Kentucky Derby Day

 

Today starts the 137th Kentucky Derby! 

Once called the most exciting two minutes in sports, today is the annual Kentucky Derby! After visiting the Grand Prix de Paris horse-racing event in Paris, Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark organized the Louisville Jockey Club to build a quality horse-racing facility in 1863. The following year, the facility opened and the first race proved to be a success.

Since then, Louisville comes alive each year at Churchill Downs as the best thoroughbred horses race to see who will win the Run for the Roses. The race itself is one and a quarter miles long and colts and geldings carry 126 pounds and fillies carry 121 pounds.

The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. It is followed by the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. The Kentucky Derby though, always has the highest number of people in attendance.

Enjoy the Kentucky Derby by hosting a Kentucky Derby Party! Root for your favorite horse, don a big hat, and enjoy a Mint Julep!

Here are a few crafts we found:

How to Make a Derby Drink Holder

Step 1: Trace Pattern on Felt

Trace the pattern onto felt with a Sharpie; then, cut out the blanket pattern.
Click to download the full-size template »

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Step 2: Attach Yarn

Gather ten 10-inch lengths of black yarn at one end, and tie them together with another length of yarn. Trim the tassel's unbound end at a 45-degree angle (this gives it a nice horse tail-like shape).

Step 3: Attach Tassel Ends

Attach bound end of tassel just inside the fabric with embroidery floss the same color as felt.

Step 4: Complete Holder

Pinch blanket snugly against the side of a highball glass to secure; stitch closed from top to bottom.
Click to download the full-size template »

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Step 5: Add Decorative Touches

Stick a self-adhesive felt number in a contrasting color to the front of the blanket.

Plastic Egg Jockeys
For each jockey you will need 3 plastic eggs. Pick one color for the hat and silk shirt (orange in the photo), another color for the pants (green), and a third color for the face (yellow).
To assemble the jockey place the top of the green egg on the table.
Snap the bottom of the green egg to the top of the orange egg for the body. Snap the yellow egg top and orange egg bottom together for the head. You will not need the yellow egg bottom for this jockey. Put it aside.
Use a hot glue gun to attach the body to the leg base and the head to the body. Let this dry before fiddling with it. Luckily, hot glue dries very quickly.

 

Paint jockey silk designs on the figures.

Follow these steps to make as many jockeys as you want. Then use some acyrilc craft paint to create designs for the jockeys' silks.

 

Take extra precaution not to burn yourself by using pliers on this step.

The next step is to glue the googly eyes onto your jockeys. Be very careful not to burn yourself with the glue gun on this step.
I used needle-nose pliers to hold the googly eyes while I applied the hot glue. Then I put the eye in place on the jockey's face, still using the pliers.

 

Felt makes a good hat visor.

For the visor, cut out a half circle shape from felt. I used black felt, but you can use an color that you want.

Sandwich the felt in between the egg pieces for the hat visor.

Take the head apart and sandwich the felt in between the pieces. I had no trouble snapping the egg into place with the felt inside.

 

The jockey is almost finished.

This step makes for a pretty nice jockey hat.

 

Use felt for the arms and hands too.

Cut out felt arms and hands. I used black for gloves and coordinated the arm color to the design on the jockeys' silks. Using any glue (hot glue, tacky glue, school glue), attach the hands to the arms and let dry.

 

If you don't have a steady hand, finish the face with a paint pen.

The next step is to finish the jockey faces. I just used a black paint pen to make the mouths. You could add noses, hair, and rosy cheeks if you wanted to.
Goggles about the visors of the jockey hats would be cute too.

The jockeys are ready for Kentucky Derby 135!

When the arms are dry, hot glue them to the sides of the jockeys.
Once finished, these jockeys will make an adorable decoration for your Derby party.

For more info: To learn about the Kentucky Derby or get ideas for jockey silk designs, go to the KY Derby website.