process several times to attach
both legs securely, then fasten
off the thread neatly.18
Repeat Steps 15-17 with
the arm shapes, attaching
them to each side of the body just
below the head. Make sure they
are both curving forwards.Face and ears
19
Mark the eye positions
with glass-headed pins.
Attach the glass eyes following
the manufacturer’s instructions
using matching upholstery
thread. Anchor the thread
under the back of the head.20
Match one green and one
grey ear shape, right sides
together. Machine stitch around
the curved edge, leaving the
straight edge open. Repeat for
the second set of ear shapes,
ensuring you’ll have a left and
right ear with the same colour
facing the front on each one.21
Turn the ears right side out
and stitch the openings
closed, turning the edges in
a tiny way as you go.22
Pin the ears to the sides
of the head, keeping them
quite low and with the grey sidesfacing the back. Curve the ears
forward slightly at the top and
bottom as you hand stitch
them securely in place.Dungarees
23
Match the pockets, right
sides together, in pairs.
Machine stitch around them,
leaving the bottom edges open.
Clip the corners and turn them
right side out. Turn the raw edges
of the openings in and press.24
Pin the pockets on the
right side of one dungarees
shape and one dungarees
reversed shape, where indicated
on the pattern. Machine stitch
around the side and lower edges
of the pockets close to the edge.25
Match the two dungarees
shapes that have pockets,
right sides together, and pin.
Stitch the centre (front) seam
between the neck edge and
crotch. Match the two shapes
that don’t have pockets. Stitch
the centre (back) seam, this time
leaving a small opening in the
seam where marked for the tail.26
Turn up a narrow hem
on both leg edges and
machine stitch them in place.02
PROJECTDungaree pocketSIMONE GOODING
You make dolls as well as softies, don’t you?
Which is your favourite to work on? I don’t make
alot of dolls really, but I’ve made a few in the past.
I prefer to design animals, because they evoke
memories of the storybooks of my childhood.
This little elephant is one of the sweetest
designs ever. How did you come up with the
idea?I was thinking about a Wendy house
and, in my mind, an elephant is the kind of toy
you’d find in the quintessential playhouse.He’s part of a group of other toys that will be
released in the future, one of which – a little
piglet called Peggy Turnip – will be published
in a future issue of Homespun.
Where is he off to – a party or a circus?
Pockets is off to a party in the Wendy house.
Will you give him to a child or won’t you be
ableto part with him? Pockets is my sample
and has to work hard to promote my patterns.
My samples travel around the country
promoting May Blossom patterns.
What other animals have you turned into
softies? My designs come from the natural
world – woodland, trees, streams and gardens,
and all the creatures you just might find
there if you look hard enough and sit still
and quiet for long enough. I have a huge
desire to create real and true characters
with an element of magical and fantastical.
Is your studio/workroom lined with beautiful
toys you’ve made? I do have some of the more
current designs out. Most stand in readiness
to be taken to a show or a shop. I have a small
set of shelves that I place the most recent
designs on. I like to sit them around my
workspace for a while once they’re finishedso I can go away and come back and look at
them with fresh eyes and make sure they look
right before they’re released.
Would you tell us something about your
home, family and workroom please? We live
in a small home but, fortunately, my husband
and I have a large bedroom. I have a small
corner of our room where I sew and draw. This
space also has to house my materials, so it’s
very compact, and I have to be extra neat and
tidy to maximise the workspace. We have four
children. Our three girls go off to school, and
I spend the day with our three-year-old son,
Alfie. My day is a juggle of spending time
with Alfie, taking care of our home and
working on designing in the afternoon. I try to
get as much designing done in those precious
hours while Alfie sleeps, before the girls get
home and the evening starts in full swing.
How do you picture your ideal work area? I’d
love to have a studio with space for more than
one table and plenty of storage. So if I were
in the middle of something and everything was
out, I could just shut the door, whereas at the
moment, being in our bedroom, I either have to
tidy everything away or just look at the mess.Gett ing to know ...
60 HomespunHSP1702_p056-062_Pockets the Elephant PROJECT.indd 60 12/14/2015 11:29:35 AM