Rats!

A good friend of mine had an on-going problem with an unwelcome rodentiferous visitor last year. Along on the seafront, with all the hotels and eating places, rats are plentiful so an invasion is always a risk, especially when there is work being done to the residential buildings there. We spent so much time discussing the miscreant that eventually I was inspired to make one. I wanted to make it resemble a rat, be easily identified as a rat but be a bit nicer than a rat.

This was new territory for me, but I made a start.

This is the wire armature wrapped in pipe cleaner with wired cloth "hands" and feet.

Once I started needling on the core wool I decided I didn't like those cloth extremities. After several attempts, I made new hands and feet, needled over pipe cleaner. Not too sure about those feet, think they are too big.

Began to put on the top coat and started to shape the face. It was all going so well, until one of his feet fell off. I tried to reattach it, but it didn't work. I had to make a new foot and operate on his leg,  but it really wasn't satisfactory. The only answer was to make new feet.

Here his is with nice new feet, a bit smaller, and ears. He has black beady eyes and a nose. Unfortunately, in the usual way of things, I ran out of the pink merino I'd used for his front paws and his original feet. I can either add a layer to his front paws or make a new pair. Of course, a new pair would mean surgery on his arms. Put him away for a while and think about it!