This project was written by Lynne Sharpe, owner of The Make It Room craft workshops in Essex.

Fat Quarter Elephant project

This adorable soft and cuddly toy elephant is not only a great way to use your fat quarters but makes a great gift for children of all ages.  The finished elephant is 12 inches long and 9 inches high.

Materials

We have used four fat quarters for this project from the Lewis & Irene Welcome to the World collection

Co-ordinating cotton

Sewing machine

Needles and pins

Toy stuffing

Embroidery thread

Note - This project uses 1 cm/⅜inch seams throughout

Templates - click here to open the pdf templates to print (please ignore the notes about printing A3 Lynne has resized it to A4 for easy printing on home printers).

Note : You will need to tape together pieces for the body and underside of the elephant. Line up the matching numbers and tape together as show in the picture below. Do this before cutting the fabric.

Use the pattern pieces to cut the elephant sections as instructed on the paper. 

Take the two underbelly/leg sections and place right sides together, pin along the top edge, leaving a 10cm gap in the centre. Stitch together with the sewing machine, back stitching at either end of the opening. Press seam open.

Next make the elephant’s ears.  Place the ear sections right sides together and pin around the curved edges, machine together. Snip into the seam allowance all the way around the curved edges then turn out to the right side and press with the iron, make sure all the edges are curved nicely.

Use a small amount of toy stuffing in the ear and then top stitch 1 cm away from the edge of the ear using a longer stitch than usual.  Fold in the open edges of each ear and press.

To make the elephant’s head section, pin the pieces right sides together and leave neck edge and end of the trunk open.  Snip seam and turn to the right side and press.

Take one back section and place the  back insert, match dot A and B  with the same points along the back, pin and repeat with the other side, use the machine to sew in position, leave 1 cm unstitched at each end.

Once both sides have been stitched, sew the rest of the back seam from the insert stitching to the neck edge.

Take the joined underbelly/leg pieces and place right sides together on the inside leg sections and pin around both sides and machine both sides.  Clip seams to make curves turn nicely.

Note : You do not sew the bottoms of the legs, you will be attaching circles there later to make the feet.

With the head section turned to the right side and the body inside out, insert head into the neck opening making sure that the top seams are aligned.  It may be necessary to sew the neck seam closed a little more to ensure it fits. Stitch in place.

Sewing Directory Tip - We found it easier to sew half the neck seam then remove the needle and reposition the fabric to sew the other half because it's quite a small opening.

Pull the whole elephant through the gap in the tummy join.  Start to stuff the elephant, insert a small amount of stuffing at a time, fill the trunk first, then the head, the top of the body, then the legs and lastly the centre section. 

Once the elephant is stuffed, sew up the hole in his belly and use the circles to complete the feet.  Fold the edge of the bottom of the legs over and pin, tuck the edges of the circle inside the edges and use the pins to secure.

Hand stitch around each foot using a needle and thread.  Cut a small circle and complete the end of the trunk in the same way.

Pin the ears to each side of the head and stitch in place by hand.  Fold under the flap at the back of the elephant’s body and stitch. You could add buttons as eyes, or felt eyes at this stage.

Use embroidery floss to make a small tassel.  Wind the thread around a piece of card, cut the ends and tie together at the top, attach using a length of the thread.  Fix to the rear end of the elephant!

Then your elephant is all finished.

If you've enjoyed this project why not try some of Lynne's other projects such as the boxy pouch, or notebook cover.

Or find other soft toy animal projects here.