I’m intending to make this ram in Manx Loughtan wool. Crochet the majority and rag rug Manx Loughtan raw fleece into the body.

Hand painting the eyes using glass cabochons .

And to completely REMIND myself the book is written with UK terms and NOT USA ones, that I was working with.

Rows 1-40 to be frogged! Flipping heck! It’s not like this is my first head from the book either! Talk about a senior moment these last three nights!

Main head is almost finished. Just the backing to get on and to stuff the life out of it.

Spent this evening making glass eyes. Unable to source sheep’s or goats eyes online without a huge payout either to a taxidermy site or from USA and paying loads of postage. Soooo good old EBay I bought 30mm glass cabuchons and nail varnish, and painted my own sheep’s eyes. Fymo was used for the area around the eye
before inserting into the crocheted eye socket.

Not looking too bad.

Manx Loughtans have four horns. Usually two thinner curled ones at the side and some impressive looking long ones at the top of the skull. Three different patterns I tried but none had the effect of realism that I wanted. No idea how to attach yet. Hoping they will glue into place.

In the end I shaped the horns out of densely wrapped tin foil wrapped and sealed by a heat gun using Worbla (eBay). This is a Thermo plastic that can be shaped, but also painted with acrylic paints.

Wow! Now to needle felt the eye sockets!

Eye sockets done they look fab at this early stage. Glass eyes not yet glued in. I’ll do that last.
Needle felting is bringing a touch of realism to him! Can’t wait to tackle his horn set!

Oh my am I having fun with this. Carded a load of Manx Loughton fleece and needle felted to his face! Looks great! A lot to do yet but one of my best projects so far!

Oh my! Those horns! Driving me potty. But thanks to You Tube I learnt how to make them out of thermal plastic or Worbla. Purchased from eBay.

The curly side horns had to be made twice before I was happy with them. Each set had to be made from Worbla using tinfoil ‘moulds’ first. Then the long horns had Loughton fleece glued into them for texture. Didn’t want them to look like plastic. Once the four layers of wood glue dried they could be spray painted dark grey then hand painted in acrylic paints.

Not attached to head yet. Painting must be mostly completed first as the head cannot be spray painted without it going everywhere.

After painting they can be attached, then all the attachments (Worbla plastic), has to be felted over.

I’ve made some needle felted felt wads to initially glue and needle felt into place. Once happy the long task of needle felting takes place! I was going to rug hook the locks of Manx Loughton fleece into place, but instead each lock will be needle felted in instead.

Phew!!! Big job this….