whileshenaps.com

Sewing, blogging, and creative business.

Plush Taxidermy: Elephant and Giraffe

No need to go on safari! You can have your trophy head without harming any animals. Let me show you my new pattern…

Elephant 1

Elephant up close

Giraffe Mount 2

Giraffe Mount 1

One of the challenges I had to think about when I sat down to design these was how I wanted to mount them on the wall. If you take a look at my faux taxidermy Pinterest board you'll see that some taxidermy are mounted on wooden plaques. I chose to make these sit flush with the wall for a really smooth look.

I figured out a really simple way to do it. Here's how it works:

Cardboard insert

Cut a piece of stiff cardboard the same size as the template used for the back of the animal, but without the seam allowance. Use an awl to poke holes in it. (I got this white cardboard the last time I was at the frame shop. It's scrap matte board, which is awesome, but any cardboard will do.)

Once the animal head is mostly stuffed slide the cardboard inside.

DSC_0057

Cut a 12-inch length of wire (I used 18 gauge aluminum wire from the hardware store, but any sort of fairly substantial wire would work). Insert a tip of the wire through each hole.

Now reach your hand inside the head through the opening in the side seam and twist the wire ends together.

Wire hanger on taxidermy

Now you've got a nifty hanger for your faux taxidermy! Finish stuffing and close up that opening with ladder stitich. 

To hang your mount on the wall hammer a nail about 3/4 of the way in and hook it on.

Deer

Unicorn in a room

Download the pattern for the elephant and giraffe and the pattern for the unicorn and deer and sew something totally unique. These things make awesome nursery decor.

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Comments

  1. Michelle says

    Your hanging solution is so simple but really effective. I think sometimes when I make stuff I over design solutions to problems.
    Keeping things simple and streamlined looks easy but is actually difficult to achieve so kudos to you on a great job. They are both awesome. I can’t decide which is my favorite.

  2. Ginger says

    That elephant is just exactly what I needed! I hadn’t gotten to creating my own yet; thanks for saving me the work of making the pattern myself! I’m probably going to have to make the giraffe, too…

  10. Kate says

    You did not come up with this pattern. It’s Simplicity pattern #1218. It had all four in the package. The elephant, the giraffe, the unicorn, and the dear. Stop plagiarizing.

    • Abby says

      Hi Kate,
      I designed the Simplicity pattern you’re referring to. If you look at the package you’ll see my name on the front cover. I license my designs to Simplicity.