I’ve had the house to myself for most of the day, so I finished a project that has been hanging around since last Christmas. It’s a rather sweet needle felted unicorn, made from a kit I received as a gift. It was my first attempt at needle felting.
To a point, these kits are a bit of a cheat. If you were making this from scratch you’d make a skeleton or armature and needle felt over that, but this kit came with a polystyrene base, so it was just a case of making the legs and ears, covering the body/head shape and felting it all together. The instructions were not great: a sheet of tiny photographs and no explanatory text. Once I’d worked out what to do, I found there’s something very satisfying about wielding that felting needle, especially if you are in a bad mood. I did learn that getting carried away has its drawbacks however. If you miss it really hurts. Also, those needles break really easily.
The most fiddly part was the unicorn’s horn. This involved twisting some of the purple fibres and a white thread around a short piece of pipe cleaner and securing it with hot glue. I went for a more free-flowing mane and tail than the one on the box illustration, so they don’t look that similar. You finish it off with embroidered eyelashes. I love putting the eye on a toy or animal. I always take a lot of care getting the placement right – it seems to be the most important thing that brings it to life. I rather like it!
When I’d finished I looked out the window and there were seven collared doves in one of the trees in our garden. They usually seem to gather when it’s stormy to shelter from the weather. These three looked particularly cosy with their feathers all fluffed up.
I didn’t stay in the house all day: I nipped out to pick son up from Alnmouth Golf Club at Foxton and parked up with my knitting while I waited for him. I had a great view over the golf course towards Coquet Island. Being Mum’s Taxi does sometimes have its compensations!
Back home, Unicorn is now sitting in pride of place. I need to think of a suitable name for him/her. Any suggestions?
Stitches by the Sea 
Your unicorn is fantastic! He/she needs a magical name. Sadly I have no suggestion.
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Thank you!
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So cute!!! Maybe Amalthea from “The Last Unicorn”?
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Pretty name!
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Thanks! It’s both an amazing book and anime movie (actually meant for adults) that I have adored since I was a kid. I always thought she and her name were so beautiful. lol.
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Coquette the Unicorn!
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Clever! She (I think she is probably a she) is both near the River Coquet and perhaps a little bit coquettish. But is your suggestion magical enough?
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I love the unicorn. I think it should have an unassuming name, like Dorothy or Maude.
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Thank you. Maybe not Dorothy – because I know a real Dorothy and she is not a Unicorn! Maude….maybe!
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How wonderful ♡
Every little girl’s dream ❤
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Thank you!
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Wow, how beautiful is that!
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Thank you!
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She is beautiful, and I love how you styled her mane, much nicer than the box. She is clearly a French Miss , how about Collette?
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Thanks for all the name suggestions. I have made a decision. She’s going to be Coquette (great choice Norma). It suits her flirty rainbow mane and fluttering eyelashes and is almost the name of one of our beautiful Northumbrian rivers, the Coquet, which flows from the hills through, Felton and Warkworth to the sea at Amble.
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I like your unicorn much better than the one on the box! I got the same kit last year and I haven’t finished it yet, those tiny photos really aren’t much help. I think I might ‘borrow’ your idea for the mane and tail as well.
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Thank you! The instructions were not good at all were they? At one point I think I tried photographing them with my phone so I could zoom in and see them better.
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