About

Cost: $ $ $ $ $

Difficulty: • • • • •

Time: 2h00

Fun with Stitching
Who doesn’t adore elephants, particularly those floppy, big-footed
babies? Inspired by the beautifully decorated elephants that take
part in Indian festivals, this cute pair is really simple to make. Once
you’ve embroidered them, just sew around them, turn them and
get stuffing. I’ve made a mother and baby to start, but you could
easily whip up a whole herd.

Stitches used
Straight stitch, running stitch, chain
stitch, lazy daisy stitch, scallop stitch,
French knot

Posted by Fox Chapel Publishing • Published 17th August 2015 • See Fox Chapel Publishing's 13 projects »

Downloads

110003_2F2015-07-20-082658-Elephants1_2.eps 293 KB [ Download ]
110003_2F2015-07-20-083848-Elephants2_2.eps 297 KB [ Download ]
110003_2F2015-07-20-092305-pdf+978-1-84773-752-6_Fun+With+Stitching+120.pdf 43.9 KB [ Download ]

Print • Embed

Malinda J. favorited Elephants On Parade 04 Nov 10:41
Sarah Sylvia S. favorited Elephants On Parade 18 Jul 20:35
Amber R. favorited Elephants On Parade 25 May 11:12
Sal M. added Elephants On Parade to Sewing 30 Aug 22:17
Chris K. favorited Elephants On Parade 22 Aug 18:24
Alecia B. favorited Elephants On Parade 21 Aug 05:35
Pam favorited Elephants On Parade 18 Aug 00:13
Fox Chapel Publishing published her project Elephants On Parade 17 Aug 06:00

Step 1
Get stitching...
First transfer the elephant patterns onto your fabric.
Step 2
For the mother elephant, outline
the elephant in chain stitch using
three strands of dark grey embroidery
thread. Using the same thread, work
the ear in running stitch.
Step 3
For the flower petals, make 6 lazy
daisy stitches using six strands of
mauve embroidery thread. Make a
French knot for the flower centre using
six strands of orange embroidery thread.
Step 4
For the toenails, work three scallop
stitches using three strands of
dusky pink embroidery thread.
Step 5
Make a French knot for the centre
of the eye using three strands of
royal blue embroidery thread. Work
seven straight stitches around the eye
centre using three strands of leaf green
embroidery thread.
Step 6
For the baby elephant, work
exactly as the mother elephant but
use pale blue thread for the body and
ear, red for the flower petals and yellow
for the flower centre.
Step 7
Trim around both your elephant
embroideries leaving a few
centimetres (an inch or so) of fabric all
the way round.
Step 8
Place each embroidery face down
on a second piece of fabric that is roughly the same size. Using matching
thread, sew around the elephants
about 5–7 mm (1⁄4 in) from the edge of
the chain stitched outline, leaving a gap
between the legs for turning. You can
use a sewing machine for this or sew
by hand.
Step 9
Turn the elephants the right way
out through the gap and press lightly using the iron. To get the seam
to lie nicely round the edge of the
elephant, try rolling it gently between
your dampened thumb and forefinger
before you press it.
Step 10
Stuff the elephant lightly then sew
the gap closed.

Stitch it!
This design is perfect on a baby
sleepsuit, on a small tote bag or on a
cushion for a playroom – you could
decorate the cushion with colourful
braids or a pom-pom trim.