When my first son was born in 1968 I bought a hard backed book published by the Thomson Magazine ‘Family Circle’ entitled ‘Gifts to Make’. This proved to be a very useful book and when my second son was born in 1970 I used a pattern from the book to make a horse for his brother to keep him occupied whilst I had to deal with a new baby (Pattern Illustration 1 – giving an idea of the size of the horse). A most successful project and later with the addition of cowboy and Indian costumes for the boys this little red horse was loved and ridden to extinction.
45 years later and the younger son has a son of his own. Amazingly the pattern book was still in the loft so what else would a Grandma do to do but make another horse.
The necessary materials were all available locally apart from the stuffing – ‘4lb of wood wool usually given away from china shops’. Not any more! So – thank goodness for modern technology and The Internet. With a little bit of searching Wood Wool UK was found and after relating my story and the need for his product Jon Pardoe offered to send the material free of charge. This was an amazing offer and we both believed that 4lb would translate to 2Kg. This was not a local deal since the material had to come by carrier from the Midlands to north of Leeds. The package was duly received but to our disappointment there was not really enough to stuff the little horse.
An email to Jon asking for more stuffing and this time offering to pay was met with a further promise of wood wool to finish the project – again without charge.
In this modern era of avarice and commercialism it was a most wonderful thing to find such generosity from someone whom I had never met and who had no obligation to help in this way.
With many thanks to Jon and Wood Wool UK my husband and I look forward to seeing our little grandson Daniel having as much fun as his father did on the original horse.
Ann Peacock
