Elephants, Tigers and More

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Thank you Carole for organizing this “Born to be Wild” blog hop. Thank you especially for having patience with my back and forth emails. You are a gem! The challenge was to make something from a jungle. My go to is always to create something with animals and here I made 4 projects.

Using this simple and free paper elephant paper-pieced pattern, I made some designs for zippered bags. The pattern is very simple but beware, it has no instructions. I chose a gray polka dot fabric for the elephant but didn’t love it in the end. Of course, this meant I needed to make another one in brighter colors. I do like the colors of this smaller elephant, but the bag is shaped a bit weirdly. Nonetheless, I turned both of these into kits for the Safelight 2021 Domestic Violence Shelter. Someone in need will find them useful, no doubt.

My first paper pieced elephant turned into a Safelight kit. I didn’t love this so much and had to make another one in brighter colors.

I had another idea to do some fussy cutting little jungle animals into my paper piecing. Using this 3″ heart pattern from the talented wombatquilts.com, I made 3 hearts and combined them into an interesting design for the front of another zippered bag. I like how this one came out. The lazy lions are lounging around with bright yellow fabric to contrast the hearts. Again, this will go to Safelight.

Finally, never one to keep things simple, I made a paper-pieced full body big cat. Boy oh boy did this take lots of time!! It is an excellent pattern, just time consuming. (The lion paper pieced pattern is from Joejuneandmae on Etsy.) I lost count, but it probably took 8-10 hours or more over two days to sew together this baby!! I didn’t want to give up, but really had other things I should have been doing. Here is the lion! It’s going to be incorporated somehow into a quilt that I have in progress with several jungle themed prints in the mix. Jungle sewing has me exhausted so that’s it for now.

A paper pieced lion for a quilt I have in progress. One eye came out a little smaller so it looks like he’s winking. I’m going to say that was my intent all along!

Check out all the other jungle projects here: visit and please leave a comment if you can. There’s also a Pinterest page for ease of viewing.

May 17th

Creatin’ in the Sticks
Vroomans Quilts
Homespun Hannah’s Blog
Scrapdash
Kathleen McMusing
Just Sew Quilter
Just Because Quilts

May 18th
MooseStashQuilting
Selina Quilts
For The Love Of Geese
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Quilt Schmilt
Life in the Scrapatch
Sewing Up My Fabric

May 19th
Ms P Designs USA
Patchouli Moon Studio
Beaquilter
Hill Valley Quilter
Quilted Delights
Stitchin At Home
Sew Many Yarns

May 20th
Samelia’s Mum
Inflorescence
Beckyā€™s Adventures in Quilting and Travel
Words & Stitches
Websterquilt

That Fabric Feeling YOU ARE HERE

May 21st
Just Let Me Quilt
Days Filled With Joy
Vickiā€™s Crafts and Quilting
Quilting Gail
Lianne Makes Stuff
Quilt Fabrication
Food for Thought

Linking up to:Ā Oh Scrap,Ā Midweek Makers,Ā Confessions of a Fabric Addict,Ā Peacock Party,Ā Finished or not Friday,Ā Brag About Your Goodies,Ā Thank Goodness Itā€™s Finished Friday.

48 responses to “Elephants, Tigers and More”

  1. These are great! Love how you showcased different wild animals on each one. Can’t wait to see what the lion gets added to.

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    • Thank you so much. I just need to find all the pieces to the quilt and the lion will be part of that. I hope I don’t feel the need to make another one…but it could… happen you know how these things are.

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    • Are you asking why I said it’s purchased? It means that you need to pay to download as opposed to getting a pattern for free.

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  7. YOur projects for your charity are terrific and will be used and appreciated. That lion is insane. I don’t know where you found the patience to do such a great job. Oh and I thought that the wink was intentional and cute.

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    • Thank you for the sweet comments. I don’t really have patience but I’m stubborn. I wanted to complete that lion and was determined to do it. When the eye didn’t come out the way I wanted, I gave up and decided he was winking. A mistake is just an opportunity waiting to happen!!

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    • Thanks, he nearly wiped me out but i do love the lion as well. The elephants are much better in bright colors so the final one worked for me.

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  15. wow your elephants and lions are wonderful. some someones are gong to love these. such a wonderful idea. i have done the same with the eyes on PP. several where he/she is winking and one where the eyes were like slits. looked like he was blinking. but that is the fun of it all

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    • Lori, Great minds think alike!! I think blinking or winking is the way to go!! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a smiley comment.

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  16. You definitely rocked the wild theme with these! I love the elephants and that lion is amazing. The eye actually looks so cute and gives him more character. Great job on it! Your bags will be loved I’m sure. Thank you for sharing!

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    • I hope the bags will be loved. That charity gives me goosebumps thinking of women, children and sometimes men having to flee with just the clothes on their back. The least I can do is sew a little bag or two or 12. Thanks so much for stopping by.

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    • Thanks, I wish I had done some other paper piecing. Next year I’ll know earlier. This is what’s great about the inspiration that we get from the wonderful blog hops!!

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    • Ah thanks. I love the progression. Each one was better than the one before. I try to use up scraps and paper piecing is the best way ever!

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  19. Your pouches are amazing, but that paper pieced lion is truly awesome! There is nothing wrong with a winking lion–just gives him character. Thanks for sharing!!

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    • Carol, couldn’t agree more! This lion has personality that will be great in my quilt. I have no clue when I’ll get around to finishing the quilt but meanwhile, I have a fun animal to keep me inspired.

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    • Carole, Thanks so much. These are all boxed out ready to be mailed on my day off tomorrow. I so enjoyed making them. Love, love these blog hops for inspiration!

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    • OMG, yes that lion nearly was the end of me. He isn’t even the most detailed that I had considered. Next time, 8 x 8″ isn’t the way to go for ease. Live and learn but I do love him.

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    • Kathleen, Thank you so much. I would love to make a few more but it honestly nearly wiped me out. I couldn’t fix the eye even after 2 tries so I decided he was winking. I enjoyed sewing those charitable kits so much that I’m now looking for other smallish charitable sewing projects I can do. I know that covid restrictions stopped a lot of places from accepting donations. Here’s to reopening!!

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