Tutorial Tuesday #1 - Finishing a Cross-Stitch Saddle Pad

This is my 150th post for my blog!  It is also my 30th post this month, on the 30th day.  I set a goal for myself at the beginning of December to do a blog post every. single. day. and I did it!  Granted, some of them weren't very substantial - a short text only recap of my day - but I'm happy I was able to stick with it.  I've heard it takes 30 days to make a habit and I'm hoping this is a new one that I've trained myself.  I like to blog, I do, it's just that I forget, I have a lot on my plate, things come up...  I suppose I've never really made it a priority - until now.  I'm excited and full of ideas for future posts, including this one which has been in my idea box for quite a while.

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Model horses have long been an interest of mine, I started collecting back at the age of 8 or 9 when my mom gave me her collection of old, well-played-with Breyers.  Along with an interest in the horses, came an interest in something for them to wear and throughout my childhood I came up with several interesting tack and blanket creations.  (I'd like to feature them in a future post - I do still have some of them)

Fast forward to adulthood and a growing interest in REAL, fancy model horse tack.  I was highly intrigued when I learned that people were making saddle pads by cross-stitching.  Cross-stitch is something else I've been doing for years and I was excited to try and combine the two interests. 

After I'd stitched my first couple of pads, I wasn't sure what to do them.  I did find a video tutorial on how to finish one and I followed the steps.  I'll try and show what I do, it is very similar to the method I had learned from the video.

(I had planned to share the video here, but now I can't seem to find it.)


First step is to remove the pad from the embroidery hoop or frame and trim the excess fabric away, leaving a few squares or so all around:

 
Then, carefully, trim out the corners of the fabric, like this:

You want to be really careful in the corners closest to the stitching that you don't nick the floss in the design:

Next up, glue the tabs of fabric down to the underside.  I use tacky glue, but I'd imagine a lot of different glues would work.  I glue one side at a time and press the tabs down until the glue holds:

Then comes the felt backing.  Some people don't do this step and it results in a thinner, more flexible pad, but I like the felt; it gives the pad a finished look and to me it better replicates a real saddle pad.  No felt would be more like a saddle blanket.

I cut a piece of felt a little bigger than I need:

Spread glue around on the bottom of the pad, making sure to run a thin bead along all of the edges:

Lay the felt on, making sure you have some hanging off the edge.  Press the felt down, particularly around all of the edges:

Flip the pad over and press it, glue side down, onto the felt.  If you want you can set a book on it for a little while, but this isn't usually needed.  The glue will dry fairly quickly:

After the glue is dried, the extra felt can be trimmed away.  Again, be very careful not to nick the embroidery floss of the stitching.  I just cut in straight lines along the edges.  If doing a cut back design, like this one, a little extra care is needed in that area.  Small, sharp scissors are a big help:

That's about it!  I do put a stitched tag on the underside of my finished pads, recessed into the felt.  It is a way I came up with to "sign" my work after I'd made my first few pads.

All that's left now is to saddle up one of your favorite models! 

You like my imaginary saddle?  It's pretty slick, eh?  (haha)

(Saddle construction to begin soon... )