Geri Giraffe
Handmade toys are always sentimental favourites with adults & children alike.
This has been provided to us by The Spotlight Inspiration Room
Materials:
- 90cm orange printed cotton fabric
- black felt square
- 4 x 20mm black buttons
- 30cm black fringing
- 20cm polyester black cord
- 1 black tassel
- orange sewing thread
- hobby fill
- tape measure
- hand needle
- scissors
- pins
- sewing machine
- iron
- fabric glue
Instructions:
Step 1
Download giraffe pattern here
Cutting
Using the pattern provided, cut the following pieces from orange printed cotton fabric:
2 x bodies
1 x underbody strip
2 x side faces
4 x ears
8 x legs
From black felt, cut
4 x soles,
2 x eyes and
2 x nostrils
Step 2
Body
Pin fringed trim to right side of one body piece, facing fringe inwards beginning at the top of body piece and stopping at the bottom of curve of neck. Sew to body piece 5mm from edge.
With right sides together, pin and sew 2 body pieces together with a 1cm seam allowance, starting at top of neck sewing down (ensuring fringe doesn’t get caught in seam) to the top of the bottom (where the tail will go).
Step 3
Ears
For each ear, pin 2 pieces of fabric right sides together. Sew around curved edge with a 1cm seam allowance, leaving straight bottom edges open. Clip and trim curved seam and turn right side out. Press flat.
Top stitch all edges 3mm from edge. Pleat the straight bottom edge of ear 3 times and topstitch in place. Repeat for other ear, pleating this ear in the opposite direction.
Step 4
Face
With right sides together, pin the top of each side of face piece to each side of the top of the centre body strip.
Using a 1cm seam allowance sew together for a length of only 7cm down face.
Matching raw edges place ears along the top edge of the sewn face pieces on each side of seams. Sew ears 5mm from edge.
To make horns cut polyester cord into 2 x 10cm lengths. Tie a knot in each length 2cm from one end. Using a naked flame, carefully melt cut end of polyester cord to stop from fraying. Pin and sew to face pieces, centering between the ears, facing inwards.
With right sides together, match raw edges and sew top edge of face to top straight edge of body pieces with fringe. Clip seam and press open.
Step 5
Body
To finish sewing the body, continue sewing the centre body strip to the two sides of body pieces starting from where you stopped sewing the centre strip to the sides of face pieces. Stop sewing just short of the where the centre strip comes into a point at the bottom of giraffe on one of the sides, leaving approx. an 8-10cm opening for turning out and stuffing.
Clip all seams and curves and turn right side out. Press seams.
Stuff the head, neck and body.
src=”http://www.spotlight.com.au/site_media/projects/P64_Geri_Giraffe-2.jpg.resized.jpg” alt=”" />
Step 6
Tail
To make tail, trim ends of a black tassel to a length of 3cm.
Insert 1cm of the hanger of tassel into the opening at the bottom of giraffe. Hand sew opening closed securing tassel at point where body pieces and centre body strip become a point.
Step 7
Legs
Pin two of the back leg pieces right sides together. Sew together using a 1cm seam allowance leaving the short bottom straight edge open and a 5cm opening down one side of leg near the bottom for turning out.
Trim and clip all seams. Sew the black sole of leg to bottom short edges using a 1cm seam allowance.
Clip seams, turn right side out and press. Begin stuffing back leg, lightly in the top of leg and more firmly through rest of leg. Hand sew opening closed.
Repeat to make other 3 legs.
Step 8
Attaching legs to body
Attach 2 legs to the front sides of body by sewing through a black button tightly on each side 5cm in from the front seams and 7cm up from bottom seam. Tie off thread tightly under button.
Attach back legs in the same way using a black button, placing the legs 5cm in from the back seam and 7cm up from the bottom seam.
Adjust the stuffing in the legs to the desired sitting position for the giraffe.
Step 9
Eyes & nostrils
Using fabric glue, stick felt eyes and nostrils to face. Allow to dry.
For more craft projects like this, please see The Spotlight Inspiration Room by clicking here!
