Making Shire horse flights Part 2 - The jug handle

The Jug handle is really quite simple. It looks far more complicated than it is. You could make a jug handle from ribbon, wool, rubber thong or anything really if it was flexible, the imagination to create something handle shaped is all you really need. Commercially made jug handles for flight sets are made with Rexlace and are knotted like this one below.

Jug handle.

This Rexlace made jug handle is the kind of jug handle I will show you how to make for yourself for this article.

List of items needed:

• Rexlace in 2 colours for a two toned jug handle (around £5 for a spool of 100yds) you will need at least 7 times the chosen length for your jug handle.
• Spare length of disused electrical lead (ie off an old broken appliance) around
• Electrical tape in a chosen colour.
• A horseshoe nail.
• Shoe lace or length of ribbon.
• scissors.
• tape or clamp.
• length of ribbon or raffia.

 First tie a knot in the ends of the 2 pieces of rexlace Place in the middle the length of electrical lead and clamp or stick to the table. Here I used a knitting machine clamp but duct tape would work, just something to keep it in the same place.

To start the 'square knot' you need to first decide which colour you want down the middle on the outside of your jug handle. In this case we are using blue down the centre and orange on the outside. Put one colour on each side, it doesn't matter which side is which colour. Fold your centre colour over the cable in an 'L' shape (when on the other side will be a reversed 'L' shape but either way it folds over the cable). Put the outside colour (orange) over the tail of the centre colour as in the above picture.

Put the outside colour under the cable and then through the loop from the 'L' as above.

 Pull tight so it looks like above. You need the Rexlace to lay flat so you may need to adjust until it is laying correctly, this way it will look right and overlap well down the cable.

 Do the same again as in the first 4 steps starting with the centre colour this time in a reversed 'L' shape (or if you started this side an 'L' shape) put the outside colour over the tail under the cable and through the loop. No matter what side you are on you continue in this way all the way down using the same steps. Remember to lay the Rexlace flat by untwisting and adjusting every knot all the way down and to keep tightening, not so you stretch the Rexlace but just so it is tight.

 After the 2nd knot.

 Still going with the same knot!

 When you have reached long enough for your desired size of jug handle (bend it to the right shape occasionally and see if its about right, there's no specified size but they are always smaller than you think, really massive ones wouldn't stay in the tail bun and would be too heavy). When you reach the desired length just tie to two ends together around the back. This will be where you place your nail so make it nice and tight. No one will see this area so it doesn't need to look perfect but just be neat so it doesn't cause a bulge.

 Get together your electrical tape, scissors, farrier shoe nail and your length of square knotted cable.

 Cut the rexlace from the reels leave a small tail. In the knot which will look something like above put your nail behind it so it looks like the picture below. It should stay in place nicely.

 From here on in I have no photos, its impossible to tape and take photos! First start with your tape around the nail and knot then put the two ends together and tape around both ends.It will looks a bit like below, it will look a little scraggy at this time!

Pull the tape off about 2 inches but still on the roll and pierce with the nail. go around the middle. secure and cut tape then go around the ends again as before so it should look like this now. You may need to fiddle with your knots so they line up instead of being all over the place and push your jug hand into a jug handle shape!

 To finish put a long boot lace through the middle of the jug handle so one end is on each side. Tape this down . Cover your taped area with a length or two of raffia, knotting occasionally so it is securely in place and crossing over the middle in a figure of 8. This not only covers the tape but secures the boot lace. I forgot to take a picture of the Royal and Orange one finished and sent it away before I remembered. Here is a picture though of a Blue and green one finished as an example.

Sorry for the delay in this post, it was due to be online last month but with a change of house and lack of internet everything has slowed down somewhat. I hope this series is of help to those out there who want to give it a go to try making their own flight set.

Coming soon in this series:

Part 3: Flights: The Shire mane roll.

Part 4: Flights: The Shire set extras, tail sprigs and ribbons.

Also to follow How to make Clydesdale standards and a series on plaiting!

Making a Shire horse flight set Part 1 - The flights

Making flights is a simple and fairly cheap thing to do, although easily available to be purchased ready-made online, these traditional decorations were originally made by the heavy horse owner so it seems obvious that they are quite easy to make yourself. With relatively few tools and only a few simple techniques you can make your own flights and be ready for show season! These flights (sometimes called 'flags') pictured here are the traditional Shire flights. Originally they were kept to the primary colours and white probably because these were the most available at the time but times have changed and you see all sorts of colours in the show ring now - even pink! There are over 30 plain shades available in grosgrain ribbon as well as prints, so you can be really imaginative and individual if you wish to be or you can stick with tradition.
Flights with with side ways bows or plumes are called 'standards'. These are made for the Clydesdale traditionally and other heavy horse breeds and you will be able to find the tutorial on making these in the topic list on the right hand side in the page along with plaiting guides for your particular breed (coming soon)!

