On a whim a few weeks ago I bought some giraffe and zebra felt from HippyChic on Etsy, but I only bought three sheets of each in case I didn't like it......
I had the idea to make giraffe and zebra head purses, so I started out with the giraffe, struggling to make my own pattern using scraps of an old shirt and tracing paper. As usual with me, once the main shape was made, it turned into a bit of an epic. The eyes became stuffed to look bulbous like a real giraffe's and have a pupil, light shine, eyelid and long curly eyelashes. The horns, ears and mane had to be realistic as well, and when the head was finished it didn't want to be just a purse, it was crying out for a body.
I'm new to this design-your-own-toy lark and it's all a bit scary. So I added a neck.....then wondered how on earth to make a body and legs out of the one and a half sheets of felt I had left. This took two days of pondering and walking off to do something else. Eventually I bit the bullet and cut out some pieces and hoped for the best. The legs are a bit spindly and she can't stand up, but she does look remarkably like a new-born giraffe. There are things I would do better next time (next time???) but on the whole she's a little character and is going up for adoption on Etsy very shortly.
Just a note, if anyone would like to buy anything they see here but are intimidated by the Etsy system, do please e-mail me - I do sell a lot of my work privately, it's just that Etsy are so brilliant at taking the hassle out of it all.
The zebras are progressing nicely - I think it's 12 down, three to go, but I will have to take a break from them for a few days to do a portrait commission. I also have a couple of pairs of very interesting socks commissioned.......more on that another day.
6 comments:
Giselle is amazing! You've done such a wonderful job - all that detail. Her eyes are just so beautiful. Well done you!
Giselle is so cute and so lovely! I am really impressed. Her face and expression is adorable and I am sure someone will snap her up very quickly. She'd make the perfect friend and confidante for a little girl. :-)
I have to agree with the first two comments. Giselle is adorable. Such a cute face!
Ditto! very sweet, and the fact that she doesnt stand up kind of makes her even more loveable!
P.x
Hi Caroline,
Just left a comment, but I think it disappeared...
I think the fact that your giraffe cant stand up makes her even more appealing and lovable.
Nice work!
Penny.
If you have spindly legs that need supporting (she is gorgeous just as she is mind you) the add wire inside the legs. Wrap with stuffing or use wadding and feed through the body down into the legs then continue stuffing.
Your giraffe is devine, really devine.
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