#plush advice

[kowtownart]

I've been trying my damnest to make this work but i need some advice. I'm trying to make this goober's head and neck and i am *struggling*

This was my second try but i hate it... if anyone could give me some kind of layout or tips on how to make it look better that'd be amazing.

i plan on covering the foam with fabric, i just need to get the shapes down and it's been very difficult :(

The rest of his body is done, the head and neck are the final pieces that need to be added (aside from details but those can be done later)

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated!

[fuckmybiaslist]

Jin’s secret to staying Young Forever....

[catgirlmissy]

would you have any advice to someone who wants to get into plush makings about getting fabric and anything to look for or avoid? its no problem if you dont answer this is thought i might as well ask either way :)

Personally, I think the best fabric for plushies is minky, specifically the 3mm fur pile one, because it is soft and relatively stretchy! I like the shannon cuddle brand but it's a bit hard to get in Europe, I order it from Germany via Stoffhummel. The two issues with minky are: you need a lot of sewing pins bc it is slippery and that might be difficult when you are just starting out and two it sheds like crazy. Fur will be everywhere all the time I am sorry. Still, it is worth the softness. Aside from using a lot of sewing pins (or clips but i find pins easier personally, you'd have to see what works better for you!) it is also important to keep notice of the fur pile direction and the fabric stretch - minky will stretch more in one direction. Usually, most ready-made patterns will include an arrow to show you which direction you should cut the fabric in! Minky comes in different lengths of fur pile as well, 1mm is very little 7mm is fluffy.

However, your fabric choice will definitely depend on what kind of plushie you want to make, I think felt is good for those smaller, handstitched projects it will give your plushies a different look (I also like using it for details like belts). Cotton is also good for details as it comes in many colours but it, as well as felt, has no stretch so if you try using it on a pattern designed with minky in mind your plushie will be blocky.

I know people use fleece for plushies as well but it is strangely difficult to get in my country so I never had the opportunity to try it out.

Also, you need good fabric scissors, Fiskars brand is relatively cheap with good quality and you can get at home sharpener from it too.

Hope this helps a little!

[steelfeatherworks]

Hello! I’ve been trying to create a Revali plush, and make my own pattern, so I looked up pictures and found your Revali which is amazing and detailed! That’s kind of what I’m making mine to look like. I’ve been struggling with the head. I can’t quite get the shape right... and since yours is perfectly done I was wondering if you could give me some tips on how you did it? Maybe you could sketch the basic pieces you did? If you can’t thats totally fine!! I know it’s a lot to ask... thanks!!!

Hi! My doodles are pretty bad and I can’t 100% recall what exactly I did as I no longer have the pattern pieces (at least in an organized space) but I think this is the jist of it. The sides of the face were sewn together in the front with an opening for stuffing (to later be covered by the beak) and a gusset piece in the back running all the way from the top to underneath the head. I didn’t have room to doodle it, but both ends of the gusset were tapered, and there was also a dart at the bottom of the side pieces to round the shape out. The beak, “cheek” feathers, and braids were all separate pieces that were stitched onto the base head. The white part of the face sides and cheek feathers were machine embroidered applique to let the feather details be pronounced, though the white part on the  back of the head was stitched to the blue normally because due to the position of the plush (lying down on his belly), I felt that making the back of the head super detailed would have been for naught with the neck and braids in the way, but I still wanted to ensure that the top of the white part would be flush with that of the side pieces. The braids were just strips of fabric braided together.I’m not the most articulate person but I hope my explanation & doodles are understandable and helpful! Best of luck on your plushie!

[steelfeatherworks]

Hi. So I'm really interested in starting to sew plushies together and wanted to know if you could give me advice on how to design a pattern and stuff. I'm in love with your plushies and I've always wanted to make one. Your Rowlet is amazing and it made me wonder how you made the exact sizes and stuff. I really wanna make plushies for people too for Christmas and stuff

Hi!

I personally recommend checking out Elements of Soft Toy Design, a series of blog posts by Abby Glassberg. It’s a fantastic guide detailing several fundamentals of plush pattern design, and if you want to go even more in depth, she also has a book titled Stuffed Animals: From Concept to Construction that covers a wider variety of design elements and even includes sewing patterns that coincide with each project.

Sewgoods’s Sewing Tip Tuesday tag is full of fantastic advice that I’ve learned a lot from when I was starting out and I still reference it along with the aforementioned book whenever I’m stuck trying to figure out something.  

My best advice is to look at sewing patterns found online and put them to use to study how each shape looks when deconstructed and how they all go together. I can personally vouch for Choly Knight, who offers a free plush pattern when you sign up for her mailing list (and subsequent free patterns when you show her something you’ve made from one of her patterns!) and Teacup Lion, who offers a wide variety of different types of plush patterns and tutorials. Both artists include helpful sewing hints and tips along with clear instructions on how to construct them in their patterns.

Designing patterns requires a lot of trial and error (most of the time I spend on commissions is in the design phase trying to figure out shapes I’ve never made before and making sure everything is to scale), but if you have the persistence and patience to learn, you’ll be off to a good start! Good luck!

[snugglefactoryplushies]

Working with Fleece and Minky Infographic by SewDesuNe

Another great infographic by the lovely @sewdesune!

[snugglefactoryplushies]

Choosing Plush Fabric Infographic by SewDesuNe

SewDesuNe has created a great guide for the pros and cons of different fabrics that you might choose to create plushies with!

[snugglefactoryplushies]

can you help me with a life size cadence plush what size should i make her and what pattern should i use and what fabric im new to plushes i only made 5

For size, you can go any size! It really depends how much work you want to make for yourself I guess. I haven’t made a life sized pony yet, so I’m not the best person to answer this one.

When it comes to a pattern, there are plenty of free patterns out there, but I recommend buying a pattern, as someone has put time and effort into making sure it doesn’t look terrible, I personally started with Valleyviolet’s pattern, but there have been several pony patterns to enter the market recently, some of which which are better. Do a search of pony patterns, there are even a few princess patterns out there. One thing you do have to watch out for though, is in the process of making the pattern bigger, it will emphasise any flaws in the pattern.Some sellers I can recommend checking out, though I’m not sure if they all have princess patterns. Sorry to anyone I miss, these are just of the top of my head.ValleyVioletPlanetPlushButtercupbabyppgDolphinwing

Coming soon patterns (as far as I remember, they could have been released by now)@nazegoreng DeviantartAdam L Humphries

As for fabrics, there are plenty out there that you can use. Some beginners use fleece, however most artists I’ve seen use minky. It’s super soft and cuddly, although be aware that not all minky is created equal, I use Shannon Fabrics Cuddle 3 minky, which is top of the range and best you can buy when it comes to minky. However it’s also expensive, so you could instead try buying minky at your local craft store. My first plushies were made with cheaper local minky, though the difficulties you might have with that is there is suddenly a very limited number of colours you can buy.

Good luck! I’d love to see her when she’s finished!