See larger image (Photography by John Stephens)
Christmas Elf
The finished elf is approx 45 cm (17-3/4 in) tall.
You need:
Piece of unbleached cotton, 20 x 80 cm (8 x 31-1/2 in)
Piece of polished green cotton, 36 x 45 cm (14-1/4 x 17-3/4 in)
Piece of shiny red fabric, 40 x 75 cm (15-3/4 x 29-1/2 in)
Matching thread
Green, red and white embroidery floss
Red cotton crochet yarn, for hair
55 cm elastic, 6 mm wide
2 small jingle bells
Powder blush
Polyester fibrefill
Fabric marker
Long, thin darning needle
Brown paper
To make:
Enlarge pattern by the squaring method as follows: On brown paper, draw a grid of horizontal and vertical lines 2.5 cm (1 in) apart. Each square on the diagram equals a 2.5 cm square on your paper. Enlarge by drawing each line of the design onto the corresponding square on your paper. Transfer any markings.
Note: Sew fabric with right sides together, using a 6 mm (1/4 in) seam allowance throughout.
1. Cut pattern pieces from appropriate fabric as indicated.
2. From red fabric, cut: 2 arms, each 7 x 13 cm (2-3/4 x 5 in), 2 legs, each 7 x 18 cm (2-3/4 x 7 in), 1 collar, 10 x 75 cm (4 x 29-1/2 in), 4 cuffs, each 7 x 30 cm (2-3/4 x 11-3/4 in), and 1 belt, 4.5 x 40 cm (1-3/4 x 15-3/4 in).
3. Head: Sew head gusset first to one head piece then to the other. Turn right side out. Stuff firmly. Using 2 strands of floss, satin-stitch green eyes and backstitch red mouth and eyebrows. Highlight eyes with a white French knot in upper right corners.
4. Hair: With fabric marker, draw the desired hairline around head. Thread darning needle with doubled length of yarn. Insert needle through front of head at hairline and out back, leaving approx 2.5 cm (1 in) of yarn at front. Make a tiny stitch beside point where needle emerged; slip needle and yarn under stitch, forming knot. Cut yarn, leaving approx 3.5 cm (1-1/4 in) at back. Attach all hair in same manner, working from hairline at front and back to centre of head.
5. Ears: Stitch each ear pair together, leaving straight edge open. Turn right side out. Stuff. Turn under 6 mm around opening; slipstitch to head.
6. Nose: Fold nose in half and stitch down stitch curved edge. Turn right side out. Stuff. Turn under 6 mm around opening; slipstitch to face. Brush a little blush on cheeks and tips of nose and ears.
7. Shoes: Starting at toe, stitch around sole and up back, sewing shoe gusset first to one shoe piece then to the other. Sew top of shoe together around curve, leaving straight edge open. Turn right side out. Stuff. Repeat for other shoe.
8. Legs: Fold each leg in half and stitch long edges together. Turn right side out. Stuff. Turn under 6 mm around one end of each leg, slip over straight edge of one shoe; slipstitch to shoe.
9. Body: Sew darts in body back where indicated on pattern. With raw edges even, sandwich legs between body front and back (right sides together). Sew body pieces together, leaving open at neck. Turn right side out. Stuff. Turn under 10 mm (3/8 in) around neck, slip over open edge of head; slipstitch to head, adding stuffing to stiffen neck.
10. Hands: Stitch each pair of hands together. Slit between fingers and machine-zigzag seam allowances. Turn right side out. Stuff.
11. Arms: Fold each arm in half and stitch long edges together. Turn right side out. Stuff. Turn under 6 mm around one end of each arm, slip over open edge of one hand; slipstitch to hand. Turn under 10 mm (3/8 in) around raw edge of each arm; slipstitch to shoulder.
12. Tunic: Stitch tunic front and back together at shoulder, underarm and side seams. Clip underarm seam allowance to X as indicated. Turn under 6 mm twice around bottom, sleeve and neck openings; hem. Turn right side out. Put tunic on elf and slipstitch shoulder openings closed at either side of neck.
13. Collar: Fold collar strip in half and stitch long edges together. Turn right side out, forming a tube. Insert a 15 cm (6-in) length of elastic through tube. Sew elastic ends together. Turn under 6 mm around each end of tube; slipstitch ends together. Slip collar over feet and up to neck.
14. Cuffs: Assemble as for collar using a 10 cm (4-in) length of elastic for each of the 4 cuffs. Slip cuffs onto wrists and ankles.
15. Belt: Fold belt in half and stitch long edges together, tapering to points at each end and leaving a 2 cm (3/4 in) opening along midsection of belt; turn right side out through opening. Slipstitch closed. Sew bells at points of belt; tie belt around waist.
