2022 PROJECT 8…PRIMITIVE SHEEP and CART…

Post by **Howard** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 8:04 am

Greetings to all…

First of all, I know this is not a cardboard project…but sheep with carts appear in vintage Christmas putz displays…so there are precedents…I am also aware that the woodworking tools and techniques may not be familiar or available to all…but perhaps a family member or friend will cut out the body profile, legs and cart rim parts and cart base…

This project will be posted in several sections...I’m starting with this overview, an image of the completed project and some of the patterns…updates will follow…

BODY…3/4” thick soft pine…

LEGS and SPACERS…1/4” thick yardstick…assembled with tacky white glue and a few tiny nails…

EARS…1/4” thick wood…a Dremel ® tool was used to carve out the recesses in the ears…think of them as tiny wooden spoons…hold in place with a drop of super glue in the mounting holes…

ROUNDING OVER CORNERS…wood rasp, craft knife and sandpaper…I’ll post a picture of the tools I use later…

FINISH…a blotchy mix of white, antique white, khaki and brown craft paint…try to somewhat match the batting colors…

COVERING…Unbleached cotton batting…it took a lot of measuring, cutting, stretching and gluing the pieces of flat, one dimension material to cover a three dimensional form…see the note on the covering pattern sheets…a fleece fabric with more stretch would be far easier…I’m considering a piece of sweatshirt turned inside out or fleece fabric as a covering material for the next sheep I make…it will probably be about 25% larger in size which will make covering easier…I feel some creative sole knows a way to cut and sew a one piece covering…but it’s beyond me…

DETAILS…Ribbon and bell around neck…painting eyes, mouth, nostrils and hooves…

WHEELS…1/4” thick plywood rims cut with power drill driven hole saw…

HUBS…3/8” diameter dowels…

SPOKES…toothpick diameter dowels…I’ll post photos of the wheel building jig later…

CART FLOOR…same plywood as rims…about the size of a business card…edged with crape myrtle twigs attached with super glue…the floor was stained and painted to mimic the colors of the twigs…

AXLE…3/8” diameter crape myrtle branch…rusty nails used to hold on wheels…

POSTS, WOVEN WATTLE SIDES and HARNESS ARMS…crape myrtle twigs…it’s easier to weave the wattle if the twigs are still green and not dried out…posts are super glued in holes in cart floor…super glue applied to the wattle weave joints after assembly…overall length of cart is about 7”…

Have fun…stay tuned…

Howard…

Post by **Lynn** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 10:49 am

Howard this is a wonderful piece, beautifully made. Thanks so much for sharing!!

Post by **Howard** » Tue May 03, 2022 10:48 am

UPDATE...05/03/2022...

Pictured below...

tools used to cut out, carve and shape wood body...scroll saw, rasps, bench knife and hand sander...tool not shown is a Dremel(R) rotary tool and round tip cutting burr...i'll add a picture of them to the next update...

carved and shaped body...holes for ears not drilled in this photo...

closeup of ears...think of them as small wooden spoons...

more later...stay tuned...

Howard...

Post by **OKPat** » Tue May 03, 2022 7:03 pm

Howard

I am loving this project.. adorable design and your resourcefulness is beyond compare.
Was that a yard stick you cut up? Nothing is safe, I see! If I can get Spouse to do
the cutting work, I will make this soon.

Thanks as always for your inspirations and instructions.

Best,

Pat

Post by **Howard** » Tue May 03, 2022 7:23 pm

OKPat…
Yes…that’s a yardstick…this one was from Lowe’s…but Home Depot and Ace Hardware probably have a similar item…they are about 1/4” thick and a little over an inch wide…I think I paid about a dollar for mine…
Howard…

Post by **Howard** » Wed May 04, 2022 9:29 am

UPDATE...05/04/2022...

Dremel (R) tool plus sanding drums and round head cutting burs used on sheep...the burs were used for shaping the ears...

Hole saw and power drill used to cut out wheel rims...pix of wheel construction will be posted later...

stay tuned...

Howard...

Post by **Howard** » Tue May 10, 2022 2:00 pm

UPDATE...05/10/2022...

Here are pictures of the wheel parts, wheel jig and a wheel being assembled in the jig...Gorilla(R) super glue used for assembly...trim spokes flush with outside of rim when glue has dried...trim hub to length length and drill small hole for nail axle...

In addition to the five holes drilled through the edge of the rim, five shallow holes, about 1/8" or less, are also drilled in the 3/8" diameter hub...

Stay tuned for more...

Howard...

Post by **maria** » Tue May 10, 2022 8:36 pm

Post by **Howard** » Wed May 11, 2022 3:55 am

UPDATE...05/11/2022...

Here are the last closeup photos of the the primitive sheep and cart construction...so I guess you could say this project is finished...

It's been a pleasant change from cardboard for a while...but a few new cardboard projects are in the works...stay tuned...

Howard...

Post by **Howard** » Tue May 17, 2022 9:29 am

UPDATE...5/17/2022...

Greetings to all...

Here is a larger version of the sheep on a vintage style pull toy base...the sheep is about 5" tall without the base...that's about 1" taller and longer than the sheep with cart pattern posted earlier...

This one is covered in a light antique white fleece I got at Joann's...the fleece has lots more stretch to it than the cotton batting used on the first sheep...I'm still looking for heavy wool work socks that might have even more stretch and more texture...

The wood base measures 3" x 5 1/2" x 3/8" thick...wood wheels are sections of 1 1/4" diameter dowel from Hobby Lobby...

I've also made a primitive look Santa on a pull toy base...I plan to post it later if no one objects the another "no cardboard" project...

My very best regards...

Howard...