You Will need:

• Grosgrain ribbon - In the above pictures the Emerald green and Royal blue uses 25mm wide ribbon and the Royal blue and Bright orange uses 25mm blue and 15mm orange. Grosgrain ribbon is strong and will hold itself up. Its a woven ribbon with a good sheen and is available for around £4 - £6 for a 25m reel (which is by far enough for around 2 sets of flights and neck bands)

• Medium thickness garden wire. (not heavy duty or you wont be able to bend it by hand once twisted)
• Pliers
• scissors
• Thread and needle - Thread matching to the ribbon colour you are using in the centre of your flight.
• a pin
• sewing machine (this is optional and can be hand stitched, or not stitched at all, for the tulip shaped flights)

All bits and bobs assembled in the same place.

Here is a photographic guide to making your own Shire horse flights in both styles, first the more open type of flight:

 

 Firstly cut 2 pieces of ribbon one in each colour. These can be however long you want your flights but for people who need a measurement around 18cm long. Grosgrain has clear woven lines so it is easy to cut in a straight line.

Fold the ribbon in half and cut around 5mm on the folded side to the top corners to make a V shape in both ends of both pieces of ribbon. Make sure you cut all at the same angle by cutting the same distance from the top every time so all flights match. This is easier than it sounds once you get started!

 You will end up with something like this!

 Fold your pieces of ribbon in half points matching so the centre ribbon is on the outside here my centre ribbon will be the purple (which looks like blue!) and my outside spikes will be green. Lay on a flat surface to make the next part easier.

Spread whilst on the table the inside colour (green here) one half to each side. Once you are happy with how they look put a pin in the bottom of the flight near the fold as shown here. The outer petals spread more once you insert the wire so a little closer than you would like as the final flight would be perfect.

Stitch together both halves of the middle ribbon (purple here), about 1cm from the inwards point. As left picture above. To stitch I use double thread (matching to the ribbon colour, here shown lighter so it was able to be seen better in the photographs) knot your thread at the end. Enter from the middle of the 2 halves of the ribbon so the knot is sandwiched between and not seen on the outside. Stitch 3 neat stitches through both halves and then put the needle through one side towards the middle and knot off around the stitches so the final knot cannot be seen from the outside.

Once you have done the middle ribbon, stitch through the middle ribbon at each side (see middle picture) catching your outer spikes in the middle. You may need to do a little moving before you stitch to get both sides matching and as you would like them to sit. Stitch in the same way as you did the middle ribbon going through all three pieces of ribbon. Once this is done you can remove the pin!

Cut a piece of wire around 55cm long or however long you would like.

Fold your ribbon from one side at the bottom and turn it out so your outer spike coloured ribbon now sits across your middle coloured ribbon. Like the picture below

 Fold your wire in half.

 Insert one leg of your wire on each side. Inside your fold so that you are on the open side of the fold-over like above.

 Pull down and arrange your flight so it sits nicely.

Use your pliers, whilst holding your flight in place, and twist the wire so it is secure. Continue to twist to the end of the wire.

And there you have it one flight. To make a full set make 15 in total. This is the number in an in hand set, you need 9 for a harness set but its a good idea to make a full set so you have spares should any get dirty. Its unlikely you will use them all at any one time unless you space them very close together.

How to make the second type of flight - the tulip shape:

Firstly cut two pieces of ribbon one 25mm (here royal blue) and one 15mm wide (here orange). The 15mm should be 2cm shorter than the 25mm ribbon. This thinner ribbon will be your centre ribbon.

Cut the ends as with the other type of flight by folding and cutting around 5mm away from the end of the ribbon on the folded side to the top corners forming inward points. Take care to make these the same angle of both pieces of ribbon.

 By eye, place the centre ribbon on top of the base ribbon with points equally spaced from each other at both sides and the end inwards points down the middle of the ribbon matching on the centre line. Pin together the ribbons.

At this point I like to seam down the middle with my sewing machine but if you do not have one you do not need to do this part. I like to because it keeps the ribbon more closely together from the sides but you can skip this part and still have a great looking tulip flight.

The seam foot fits perfectly on my sewing machine so it is easy to do a quick seam in a matching thread. Sew a straight line without reversing at either end. Pull through the front thread to the back using a pin and tie at the back, these knots will not be seen on the front of the flight, cut the tails.

Fold the two ribbons in half with points matching.

Stitch at about 1cm on the centre line from the inward point of the centre ribbon.

Cut your wire as before to around 55cm or however long you want and fold in half. Insert in the fold of the ribbon.

Using matching thread or crochet cotton if you prefer (its slightly stronger but thread would also do fine if its of a good quality) Tie around the base just above the wire. 

1

2

3

 Loop one tail of your knot and then wrap the cotton around the base till tight then insert your end through the loop and pull down, tie ends then cut tails.

4

 Twist the wire with your pliers to secure the flight in place, not ruining the look of the ribbons, but so it doesn't flop over. Twist the wire to the bottom of the cut ends.

Make 15 in total as before for a full set. 

Coming soon in this series:

Part 2: The Shire mane roll

Part 3: The jug handle

Also to follow How to make Clydesdale standards and a series on plaiting!