…giddy up…

Once upon a time, in a previous life, I was exhibiting as a photographer at a baby and children’s market day. This market day introduced me to the wonderful handmade gorgeousness of Calamity Bolt hobby horses. From there, we collaborated on a styled shoot, and then later, I got to be a pattern tester when Elke released her first pattern. Back in April, the call went out again for pattern testers for the new Runabout Horse pattern, and I couldn’t resist applying again. The two big boys had their horses, Madam Butterfly had scored hers from my first round of pattern testing, leaving just The Beetle Boy without one. It sounded like the perfect way to round out our collection.

I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the successful tester applicants, and before long a parcel arrived with all the bits and pieces I needed. I had a fair idea of what I wanted to use for the construction, keeping it fairly simple with a linen head, denim ears, and a felt mane in Beetle’s favourite “lellow”. The pattern testing process is always fun, and I love having the pattern spread around, methodically going through each step, making notes and marking up points of interest. It is slightly less fun now we are living in a tiny house, and I don’t have a dedicated craft room, leading to my concentration being broken on the regular by the peanut gallery hovering at my elbow, demanding to know how much longer until their horse would be ready…

I didn’t have quite the amount of yellow felt I thought I did, so I had to patch together a couple of different shades, using grey thread and a decorative stitch on my machine. I think it adds some character, being less than perfect.

The boy is rather chuffed with the end result! I must say, I rather am too. And it was a fun excuse to get him dressed up – these photos were in May in the middle of iso, so it did take a bit of hunting to find some going out clothes, buried in the back of his cupboard behind the iso-dag farm clothes.

NB – this post was not sponsored, nor was I required to post here as part of my pattern testing obligations. The pattern and hardware were provided in exchange for my feedback and photos, and I am choosing to share here because it’s a finished project (yay!), and I genuinely enjoyed the process and the pattern. I don’t receive anything for any sales through the above link.