I cut it in half and sewed up the loose hem. Even then it needed reducing down so that the two ends would tie properly around his neck.

 

It's not the best, and if I ever try again I'll see if I can make the stitches less visible. But for now I like it, and it seems to suit him. At least Kep is happy with it.

 Dylan wanted a collar, so I fished out an old hairband, measured it around his neck and then cut it to size with some extra for fastening. I was quite pleased with the appearance of the hairband fabric for a dog collar. I then tried to add a little metal buckle, but since I still haven't got any fabric glue I had to try and attach it with a needle and thread.

After much fruitless effort, and a lot of frustration, I eventually gave up. The hairband fabric just wouldn't pass cleanly through the miniature buckle. So instead, Dylan got his collar sewn together and the excess trimmed off. It's too small to be removed now, but if I ever wanted it off  I'd just need a pair of scissors. It looks passable, at least, but again, I may try once more in the future.

Back in the Saddle

I'm sorry it's been so long since I last posted. I hadn't intended to be away for so long, so I really appreciate everyone's patience. Hopefully, I can get back to regular posts now.

To jump back into the saddle (so to speak) I'd like to introduce you to some of my latest boys and girls.

 This is Kendal Valley Dawn, or Kendal for short. She's one of the new individual Stablemates for 2015, and aside from the fact that she's a glorious chestnut mare, I was attracted to her because she reminds me of a Hackney Horse. A very old and rare British breed, Hackneys are prized for their stamina and naturally high-stepping trot. I'm holding out hope that Copperfox Model Horses will eventually produce a Hackney model (without a docked tail, please!!!), but for now I'll just have to make do with this lovely girl. (Ok, Ok, I know the ribbons, high set tail and short-ish body don't quite fit the Hackney breed standards, but this is all I've got right now)

 Interestingly, it was only when I'd bought her that I realised Kendal is virtually identical to a Stablemate foal I have from the Stablemates 5 Piece Fun Foals Gift Collection, so it was only natural to pair them up as mother and daughter :)

 Speaking of foals, I just couldn't resist getting these 2 Classic lovelies. Sold together as the Colorful Foals giftset, the flaxen chestnut Warmblood Foal is a filly, and the stunning bay tobiano Haflinger Foal is a gelded colt. If their colours had been the other way round the colt would have been an ideal baby for Gypsy, my Classic Haflinger mare, but then I don't think I would have been as drawn to him as I am.

 The filly is lovely. I really like this mould, and her shading is superb. I've given her my buckskin roan mare, Mothwing, as a mother, more through availability than anything else, so I've named the foal Tawny Moth, or Tawny for short.

The colt is just stunning. I love the combination of dark bay coat with minimal tobiano white markings, and again he has brilliant shading. As of this post he doesn't have parents in my herd, but I'm beginning to think the new 2016 Horse of the Year Harper could make a nice mother for him... (with an unknown pony/cob father, considering his conformation). As for names, I like to link a foal's name to it's parents, so for now he's just known as Tobiano, or Tobi for short.

And last but not least, another foal joins my herd, this time in the Traditional Stable. She's from the 2008 Mare and Foal Color Crazy Treasure Hunt Event, and originally came with a dapple grey National Show Horse mother. Since I got this filly second hand she didn't come with her original dam unfortunately, so I've paired her up instead with one of my Morgan Marabella mares.

For now, the filly is going by the name 'Flame', but I'm not sure it really suits her. I'm also not satisfied with her mother's name, so eventually I'll have to get around to choosing something more fitting for both of them. At least baby has a mama again, though I'm not really sure which of my stallions to assign as her father.

That's all for now. I've got plenty of topics lined up for up-coming posts, so hopefully you won't have to wait too long for the next one :)

Hornby Cassy Foal

   When I was a small child my parents bought me a little plastic foal in a second hand charity shop. The foal had no markings or brand stamps of any kind, so I had no idea what make it was, not that I really cared. It didn't really matter to me: all that mattered was that it was a horse :) It seemed about the right size for a Barbie horse, so the foal soon joined my small Barbie stable. However, it was too small for my Barbie horses, and the only other horse I had at the time that would be about the right size for it was my Grand Champions Magic Motion Stallion, the grey Lipizzaner named Pegasus (that was his official name, which I kept. He's a normal horse though: no wings.). So I paired them up. Pegasus became the father to my unknown foal, and both served as ponies in my Barbie Stable. To give you an idea of their size, standard Barbie horses are about 1:6 scale, normal Grand Champions are about 1:12 scale, and Grand Champions Magic Motion Stallions like my Pegasus were about 1:9 scale, or roughly the same size as a Breyer Traditional. That would make my foal 1:9 scale too.

  Anyway, I thought no more about it until only a couple of weeks ago when, completely by accident, I happened to discover what brand my mystery foal belonged to! Whilst browsing ebay I came across some listings for 'Hornby Cassy' dolls and horses, and right there was my foal! At last, after about 20 years, I had an identity for it: my foal was a Hornby Cassy model.

 My foal has undergone some renovations over the years. She (it's gone back and forth between a colt and a filly over the years) originally had a white faux hair mane and tail, but as children do I trimmed it until there was next to nothing left. Years later I discovered a tutorial for rehairing model horses (which is sadly no longer available) and decided to give it a go with some chestnut faux hair from another model. I think it came out rather nice.

 The only other change I made to her was to neaten up her blaze and socks and add some pinking on her nose and lips. Everything else is original. I've long forgotten what I originally named her, but Cassy seems like an appropriate name from now on :)

2015 Schleich Curly Foal

As promised, here are the photos for the lovely 2015 Schleich Curly Horse Foal.

This lovely foal is a female, although, to be honest, I'd have preferred it to be male. It just feels like there are far too many fillies and very few colts in Schleich's stables. But that's a minor complaint. This girl has a charming palomino coat with the same fuzzy, sheep's wool-like fur as her mother.

 Judging by her dark hooves I'd hazard a guess that her light legs and muzzle are the result of baby pangare (light undersides and areas of soft skin common on foal coats, thought to aid camouflage, that disappear after the foal shed's it's first coat). In other words, she'd probably lose the white legs and muzzle as she gets older and be totally solid like her mother.

 

 There's a bit of over spray on her mane, but I'm not too worried about that.

 Her tail is a little under sprayed (you can see the base coat showing through here), but again I'm not too bothered by that.

 Like her mother, he hooves are nicely carved with detailed painting. Her logo and text take up the entirety of her belly.

 Again, like her mother she has a sweet face, with totally black eyes and little smile on her lips. Looks like she's planning to get up to mischief :)

Here she is besides her mother. She looks quite big, although it's not really a fair comparison since the foal is standing square whilst the mare isn't. Even so, I don't think the foal is meant to represent a newborn. Since they've both got thick, woolly winter coats, perhaps baby is around 6 to 10 months old?