How to Make a Wool Mane for a Rocking Horse
One of the most basic of children's toys that has never faded from enjoyment is the rocking horse. A sturdy wooden rocking horse can provide hours of imagination and creativity for a child as he runs hundreds of playful miles on his horse. If you have the basic structure of the horse already made, then all you have left to do is draw a face, attach a tail and create a mane. Luckily, it's easy to make a wool mane for a rocking horse, and it takes less than an hour to create from start to finish.
Things You'll Need
- Three pieces of wool felt, 12 by 12 inches
- Ruler
- Scissors
- One strip of wood felt 2 by 12 inches
- Sewing machine
- Multi-surface Tacky glue or staple gun
Instructions
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1
Mark a line directly down the lengthwise center of each of the three wool rectangles. Mark another line half of an inch from each side of the center line. All three pieces should have three lines marked on them.
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2
Cut fringe strips about a quarter of an inch apart from the edge of the square all the way to the first line. Do the same on the other side of the piece. Repeat until all three rectangles are fringed.
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3
Mark 1/2-inch intervals lengthwise down the 2-inch-wide strip of wool. There should be three lines drawn: at the 1/2-inch, 1-inch and 1 1/2-inch points.
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4
Line up one of the fringed pieces center sewing line with the 1/2-inch mark on the wool strip. Sew the two together. Sew the next fringed section to the other side's line, leaving the center line free. Sew the last fringed piece with it lined up down the center line.
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5
Align the full mane with the strip base facing down against the head of the rocking horse. Bring the mane forward enough that some of the hair extends toward the eyes and around the ears, but most of it should flow back.
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6
Secure the mane with Tacky glue or use a staple gun, discreetly hiding the staples. Fluff the hair and add ribbons, if desired.
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Tips & Warnings
If your child is old enough, let him use safety scissors to help cut the mane along predrawn lines. To keep your fingers from getting tired you can use a fringe template with a rotary cutter, but this option is not appropriate for use by children.
