8 foot reins in Roo

[Opagon]

Allen,

I made the working cow romals for myself. (I wanted something fancy for the show pen, being a Girly-girl and all.) I have another set linked the same that I have been thinking about braiding on but wanted to make some headstalls first. One of the biggest things that I had a hard time with was the weight. I put on some long pineapples on the first couple of links and then took them off again cause they didnt "feel" right for me. I am open to suggestions on what to put on the next set!!

I have a Lace Master that Steve Derricott makes that works well for the amount of lace that I use. I like it cause it's small and I can clamp it onto the dinning room table where I end up doing most of my work. I thought that it was funny that he included a couple of bandaids in the box, Funny until I had to use one. I laughed again later but with a little wince when I tried to pick something up.

I try to work with rawhide as much as I can but am a little scared to start a big project until I can get a couple of hours away from the kids. Every time I get started they seem to know Mom's busy so lets get into something. They are really good kids just very active. I really want to make a nice set of romals but I have a gut feeling that once the rawhide is ready my kids will find a way to make me have to stick it in the freezer and try again later. I did try once after I put them to bed but I was so wiped that everything kept coming out crooked. Next year my youngest will be in school so I hope that will inable me to switch back over to more rawhide than roo. (Who needs a clean house when there is braiding to do!!)

The last round of just rawhide (other than accent knots) was when I was playing with some scarf slides. If you look close enough you can see which ones I did when I should have been in Bed. I was playing with some dyes and coffee soaks and these are what I ended up with. More practice and I'll get these little buggers just right.

Please keep the comments coming, that is why I am here, to learn how to improve.

Heather

[CharlieR]

Opagon--what diameter core, and what material, did you use on your riens?

[Opagon]

Charlie,

The splits reins in the photo are done in Kangaroo over a 3/4 diameter core. If measured with a flat ruler the core is 1/8 of an inch wide. My cores vary from braided leather, rolled leather to climbers rope depending on the feel I am going for.

Hope that helps,

Heather