Mollie Makes - My Elephant!

Have you seen the latest issue of Mollie Makes here in the US?  We picked up our copy the other day at Kepler's.  I've been patiently stalking watching magazine racks for the last few weeks.  I was so excited when I spotted this issue.  My favorite magazine...

...and look at that!  I am so thrilled to be included in this beautiful publication!  

And I'm so happy that my elephant sewing caddy project is featured.  This was a project I had in the back of my mind months before I started working on the book.

A bit of background on this project - a few years ago, I was browsing images of old toy patterns on this website (there was free access for a short time), and I came across an elephant sewing caddy.  It had a very different look to it (more "turn-of-the-century" with tassels and "Victorian" accents), but it served the same function.  I loved the idea. So I started sketching my own mid-century inspired version.  I wanted it to look playful, with a wide open mouth and big eyes.  And I wanted it to be button-jointed, so it could be posable.

Here is a photo of the actual sketch from my sketchbook.

This project is entirely hand-sewn and can be made in a few short hours.  Use a quality wool felt and stuff firmly!

I used a tomato pincushion - and snipped off the strawberry emery bag to attach to the end of the tail.  I enclosed the tomato, along with a bit of stuffing, inside the drum pincushion.

I actually have this elephant on my sewing table now (it was one of the last toys returned to me).  I use the pincushion quite a bit, and the elephant sits to the side holding my thimble when I need it. The blanket on its back holds spare scissors and needles.  

I think this project would make a particularly sweet gift for a child learning to sew.  My kids each want one of their own, because this one is *mine*.  I actually do want to make one in light aqua....and one in pale yellow might look cute...lilac might be nice...  Hmm.