How to Make a Stick Horse Pattern

Every little kid needs a stick horse, and if you go to the toy store to purchase a ready-made model you and your child will lose out on the plain old-fashioned pleasure of creating this simple craft from the design to the ride. The hardest part is finding the right head. Should it look like Black Beauty or be a child's version? You decide if your child should draw his own horse head. If he does, enlarge it until it's the right size. The rest of the process will be a wonderful shared memory.

Things You'll Need

• Horse-head pattern
• Batting
• Vinyl in your choice of colors
• Contrasting vinyl for ears and mane
• Large google eyes
• Black marking pen
• Gorilla glue
• Sewing machine
• Broomstick
• Spray paint
• Thick rubber bands

Instructions

1. Spray paint the broom stick with two or three light coats of paint. Allow to dry thoroughly between coats.

2. Enlarge the horse-head pattern until it is the size you need. Lay it on the vinyl material and cut it out. Cut the mane and ears (triangles) from contrasting vinyl.

3. Mark the placement of the ears, eyes, forelock, and mane. Cut a small slit for the base of the ears. Fold the base slightly to give it a natural curve and glue it in place with Gorilla Glue. You can stitch the assembly in place on your sewing machine, but Gorilla glue is very sturdy. Glue the eyes on the sides of the head. Glue a fringe of mane on one side of the head at the neck. No need to stitch because you will catch it in place when you seam the head. When the ears and mane are thoroughly dry and the eyes tightly fixed in place, place the head pieces right sides together and sew around the head, leaving the neck open for stuffing.

4. Turn the head right side out. Use the batting to tightly stuff the inside of the head. Place a bead of Gorilla Glue around the inside edge of the neck and turn up the raw edge to the inside, making a neat edge. Mold the neck stuffing so that there is a deep hole right in the center into which you will place the stick.

5. Drop enough glue into the hole to tightly bind to the broom stick when you put it inside. Put thick rubber bands around the neck to hold the stick in place while it dries. Use the black felt tip pen to make nostrils and a mouth. Your child's steed is ready.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a bridle and short reins to finish up the project. Leave the ends of the reins open so that they won't pose a strangulation problem. They shouldn't be long enough to knot and loop, just long enough so that your child can control his horse as they gallop away.

References

• Free stick horse pattern
• Horse head pattern to look at