Thank you everyone for the warm welcome, I appreciate it! I'm looking forward to re-energizing The Needle and making it the ultimate resource for handmade art plush.
I thought it would be fun to start out my leadership here at The Needle with a giveaway contest. The groovy prize is a set of three issues of Stuffed Magazine (a $45 value).
Enter the giveaway by answering this question in the comments of this post:
What do you love most about making plush?
The contest will be open for a week and the winner will be drawn at random on Monday, September 20th. And hey, since I'll be giving away these awesome mags next week, I'll slap another giveaway contest up there too so be sure to stop by next Monday for the winner and another prize giveaway.
Want to joint The Needle? Have exciting plush news? Email me at: TheNeedle.org@gmail.com
53 comments:
I love being able to give my plushies to my kids' friends when they visit our house. They are always so thrilled.
I love everything about making them, but mostly how wonderful it is that a parent, relative, or friend of a little one has chosen one of my handmade dolls to give as their gift to a child they love.
I love making plushies because I love seeing their individual personalities come to life as I finish making them.
I recently made a bunny doll for a 3-year old's birthday. As soon as she pulled the toy out of the bag, she hugged it close and apparently hasn't let it out of her sight since. That was the very best feeling, that I had made a play companion for a little kid.
My favorite thing about making plush is everything about making plush. I love it when I envision a new doll idea. I just cant wait to get started. I love picking out the fabrics and color schemes. I love sewing on the faces. The best part is when you turn the finished product right side out and you get to see what the doll will look like! Its a big surprise for me!
I hand-stitch all of my plushwork and I find handsewing just "sew" (haha) relaxing to wind down a day. It's the best thing for me.
I would love to be entered into your contest. Thank youuu!
Ooh, I'd love to be in the giveaway please - I haven't seen a copy of stuffed yet.
My fave thing about making plush, is the bit when you've done all the sewing inside out, and then you turn it right side out - it's like a little surprise every time as you're never completely sure how it will turn out.
Monda
x
I cannot rest, I must sew, however poor the result, and when I have a bad time come over me it is a stronger desire than ever.
I'd love these! Haven't found them in Aus.
As or softies, I love making something 3D from a concept sketch, and I love doing "Toy society" drops and knowing I've brightened a stranger's day :)
Nothing is better than the look on my product testers'( my 3 year old) face- that first moment when she sees a new design. Pure delight!!
I love putting the face on the plush at the very end, and seeing the whole project come to life.
Have never seen Stuffed magazine, it looks so drool-worthy!
The best thing about making plush is getting the ideas from my head out and into a plush creature that noone has ever made before. Hope that makes sense!
I love making plushes because when you draw something, you can only look at it, but when you make it into a plush it's a lovable, huggable, real creature for you to hold!
I love the creative process. I start with a drawing and then try to make the drawing come to life. I also like letting friends choose a softie from a big pile of them. It's fun to see which one they pick!
I love turning an idea in my brain into something I can hold. The process of creating.
I just love designing something new and seeing it come into being--it is always a delight and a surprise to know, "Hey! I just made that!"
I always loved stuffed animals as a kid, and so I think the kid in me is thrilled to be able to make my own...and in any colors or shapes my materials and sewing skills allow! I also love creating things that make people smile, whether kid or adult.
Trying something new that I've never done before, mixing mediums, and just plain having fun while designing them. That's what I like most about making plush!
I love the entire process from ideas that pop into my head right before I fall asleep, to making the pattern and selecting the perfect fabric to holding the finished creation, but my favorite part is the smile on the recipient's face.
welcome Felicia! i love your new ideas for this blog.
what I love most about making plush, is the process of turning a scribble (my design drawings are hardly more than that) into a three dimensional, colorful "real" creature with personality. it's like magic, and you get to say "yeah, i made this happen. cool!"
I love having the freedom to make whatever characters i can think of. unless i am doing a commission i can make any type of thing I can think of.
Also, i really enjoy the fact that i am always learning. Every plushie i make i learn something new, either about patters, fabric or sowing. its very satisfying.
Creating plushies is my life affirming heaven on earth. With two grown sons and a disabled husband it has been my "go to" when things get gritty and wild. It is my peaceful calm, my safe place. My way to live fully.
I love the feeling of letting my hands get carried away with my imagination.
There is something so magical about creating plush... what was once a pile of fabric is now a stuffed personality that some one can hug.
