Pattern Description:
The Giraffe is a cute soft toy pattern that is easy to make. This colourful character, featuring the long legs and neck characteristic of giraffes, is stitched from bright yellow and green patterned fabrics, though you may choose other colours. The pattern is designed to create a fun birthday gift.
Materials Needed & Measurements:
Materials Needed:
- Printed cottons, two fat quarters
- Toy stuffing
- Quilt wadding
- Felt
- Small black buttons, two (Note: If making the giraffe for a very young child, replace the button eyes with black felt circles and stitch them and the nostrils on very securely.)
Measurements/Allowances:
- Add a 5mm seam allowance to each piece when cutting fabric.
- Stuff the ossicones fairly firmly to 1cm from the raw edge.
- When sewing the back body over the head pieces, leave at least a 6cm gap along a straight section for turning and stuffing.
Instructions for Making the Giraffe Pattern:
Preparation and Cutting
To begin the pattern, you will draw around the template pieces onto the reverse side of your selected fabrics as indicated by the templates. When you cut out the pieces, add a 5mm seam allowance to each piece.
- FRONT HEAD: Cut one on fold.
- EARS: Cut four.
- FRONT OF NOSE: Cut one on fold.
- UNDERSIDE OF NOSE: Cut one on fold.
- OSSICONE: Cut four on fold.
- BODY: Cut one front and Cut one back reversed.
Constructing Ossicones
The ossicones (the horn-like protuberances on the giraffe’s head) should be constructed first. Take the ossicone pieces and pair them up, placing them right sides together. Sew around the edges of the pieces, ensuring you leave the bottom of the ossicone open.
Once sewn, clip the curves and turn the ossicones right side out. You must stuff the ossicones fairly firmly, filling them only to 1cm from the raw edge. To maintain this stuffing placement, tack across the ossicone to hold the stuffing in place.
Constructing Ears
To make the ears, secure two different patterned ear pieces right sides together. Pin these paired pieces onto a scrap of quilt wadding. Sew around the edges of the ear, leaving the flat end open.
Next, clip the curves and turn the ears right sides out. Finally, pleat the lower edge of the ear and tack it to hold the pleat.
Assembling the Muzzle
The nose pieces need to be attached to the head and body pieces. Pin the nose pieces right sides together along the straight edges of both the front head piece and the front body piece. Stitch the nose pieces in place along these straight edges.
After these initial seams, pair up the curved edges of the nose pieces, placing them right sides together, and stitch them. Clip the curves of the nose assembly and turn the nose out.
Final Body Assembly and Stuffing
Once the ossicones, ears, and nose pieces are prepared, you will attach the small appendages to the main body.
Pin and tack the ossicones and the ears face down onto the front head piece. Ensure that the raw edges of the ossicones and ears are matched up with the outline of the head.
Next, pin the back body piece over everything else. Sew around the edges of the body, making sure to leave at least a 6cm gap along a straight section.
When the main body is sewn, clip the curves. Before turning the giraffe right sides out, check that all the attached pieces (ossicones and ears) are held securely within the seam. Turn the giraffe right sides out.
Using toy stuffing, firmly stuff the nose and the body. Once stuffed, fold in the raw edges of the turning gap and slip stitch the opening closed.
Finally, remove the tacking stitches previously placed in the ossicones. Manipulate the stuffing so that it moves down to the seam, which allows the ossicones to stand up properly.
Adding Facial Features
The last stage involves adding the eyes and nostrils using felt and buttons.
- Cut two tiny circles of felt and stitch them to the end of the nose to serve as nostrils.
- Trim two larger circles of felt.
- Oversew these two larger felt discs to the head, positioning them just above the nose.
- Stitch the small black buttons in the centre of each larger felt disc to complete the eyes.
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