The Easter Elephant

I was trying to think what I could make for the kid's Easter baskets, and not really coming up with anything exciting. So I was idly browsing sewing patterns at Etsy to see if I could find one for a stuffed rabbit, and I stumbled on this vintage stuffed animal pattern. And I just had, HAD to have it, if only for the elephant. Something about the elephant just screamed SEW ME NOW.

So, I bought the pattern, and raided my fabric stash, and I'm rather impressed with how it turned out.

I can't slip stitch worth a damn, so there's a lot of visible whip stitching where there really should be invisible slip stitches, but I'm just going to say that makes it more charming. And the pattern had a few tricky bits (like the instructions for attaching the elephant's ears made not a lick of sense, although somehow as I muddled through and made most of it up I think I actually stumbled across the correct method purely by accident), but overall the pattern wasn't that hard. I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner, I don't think, but if you fairly comfortable sewing this pattern is very cute.

The elephant will be going in the baby's Easter basket. Tonight, for my older daughter, I'm going to tackle the pony pattern (I have the pieces all cut out and ready to go), and if that turns out as well as the elephant I will be very happy.

The set also includes patterns for a bunny, a kangaroo, a pig, and a penguin. And two incredibly creepy looking dolls. The picture in the pattern kind of freaked me out. I don't think I'll be making those!