Is like writting a story in fabric or whaterver medium we choose... is like making magic with fabric and seeing the transformation......is so cool to have the freedom of chosing color and all the embelishments to go with it and see the transformation take place and then write a storyabout them.....I love it...MAMBOJAMBOMARIA
when I finally get turn those suckers right side out!
I love the moment that the idea that was rolling around in my head becomes real: when the stuffing's in but it's not quite finished and I've already fallen in love with whoever it is that has just appeared in front of me.
I would love the issues of Stuffed. I am a couple behind.
My favorite thing is imagining my plush being loved by their kids. Little ones hauling them around everywhere and going to sleep at night with them.
I love making plush, because it's an easy material to fulfill all my crazy fantasies and I don't depend on anyone, can do it all by myself.
Also I get inspired a lot by my 3 months son a lot, he has got the whole collection of plush monster toys already, anti-wear, super resistant, double stitched, waiting to test his baby grabbing activities
Awesome prize!
I love watching the looks on people's faces as they walk past my table or booth at craft shows and smile. The reactions children have are especially priceless. Watching them lead a parent by the arm to my table or make up little stories about the plushies as they examine them is always rewarding.
The main thing that I love about making plush is seeing the creatures in my head come alive. Being able to transform my creepy imagination into something huggable is great fun!
The thing I love about making something in plush is seeing how the placement of a line or knot or some design element can make such a statement in the personality. It's always a surprise!
I Love making plush because I'm able to get the misfits out of my head and into there own lovable huggable forms!
I love not really knowing what a plush will look like when it's done. It takes on it's own life, imbued with it's own quirks and personality. It's magic!
I love putting the faces on plush and giving them their own personalities.
The reactions of the people I give them too- those are priceless!
I love being surprised every time at who I wind up with. It's so cool to have new personalities coming out of my hands.
Sewing is such a relaxing activity for me, and then making plush is an added bonus because I get to see people enjoy a handmade object. I love making heart plush for people to give to each other as little "love notes"
I started making :plush: or dolls a long, long time ago. I made stuffed bears, dolls and even dolls for boyfriends. Don't know what I was thinking there. Being abke to transform fabric into something I get a kick out of does it for me. I wish I had more time.
I am addicted to making plushies/softies!
I love the fact that you can create something with character, emotion and the cute factor from a flat piece of fabric! Soooo enjoyable! I also love the faces of the people who receive my softies - priceless!
I have been making plush creatures since I was 6. There is something mysterious about having the initial idea, and then watching it take on a life all its own...
I love it all.
Picking out fabrics...agonizing over just the right ones, imagining what to make next, seeing your vision come to life. The look on a kids face when you give them one as a gift.
It's amazingly addictive :)
i love making plush because it feels like i made them come alive.
songyueyu at gmail
I love the final stages of construction when I get to attach the limbs to the body and embroider on the details. I just love how it goes from pieces to a whole.
I love making plush because while you are creating them you have an image in your mind as to the way you want it, but during the process the plush winds up deciding how it wants to be. All turns out great in the end because even though I am the creator the plush is my Frankenstein and muse at the same time. Love at first sight.
Whoo hoo, a giveaway! :)
I most love seeing each plush's personality emerge after I stuff them and finish their detail work. Nothing ever turns out quite like I pictured, but that's just part of the fun!
'cause plush are not just for kids.
I love making plushies. They have a way of taking on a life of their own.
My favorite thing about making stuffed toys is that I can create something adorable that I can hug.
When making plushies, I usually don't use existing patterns, but rather cut out my pieces freestyle. I also design most of my items while sewing them.
This freedom is my favorite thing about making plushies. This and the fact that they're so soft and adorable. ^_^
i love coming up with new designs...and having them turn out the way i had envisioned them! :D
I love the story behind each plush, which comes out beforehand in my mind, while I'm creating, and even after when someone else gets their hands on it.
Jenny
www.yermits.com
I love giving objects that don't normally have human characteristics personality and emotion. I also just think that they are adorable and love the feeling of finishing one!
I like how cute they turn out to be. Then I could share it on my blog and if I thought of it myself, I will make a tutorial.
Thank you everyone for your fab comments! What fun to read how much everyone loves plush making.
For me, the thing I love most about plush making is that moment when I'm creating the face of the creature and suddenly I find it looking back at me. It almost feels alive!
Find out who won this contest here:
http://theneedleblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/needle-giveaway-contest_20.html
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