I digitised this elephant head last february after I kept getting requests for a solid frontal portrait design. People wanted something with presence -- not a cartoon, not a cute baby elephant, just a proper elephant head that looks real and holds up at any size. Thats what I went for here. Its done in 2 colours, grey body and ivory tusks, and the stitch density sits at 731 which keeps it from pulling the fabric without going flat and lifeless.
The design runs 7 sizes, smallest comes in at 3.51 inches wide and largest stretches out to 6.51 inches, stitch count going from 15,829 up to 28,462 stitches depending on the size you pick. Wilcom EmbroideryStudio was used for digitising and I spent extra time on the ear fills because they're the trickiest part -- big satin areas like that can pucker badly if the underlay isnt right. Ive set up proper underlay runs so the ears hoop flat and smooth.
Best results on a medium weight cotton or canvas fabric, hooped firmly on cutaway stabiliser. And this one really does need cutaway, not tearaway -- the trunk area has dense fills that'll loosen over time on a tearaway. Use a white or grey topping on towelling or fleece so the detail doesnt sink into the pile. Skip dark navy or black base fabrics if you want the grey to read clearly. A customer wrote me last april saying she stitched this on a cream canvas tote for her wildlife themed gift shop and sold out the batch -- so totes are a solid call.
Hit me up if ya run into trouble with the download or need a different size that isnt in the pack.
What people are using this design for
A starting point. The design works for plenty more than just this list, this is what folks have stitched it onto most.
- Left chest placement on safari shirtsUse the 3.51-inch size on left chest, hooped on medium cotton twill with cutaway stabiliser for a clean result.
- Wildlife themed canvas tote bagsThe 5-inch size works well centred on a craft-fair tote, stitched with grey polyester thread for durability.
- Jungle nursery cushion coversPick the 4-inch size for a cushion cover on cream cotton, backing with cutaway and light topping for crisp ear detail.
- Animal lover zip pouch front panelThe 3.51-inch size fits cleanly on a zip pouch front panel, use tearaway on stiff canvas but cutaway on soft fabrics.
- Conservation charity event tee backStitch the 6.51-inch size on the back of a white jersey tee using cutaway stabiliser and medium density settings.
- African themed table runner centreCentre the 5.5 in centred on natural linen table runner, pair with earthy thread tones for a cohesive look.
- Kids safari party favour bagsUse the smallest 3.51-inch size on cotton muslin favour bags, lightweight tearaway stabiliser works here.
Dimensions
7 sizes included. Stitch counts shown for the largest colorway.
| Size (in) | Stitches |
|---|---|
| 3.51 × 3.23 in | 15,829 |
| 4.01 × 3.68 in | 17,307 |
| 4.51 × 4.14 in | 20,415 |
| 5.01 × 4.60 in | 21,549 |
| 5.51 × 5.06 in | 23,800 |
| 6.01 × 5.52 in | 26,142 |
| 6.51 × 5.98 in | 28,462 |
Files & Formats
Eight machine formats included in one zip. Whichever your machine reads, its in the pack.
Plus a color chart for thread matching. See full format guide.
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About the artist
Reyazul Masud Riham, hand-drawing every design on this site
Every design on Re Embroidery is hand-digitized by one person. Each file gets sketched, color-matched, and stitch-tested on real fabric before it earns a place in the shop. No team. No auto-conversion from images. Just slow, deliberate work, sometimes three or four days per design.
That's the joy I work for.
The hard part is finding my designs re-uploaded and resold elsewhere. So when you buy from Re Embroidery, you're paying one real person for the file you're about to download. That matters.
