What is heavy but small and preferably has a hole in the middle?

[5foot5]

No, it isn't a riddle. I have a slight problem with a craft project and I was hoping the Mumsnet hive mind might have a genius solution.

I have started to crochet a Nativity scene. Tonight I completed the sheep. He looks great, but unfortunately his head is a bit too heavy so when I try to stand him up he just topples forwards. I really don't think there is any way I can dismantle him enough to lighten his head or put anything large and heavy in his back legs, so I am looking for a solution where I can attach something small and heavy to his tail or back feet that I can then cover or disguise with yarn.

I found that if I sellotaped a pound coin to his tail that was enough to keep him stable. Apparently a pound coin weighs 9g. So one solution is to find 9g worth of something I can thread on to the tail. My best thought so far is to dig out the Meccano and attach little nuts to the tail.

Initially I thought I could make and attach some additional back feet and weigh them down, but found that it will take more weight to work at the back feet than at the tail.

The other thought is to find something I can weave through the fleece at the back but it would need to be small.

Can anyone suggest a readily available substance to insert in to or attach to the back end of my sheep?

I won't be trying anything until tomorrow because it's late be and I have had a little wine.

Like your thinking. But wouldn't Mary, as a new mother, get a bit edgy about a sheep putting its head actually in the crib?

Glass beads (the decorative ones put in flower vases in 1990's) are quite handy.

Best not to use anything that will go rusty over time.

I have used the little plastic beads but don't find them particularly weighty and the can drop through crochet stitches unless you are at a really tight gauge.

Blu tack him onto the base of the scene. Disguise with straw. He's lovely!

Magnetic ball bearings? Tell me more

A little sand bag. Poke it in with a knitting needle empty, and then fill it with a funnel

You can put polybeads in little fabric bags or pouches - just needs to be muslin or something fine and soft. It helps to keep them all together and stops them falling out of little holes. It's safer to contain them if something will be handled by small children.

Even clingfilm would do the job, at a pinch, for something that's being looked at rather than played with.

It would only be his eyes, just over the side of the manger. Anyway, I would think Mary would be past caring seeing as Jesus was already lying in a donkey's hay trough.

Oh, that's one I never thought of

What about pushing a length of galvanised wire through his body and head, holding the head up as you push the wire into it. You might need to do a bit of twisting to the wire so the sheep is the shape you want.
A crocheted nativity is a brilliant idea! Are there camels and palm trees?

@Neighboursnumber1fan how big are these fishing weights?

Yeah the donkey is still to come. If I have the same trouble with the donkey the manger could get a bit crowded.

There is a camel. I am really looking forward to doing the camel. But I better wait until I have done the three kings or he will be a bit redundant

Yes! I really want to see OP's finished crocheted nativity scene! The sheep teaser has left me wanting more!

Can you stick a ball bearing in the end of its tail?

Fishing weights is a good suggestion. Or anything else made of lead (afaik the cheapest heavy(ish) metal - so you get more weight for the volume)

Actually tungsten fishing weights are a thing, and heavier per volume than lead

https://www.myfishinglures.co.uk/collections/tungsten-weights-and-accessories/products/vike-tungsten-worm-weight

I would use four small, round, flattish weights, crocheted to cover in the same colour yarn as the legs, then attached to the bottom of the feet with the same yarn.

That was going to be my suggestion! Using a 2/3 hook you should be abke to ease a stitch underneath him to enable you to pop some ball bearing in him.

hes absolutely adorable!!

what pattern is he from?

Tungsten is almost twice as heavy as lead

Me too!!

She was a new mother before people got ridiculous! She'll be grand!!

I downloaded it from Etsy https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1807918933/crochet-nativity-scene-pattern-christmas?affcss=1&utm_source=affiliate_window&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=uk_location_buyer&utm_content=531573&sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=531573&awc=6091_1760139788_472f48db37507d24121f8eb2be77c982&btn_ref=srctok-d4113a2cfa1513fd

Be patient. So far I have only got the baby Jesus and a wonky sheep. I still have all the other major characters to go. I will update as and when

Going to bed now. Will update tomorrow on sheep stabilising activities.