Highland Cow Animal Polyester Door Stop - Brown

This is a Highland cow door stop, a sitting figure worked almost entirely in a woven tartan of brown, black, tan and fine white and rust lines. The record names him Alastair, and the character comes through: he sits with his legs out in front, a tan snout and hands in a plain contrast fabric, and a tuft of soft hair standing up between two pale horns. The body is a heavyweight tartan; the arms and legs are a flecked, salt-and-pepper knit that reads almost like tweed against the check. He is made throughout from 100% polyester, which is the reason he shrugs off the knocks and kicks a door stop takes.

A door stop earns its place in the busiest routes through a home, so this one suits a hallway, a living room doorway or a bedroom where a door swings shut on a draught. Sat on the floor against a door, he holds it open and adds a bit of fun rather than disappearing into the skirting. The muted brown and tan palette sits happily with wood floors, neutral walls and anything with a Scottish or countryside leaning, and his tartan means he works as well beside a checked throw or a tweed cushion as he does on his own.

The weight is the working part. He is filled with heavyweight sand, which is what gives him the mass to hold most doors against a breeze while staying compact enough to nudge into place with a foot. The polyester outer is hard-wearing and keeps its shape, and the contrast snout, hands and ears break up the tartan so he keeps his face. The supplier makes these novelty door stops in a range of animals, from dogs to elephants, so if this Highland cow suits your hall there are others in the same family to look at.

What is inside the door stop and how heavy is it?

He is filled with heavyweight sand, which gives him the mass to hold most doors open against a draught while staying easy to move with a nudge of your foot.

What is the outer fabric made from?

The outer is 100% polyester throughout, a hard-wearing fibre that keeps its shape and withstands the stray knocks and kicks a floor-level door stop tends to take.

Will he hold a heavy door?

The sand filling makes him strong enough to hold most doors open, though a very heavy fire door or one on a strong closer may still swing back.

Where is he best placed in the home?

Anywhere a door needs holding open, such as a hallway, a living room or a bedroom, sitting on the floor against the door where his tartan body adds some character.

What does he look like?

He is a seated Highland cow in brown, black and tan tartan, with flecked knit arms and legs, a plain tan snout and hands, pale horns and a tuft of hair on his head and tail.