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.

What a little cutie! Please do, would love to see your finished creation!

Having had many a problem like this I will concur that washers, curtain weights, and sew in magnets all have their place in solving balance issues.

If this does not need to be child safe, for this problem, I would go to the fishing aisle and buy the tiniest fishing weights available. You can buy small lead pellets the size of a spring pea. Pick a spot on the foot and pull the stitches apart just a bit. Feed in some weights. Make sure it is balanced. Let the stitches close. Worst case scenario you have to tie a knot with matching yarn in that spot because it stretched just a bit.

For additional animals I would just add weights of your desired type as you work.

I would glue/sew nuts or washers under his back end or inside of back legs so they weigh him down without being seen too much. Or I’d glue him down onto a piece of wood that’s long enough to sort of cantilever him down and he can have his own little stand

🤣🤣 patient isn't my middle name!

thanjs for the link to the pattern.

your sheep is much cuter than in her photos!!

I might need to commission a sheep & a donkey from you!

i have minimal use of my dominant hand since early this year & I have been putting off seeing if I can still crochet (I doubt it as I have no feeling in it, so I don't think I'll be able to) but until i try, if muggf be possible.... I don't really want to confirm it's not 😢

Love your wee baaa 💕

Balanced or not, I'm very impressed. If you want to sell crochet Nativity scenes, I'll happily be your first customer.

Does he have to be male? A weighted lamb attached might work.

It looks really good.

I'd run a bit of wire (floral wire) from the head to the leg and leave a 3-4 inch length sticking out. That way you can tape your wonderful sheep in place without a weight being visible.

Crochet small circles in foot/leg colour and use them to make the sheep a tiny bit taller but with hidden washers in the back feet.

I’d buy a double sided magnetic strip/tape and stick a couple of pieces to his back legs then stick the other side of the strip across your nativity scene. Then as long as he is standing with his back legs on the strip, he will stand up.

Someone I know crochets 3d vulvas and needs them to stand up so fills them with bags of play sand for weight. Could you do a tiny bag of sand and slit the sheep open, insert the sand and re stitch it back up?

I don't think I have any good suggestions apart from putting in a bit of sand or glueing or double sided tape on the feet.

But I have to tell you this is the loveliest little lamb and I'd love to see the finished display when you are done.

I too now need to see the rest of the nativity scene.

(Yes I know I could just Watch the Thread, but where's the fun in that?)

I mean, crocheting one 3d vulva sounds eccentric, but she makes a habit of it? Pray tell us more...

shes beautiful - I’m a shepherd.

Can you stitch the head back with some really tight stitches at the neck?

If it is definitely a ram rather than a ewe, you could crochet two little bags, put a small spherical fishing weight in each one and attach them just under his tail. 😳

(…I do apologise for lowering the tone)

Many good ideas and suggestions here so thank you for that. I am going to investigate my bits and bobs collection this morning to see what I can use. I feel weight on the tail will be more effective than under the feet but will keep an open mind.

If I find nothing in house then a visit to an angling shop might be required.

Funnily enough the only other time I have been in such a shop was for a previous crochet project. I needed fishing line for a hare's whiskers. I definitely got the impression these are shops where women don't often set foot. Everyone stopped talking when I went in and when I said what I was looking for the man behind the counter smiled indulgently and asked if it was for hanging Christmas cards with! When I said it wasn't he explained that "When ladies come in here for fishing line it is usually to hang up Christmas cards."

I will report back later.

Thanks for the kind comments about sheepy!

Wish we still had laugh reaction....

Some coins have holes in them - do you know anyone who has been in Japan, China or Peru recently? I'm sure there will be other countries as well as these.

Nothing more to add to the load of ingenious suggestions. Just wanted to say I'm loving this thread (especially the worries about Mary's first time mum reactions ) and your sheep is adorable!

I'm currently crocheting one of the 3 kings to add to a nativity set commissioned by my school, to be displayed every year at the carol service, and being made by a couple of very talented Y9 students in my knitting and crochet club. They have kindly deigned to let me make one of the characters! It won't be as good as theirs or as your sheep though - it's my first go at amigurumi-style crochet and I'm mostly a knitter!

Velcro on the underside of his hind hooves and Velcro dot in the floor if the nativity scene where he should stand?

Good luck in the fishing shop. Yes, they are very male places I reluctantly went to one to pick up a pint of maggots 🤢 for dh a while back. He's a keen fisherman. Not here right now, otherwise I'd ask him what kind of weight would be good.

Lentils or dried peas or baking beads as the stuffing, with more in the back legs?

Whats he standing on? Could it be as. Simple as tacking him in place or are they meant to be played with?

😂 at nails up his bum…