Packy the Elephant Outfit

Hello everyone! I've challenged myself to participate in Season 9 of Project Run and Play.  (Project Run and Play, for those of you who are unfamiliar with it, is the blogger's version of Project Runway, only all the sewing projects are created for children only).  

Week one's theme:   "Put Me In the Zoo"

Inspiration:
In 1962, I remember going on my first school field trip to the Portland Zoo.  This was the year that Packy the elephant was born. He was the first elephant born in North America in 44 years.  He is still alive today but unfortunately, he's having a few health issues - who doesn't at his age? As a souvenir on that field trip, I purchased this miniature cup and plate set depicting Packy and his mother, Belle.

I embroidered this design depicting Packy and two of his zoo buddies.

Besides the white cotton I embroidered on, I used two other fabrics to create this design:  

• Yellow gingham to portray happiness - because the zoo is a happy place to visit!
• Black and white stripes, which are reminiscent of the old bars that use to be on the zoo cages... yup, I'm old enough to remember some of the cages that had those bars, just feeling my age today!

Here's the pattern I used: Simplicity #9220

Here's a link to the stuffed baby elephant my granddaughter is holding. After I told her my story, she named him Packy.  

Here's the link to the free pattern so you can make a little Packy too out of scraps of gray fabric.

Thanks for joining me today as I reminisce. xoxo Grandma
Linked at: Project Run and Play, Diana Rambles