1. Lion Brooch by eleventh monkey

2. Popsicle Bear by Treacher Creatures

3. Butterfly Hair Clip by Zazu Faure Los Angelos

4. Dog Leonard by Patti Haskins

5. Daisy Doll by Scarlet Deer

6. Lovebelly by *Might

7. Little Robot by Needlings

8. Wookie Lemon by Kittypinkstars

9. Octo-Bun by Moon's Creations

My Birthday Post, by Raggy Rat!

I decided to make you a fun video for my birthday post, which is something me and my children enjoy doing anyway! As well as playing with plush of course! How many pieces do you recognize?


 
A video about having fun with plush! from raggyrat on Vimeo.

Evolution of a giraffe plush design

Hi! Karissa from Kitty Kitty Crafts here to talk about the evolution of one of my original plush designs. A new design always comes through some trial and error. Even if we think we know what we're doing, there's always going to be a certain amount of refinement that goes into perfecting the look of our plush. These photos show the process I went through to create my giraffe plush design.

I had previously made a giraffe plush for a friend of mine, but decided that it looked a little too sea-serpent-y in the head. So when I wanted to add a giraffe to my line of herbivores, I started again from scratch. This is what my first try looked like:

Too pointy, right? And the body was too long. Next I made another, with a shorter body, and tried inserting the ricrac trim I would use for the mane:

This one is better, but the head just wasn't right, even though I tried a few times (as evidenced by the bit I cut off and saved). Even so, I used that for the next round, and got this guy:

Too stumpy. This one looks more like a dinosaur, although the body and neck were looking pretty good at this point. This is when I quit making the entire giraffe and just focused on the head and neck. My next try was better....

...but still too pointy. Still, I was getting close, and I knew it, so for the next round, I made and inserted the ears, which I knew would help me visualize how the completed giraffe would look.

And yes! That's it! Once the design was set, I plowed ahead with production.

As you can see, this tower of giraffes represents a lot of work, but they're worth it, no? They're all available for adoption in my shop on Etsy!

by Zazu Faure Los Angelos

I make animals–plain and simple. They are best described as abstract form studies without flourish--no eyes, no embellishments. Then, every once and awhile, it's time for something a little different.

This is a personal favorite, a collaboration with my husband. The Plush Sitar. His idea, my pattern, both of us cutting fabric, I sewed and he strung the finished sitar. It's still abstract, but with a little more detail.

We managed it all without a fight. We both like the results. I’m thinking that it’s good to work out of one’s comfort zone. Maybe a line of plush instruments will follow. . .

by Oopis Nein

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when and how I started making the things that I make, because for me, making things was always something I took for granted that you just do. It’s always been a big part of my reality – eat, sleep, breathe, make things.

When I was a little kid, I was very opinionated about the design of my toys. I was always altering the toys that I had – giving my stuffed animals haircuts, cutting free sewn-on clothes and accessories so I could change their outfits, painting new faces on my dolls when I disliked the existing ones, and even drawing nipples and belly buttons on my Barbies one time because it bothered me that anyone would be so lazy as to leave out these details. I constructed elaborate houses and then towns for my Troll dolls out of wooden boxes, cardboard and paper, and created a great number of very detailed little accessories for their homes. The trolls themselves got haircuts, pierced ears and tattoos.

I remember often thinking to myself that my toys would be so much cooler if I could design them myself. So it was only natural that when I saw my grandma sewing some ragdolls, I was really excited at the thought of being able to sew my own stuffed animals. I made my first dolls when I was about ten years old: two pirates that I made as a present for my little brother (he was obsessed with pirates at the time). The pirates had stuffing sticking out and heads that hung on by a thread, but I was very proud.

Later, in high school, I was the kid who doodled on everything, and who would always find a way to turn anything and everything into an art project. I drew little comics in my notebooks involving the adventures of creepy-cute monsters, bunnies and squids, and talked my teachers on multiple occasions into letting me make short animations in PowerPoint in place of slide show presentations for reports. I made little plush monsters and voodoo dolls for all of my friends’ birthdays.

Right after high school, in 2008, I started making plush creatures that resemble the creatures I make now. A friend of mine had started making plush monsters based on her drawings, and I thought that was really cool. I decided to try create plush versions of my own little doodles. This is one of the two first octopods I made back in 2008:

Wonky little guy, isn’t he?

Here’s how the octopods have evolved over the years:

I like to think that these creatures will continue to multiply and evolve for many years to come - but what I do know for certain is that I will always be making things. (:

A toy from the past. . .

As it was just my birth month, I thought I’d share a little of my plush past.

This little plush doll was handmade by a family friend.  Though I cherished it from the start, I probably played a little rough with it.   And then there’s the issue of moths. . .

The fine details continue to amaze me—all his clothing is removeable.  (For his modesty I left his pants and shirt on.)  His body and head are felt, but his limbs are a stretch knit.  All the clothing is hand crotched.  He measures a wee 4 ½ inches tall.  

Now, if I could only find his missing shoe.

Happy Birthday May Babies!

This month four of our plush artists celebrate their birthdays: Pink Cheek Studios, Plush Goodness, The Raggy Rat, and Mystic Forest Dwellers. Come back to read what plushy things they'll be blogging later!