Thursday, June 09, 2011

her vision

About a month ago, we were at the BYU Museum of Art. As I cannot resist a museum gift shop, I was perusing their offerings. I saw a wool felt stuffed elephant that I thought might be good for Bella's birthday, since she is quite the elephant lover. I should say here that I studied the elephant for a few minutes, contemplating whether I might be able to make one instead. I decided that I could not, and so I bought it.

Eva wanted to make a gift to send to Bella, one that was elephant-themed as well. She came up with and rejected many ideas, only to settle on a stuffed elephant. My protestations that we were already sending Bella a stuffed elephant were heartily ignored.

At first I thought she would draw an elephant profile, we could cut two and sew them together, stuff, DONE.

But noooooooo. She didn't want it to be 2D. She didn't want Bella to have to hold the elephant the whole time she was playing with it. It had to stand. I was quickly getting in over my head but I didn't have the heart to crush her gift-giving dream.

She drew a pattern. (I love the scissor marks.) It needed to have a bracelet, a striped trunk, a bow, a fringe-y tail, and heart-shaped ears.

I started cutting out the pattern, and she freaked out: "Wait! That's not really the shape of it!" Oh dear.

So I sketched a pattern based on the grey elephant that we bought. (Ours is like its special needs baby sister.)

I had never made a stuffed animal other than a knitted kitty. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. She didn't care about any of that. She badgered me into following this project through to completion. She was the designer and the overseer of every step of the process.

The poor girl has splayed feet and has difficulty standing with all of her appendages on the ground at once. Her trunk is crooked.

But she has a fringe-y tail, a bracelet, a striped trunk, a bow, and heart-shaped ears.

What can I say? The girl has vision.

11 comments:

Neighbor Jane Payne said...

Oh mercy! You've got the skills to match the vision. You're a team.

Liz said...

Oh it turned out so cute. I'm not surprised you were able to pull it off! You are a clever with the sewing and Eva is clever with her design skills. I wonder what she'll be doing one day.

Miranda said...

Michelle! This is awesome! you're telling me that you have NEVER sewed a stuffed animal and you just whipped this up? And how fun for Eva to draw something and have it actually come to fruition. Bendy legs and all!

Jill said...

You failed to mention that this took up most of your free time that week!

I love it that Eva has vision, that's always impressive and baffling to me since I lack vision so often.

patsy said...

HER MOTHER HAS PATIENCE!

Wow- it turned out fantastic- yes--- she has vision, but how many parents would see it through? I am really amazed by this.

GREat job!

Charlotte said...

Vision, indeed!

"Ours is like its special needs baby sister."—funniest thing I've read all week.

paws said...

I think it's really cute! Did you only have to make one, or did you have to do a lot of trial and error?

Susan said...

...the badger part of describing Eva made me laugh. As you know, I have plenty of experience with that kind of child!

The elephant is awfully cute! And, Eva has vision for sure. She also has a mother who is damned agreeable!

I like it!

Claire said...

Kudos to you for following through on her design requests!

jt said...

I never really thought about Eva as a fellow-badger, but, yeah.
As you know, I love love love the elephant. It is my favorite of the elephants, proudly displayed in her room. I am SO impressed that that is your first foray into 3-d softie making. My first invention definitely did not turn out that well, so kudos!

Joy McMillan said...

Oh my giddy aunt...it's DELIGHTFUL! I love it. I think you should make more. And sell them on Etsy. Just sayin' :)

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