Finally finished the elephant wiggly giggly ball cover

[TorchTheWitch]

So, here's Mr. Elephant...









Here he is snuffling at him before running outside to play with him... I forgot I had the back door propped open...



And here's Yoshi beating up on Mr. Elephant and getting him good and deliciously coated with dirt since winter once again killed most of the grass...

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He's shedding out his winter coat in great big massive clumps though a little later than usual this year... now I know winter is finally over.

[shenmue]

1. Go Yoshi!

Grrrr!

[marzipanni]

2. I am a fan of both Yoshi and your wiggly giggly ball covers!

He is a great looking dog, and a lucky dog to have such a doting human. If I had your stuffed-animal-sewing skills, I'd be selling my creations on etsy, with a giggle ball, or without, as a toy for kids (only because dogs tend to wreck cloth things, unless supervised)

One time I saw a "gigs" ad on Craigslist that said the person had looked all over for a toy onager (Asiatic wild ass) to give to a friend who loves them. Since one could not be found, they were asking if a Craigslist-reading crafter could make one, and be paid well for it.

[TorchTheWitch]

4. I've thought about making them to sell

But the material is pretty pricey (though I got the gray stuff as the end of a bolt that was really cheap), and since I have to make them by hand, double up the pattern pieces so it's thicker and harder for him to bite through as well as reinforce all the seams it takes hours and hours to make just one. I'd have to sell them for a LOT just to break even. If I can figure out a way to simplify everything and still have it just as strong I'd consider selling the intellectual rights to some dog toy manufacturing company, but I doubt any would be interested.

Eh, it's just something to do to keep my hands busy since I always have to do that, and I so enjoy Yoshi having such fun with them.

[marzipanni]

6. I would like to be able to do hand sewing & mending while watching a movie on tv

but I'd have to look down the whole time, so I can't watch! Maybe I should borrow audio books from the library.
My mending pile(s) seems daunting, so I do listen to NPR, or the Pacifica station while stitching occasionally to ease the boredom. Usually I just do quick seam repair type fixes using my ancient little portable Singer. My eyes need good light for hand sewing, either outside with sun behind me, or under an architects lamp we have for reading in bed, but the sewing machine has its own little lamp.

One of our local librarians is a spinner, weaver & knitter, and she started a knitting night every month at the library. I've considered taking something to hand-stitch and sitting and chatting with the knitters- that would be more fun!

[TorchTheWitch]

7. I never could knit or crochet or any of that

Frankly, I'm really terrible with a sewing machine, too. I can fill a bobbin with thread (usually) and do pretty basic straight seems, but I can't even remember how to do button holes or hem stitching. My machine I got about 30 years ago for $19.99 at Woolworth's, and it finally went to the grave a few years ago... probably because I almost never used it. Anything by hand I'm good at though. I do a lot of embroidery and intricate bead work. I think I started doing the ball covers because I already either embroidered or beaded practically everything I own.

I have to do something with my hands when watching tv, and if I'm sewing something I have to have something on the tv or I can't stand the silence and get bored a lot faster. I've gotten really good at moving my eyes back and forth from what I'm sewing to the tv every few seconds, and it really helps with eye strain.

My sister can't thread a needle, but she can knit, crochet, quilt and all that kind of stuff. She can't watch tv either without doing something with her hands, and since she was a teenager she's been hooked on all the day time soap operas. She was the first person I every heard of that got those new fangled VCR's way back when so she could tape all of her soaps while she was at work during the day and spend the nights and weekends watching them.

When I save up enough of Yoshi's winter undercoat that sheds out in the spring I want to find someone to spin in into yarn and have my sister make a sweater for me. Actually, with all the hair that sheds out of him I could probably make a dozen sweaters, hat, gloves, scarf and a couple of afghans. I wish I thought to do with with my other two doggies. It would be so lovely to have something made out of their fur after they passed away to feel like I'm sort of hugging them again.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Oh, Mr Elephant is sooooo cute!

I see you figured out how to do the trunk, and you did it well....as well as the feet. And the smile is precious. You even did a great tail. I love these creations.

I am amazed at your skills, and that you have the ability to put all that work into them, just to see them destroyed. But for this one, I say "kick GOP ass, Yoshi".

[TorchTheWitch]

5. It turned out that the head was the hardest to figure out

Once I got the head on the rest came pretty easy. I'll have to figure out how to make the ears stronger. Yoshi has already mangled both of them, and it took a good 10 minutes of searching the yard for the one he tore right off. Surprisingly the tail is still fine though completely coated in dirt.

Ha! I didn't even think of it being a GOP elephant! Hell, maybe I'll just let Yoshi tear it to shreds then.

Soon I'm going to have to wash them all since he has to roll everything in dirt when he plays with it outside. He hates it when I wash his toys or his binkie as if the washing machine is going to eat them.