This is a page from a notebook I have in which I paste in images that may inspire soft toys. I see images that I like all over the place and am forever clipping little things out of the most random magazines and catalogs to put in this book. Some time ago I put this stone sculpture of two elephants in there. While I would never want to own this sculpture, I really like how it captures just the bare essentials of an elephant – the trunk, the ears, and the massiveness. The soft toys I like best are the toys that boil things down to basic shapes and bare essentials. What features does a toy need to make it a bear? or a dog? or an elephant.
Here is my sketch.
And here is the toy.
I used my new walking foot to quilt the ears. And darts, darts, darts on the trunk to make it kick outward.
Experimenting with darts and gussets has got to be one of the fascinating things about doing this stuff. They allow you to sculpt with fabric and that is totally cool.
Abby, you are so clever! When I imagine myself trying to do this while my kids napped… well, it would take a lot of naptimes. Please say that you have at least some failed snails or elephant trunks or something that you’re just not showing us. 🙂
Very cool… The trunk is great!
nice job abby
that elephant is totally cool…
Quilting feet. Don’t they rock? I got mine a few weeks ago, and now I quilt absolutely EVERYTHING.
That is, by far, my very favorite – and I do mean FAVORITE – softie you’ve done thus far.
Cool design. I love how you take basic shapes and transform them into your toys!
The dart in the elephant’s face is beautifully placed to look like a closed eye. That detail makes him so much more alive for me.
you make such wonderfull things! with his closed eyes he looks very zen!
I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this elephant!!!! Oooh, I wish I could reach through the monitor and touch it!! Outstanding!
And your recent hot air balloon…wow!
And your other toys…well, heck…all your soft toys are just amazing. You really have a God-given talent!
This is so neat! You are very talented!
I love seeing your sketches. And I appreciate the ways in which you sculpt with fabric – seeing the quiliting and the darts up close is so satistfying!
Nice job, I was going to make an elephant softie (my favorite animal) but was intimidated by the trunk. Your is very nice and creative.
inspirational
Ohhhhh! Bravo pour cette sculpture en tissu!
I LOVE seeing how other artists get their inspiration!
GREAT JOB on that little elephant!!!
i love how you share your creative process…your elephant is wonderfully imaginative. the three fabric choices are just great. thanks for sharing it.