fly bonnet | Three Chestnuts

So I’m still having fun with all my fly bonnets (or fly doilies as my husband calls them) though I need to start expanding beyond my chestnuts as, unfortunately, chestnuts don’t look good in all colors. Days like this, I’d love to have a dark bay…

I’ve been experimenting with a bunch of different patterns and designs and crown/ear patterns and pretty much modifying until I find something I like. I think I’m there, though if you ask me next week, I might tell you differently.

I started with this one:

I like the bonnet itself, but I’m not thrilled with the ear/crown part. It’s just not cleanly attached. Which is why I continued to repeat the same ear/crown few more times…

Other than the actual shape of the ear hole, I really like this one. Event he crown part is less awkward. Plus, random polka dots? It doesn’t sit very well for pictures and could probably use a good press with an iron, but, I still like it…

Then we went and tried out teal. I like teal and chestnuts look good in teal. Unfortunately, I HATE the parts of the fit of this one (mostly the ear wholes/crown), but hopefully I’ve learned from my errors and will fix going forward…

Learning my lesson, I’ve started experimenting. Lots of failures (ie: I don’t like this and aborted), reading patterns, and mostly creating my own based on pieces I like from others. Some work better than others. This next one still needs a little more work (a little more size in the back and sides will help it), but I do like it a lot. Less fun, more mature?

And I just need to get around to finishing this one…

Lots of fun yarn to work with soon too. Anyone need a dark magenta fly bonnet? Or purple?

So, for a while now, I’ve planned to start making some fly bonnets, or head doilies as my husband calls them, and I did start making one last year? But to be honest, lack of motivation sort of stopped the quick project in it’s tracks.

Anyway, last week I finished up one I started a year ago and started/finished a second one this week. The first one has crocheted ears and I just don’t like them (too bulky and weird) so I’ve got to get back to that one and redo it. For the second, I went with fabric ears. While the fabric is a pain when you don’t have a sewing machine, they’re not horrible.

Anyway, my first fabric ear attempt sort of failed (see picture on left). Despite following a random pattern for ears I found somewhere, they were just too small. They fit on Batty, but were just too tight. I couldn’t even get them on Subi’s head. Who knew his ears were bigger than Batts’? Moral of the story, before attaching ears, make sure said ears fit horse… Much better than trying on a fly bonnet with too small ears in the dark at 10:30 at night. Not that I did any such thing… Yes, my horses are saints.

Ear attempt # 2 was more successful (see picture on right) though I’m still not completely happy with how I attached them (but happy enough not to pull them back off). I did not follow my own advice and try them on before attaching, but I was lucky and they fit (AND I have the pattern for next time (could make them more narrow at the top too if I want).

“I am not amused. I have polka-dot antlers.”

I’m happy to report they stayed on the entire ride despite a less than impressed horse (though he was more less than impressed by the spurs I was wearing, the heat, and my insistence that he get in front of my leg and move forward). It was hot and humid and buggy, but he didn’t have bugs in his ears.

Anyway, I’m pretty happy with how this one came out. Working on a second one that hopefully I’ll finish this week. Then I have lots more fun yarn and fabrics to mess around with. Poor horses, but at least I’m happy?