Sew a toy elephant

1. Download the templates and print. Cut out two body pieces and one head gusset from patterned fabric. Using the template, draw two saddles (one in reverse) onto fusible webbing. Cut them out and iron onto spotty fabric. Cut out, remove the backing paper and iron into position on both body pieces (make sure you have them the right way round). Zig zag around the edges of both saddles, apart from the top. Cut two pieces of lace the same width as the saddles and glue along the bottom edge.

2. Mark the position of the eyes using a fabric pen and, using two strands of dark red embroidery thread, make French knots. Position, pin and tack the head gusset to one of the body pieces with right sides together, making sure you have it facing the correct way, and machine stitch.

3. Pin and tack this to the other body piece right sides together, matching up the saddles on each side. Stitch around the whole edge of the elephant leaving a gap under the tummy for turning. Clip the curves, then turn out and press.

4. Using the template, cut a tail from peach felt and snip four or five times along the bottom edge. Sew a small dark red button onto the top of the tail. Using the template as a guide, sew the tail onto the elephant, using cream thread and stitching through the button.

5. Cut out eight legs from patterned fabric and eight feet from spotty cotton. Pin each leg to a foot, lining up the short edges right sides together, and machine sew. Press the seam. Pin the legs together so you have four and with right sides together, stitch around three edges leaving the tops open.

6. Snip the corners, turn out and press. Stuff the legs so they are almost full, then over sew the tops. Position using the template as a guide, using green thread and sewing through a button, enabling the legs to move. Repeat with all four legs.

7. Stuff the elephant, ensuring you get right down into the trunk. When the elephant is almost full, begin to over stitch the gap together, adding more stuffing as you go so that it’s nice and plump. Finish sewing up the gap.

8. Using the template, cut out two ears from peach felt and draw two inner ears (one in reverse) onto fusible webbing. Cut them out and iron onto script print fabric. Cut out, remove the backing and iron onto the felt ears, making sure you have them the correct way round. Zig zag around the edges of both inner ears.

9. Fold the ears so they have a slight tuck in them and over sew using peach thread to hold in place. Position the ears using the template as a guide and sew onto the elephant. Bend the ears forward and over sew along the back edge as well.

Make a mini cushion

1. Cut 12cm x 17cm of script fabric and lightweight interfacing. Iron the interfacing onto the reverse of the fabric. Cut two 3.5cm x 17cm pieces of spotty fabric. Pin each piece along the top and bottom long edges of the script fabric. Machine stitch and press the seams open. This will be the cushion front.

2. Using the template, trace the elephant, saddle, inner ear, two legs and two feet onto fusible webbing. Roughly cut out and iron the elephant and legs onto patterned fabric, the inner ear onto script print, and the saddle and feet onto spotty material. Cut out.

3. Position the elephant and saddle in the centre of your cushion front and iron. Set your machine to a wide zig zag and sew around the outside edge of the elephant and saddle. Cut a piece of lace the same width as the saddle and glue along the bottom edge. Position the legs so that the feet slightly overlap the legs. Iron on and zig zag stitch around both legs and feet. Sew a mini white button at the top of each leg.

4. Using the template, cut out an ear and tail from peach felt. Iron the inner ear onto the ear and zig zag around the edge. Mark the position of the eye and work a French knot using dark red thread at double thickness. Use a little fabric glue to hold the tail and ear in place, then sew around the edges with peach thread working tiny over stitches.

5. Cut two 12cm x 17cm pieces of script fabric. Turn the bottom edge of one and the top edge of the other over twice by 5mm each time. Pin, sew and press. These are the back sections of your cushion. Lay your front cushion down, right side up, then position the top back section (with the hem along the bottom) to line up with the top of the front cushion, right side down. Lay the bottom back section (with the hem along the top) right side down to line up with the bottom of the front cushion. Pin and machine stitch around the edge. Snip the corners, turn through and press.

6. Cut two 16cm squares of calico. Pin and stitch them together around the edge, leaving an opening of 8cm for turning. Snip the corners, turn through and press. Fill with stuffing, over stitch the gap and put inside the elephant cushion.