The Elephant Doorstop is Finished.
Finished Doorstop
At last – after some months of puzlement, delay and confusion – and with considerable help from my mother, who was, after all the client, and knew what she wanted! – the Elephant Doorstop is finished!
We decided to make the dorstop vaguely teacosy-shaped, with a flat base, so that it wouldn’t fall over, and a loop to pick it up by so that no one is tempted to pick it up by the embroidery and abrade all that painstaking stitchery.
Pieces Laid Out
Once the pieces were cut out, my mother took a picture so you can see what we eventually decided upon. You will notice that there is a piece of buckram to flatten and stiffen the base, and it is being weighted with curtain-weights – small circles of lead held in their own fabric pocket. It’s easy to sew the fabric pocket into a curtain lining, or indeed, onto a piece of bukram, and it is less likely to catch and go astray than if the lead is sewn on like a button or a shisha mirror.
Elephant Finished
I’ve decided to call him “Kala Nag”, after the elephant in Rudyard Kiplings’s story “Toomai of the Elephants”, in “The Jungle Book”. He’s in ceremonial harness, rather than the working harness of the story, but I think he’s a very grand fellow, and I’m really very pleased with how the embroidery turned out. The variegated threads allow him to disappear slightly against the background in places, which makes for a more visually interesting piece than if he’d been stitched in the same tones throughout.
Side View
I propped the finished doorstop up on one of the living room chairs to take some more photos. This one gives you a better idea of the finished three-dimensional article, firmly stuffed with cotton linterfelt and ready to keep doors from swinging. He does a good job, too – those six small pieces of lead are just enough weight to keep him where he belongs.
And when he’s off duty, he sits on a bookshelf, conversing amicably with his older brother, The Elephant of Considerable Charm.
Splendid! The loop was an excellent idea that will hopefully extend his life span.
He is wonderful!! I love it that you named him Kala Nag. The idea for putting the curtain weights inside was really good. He is wonderful and you should be quite pleased with him.
so pretty! I agree with Carol,to fix a loop is a great idea.
Slightly more elegant than one of my doorstops, which is a covered brick (although it too has a loop!!)
I want a Kala Nag for myself! Lovely!
He is just charming. I love his name, his loop on the top and the fact that he can talk to his older brother. Well done.
Excellent idea to fasten down the curtain weights! Beautifully worked, as always.
Many thanks from a very satisfied customer! I love Kala Nag to bits.
Great idea, he looks like he’ll do a fab job 🙂
wonderful! and he looks so soft….
Fabulous work. He looks very friendly.
So pretty and functional ornament. The shape is good and has a name is wonderful.
He’s lovely and it’s nice that he has a name! Your mum is a lucky lady. I do like your Finnish table runner also – the design is so minimal and yet so effective and in my favourite mossy green and ochre colours. xCathy
Such attention to detail. The weights and the loop are great, very practical ideas. He’s lovely.