Monday, September 13, 2010

The Needle Giveaway Contest



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:

JessA said...

I love being able to give my plushies to my kids' friends when they visit our house. They are always so thrilled.

Maureen Cracknell Handmade said...

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.

Anonymous said...

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.

Jen Musatto said...

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!

PAC said...

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!

monda-loves said...

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

Miss Black said...

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.

JenMeister said...

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 :)

Cath @ chunkychooky said...

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!!

greetingarts said...

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!

flailing DORIS said...

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!

Holly said...

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!

jg said...

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!

Jen said...

I love turning an idea in my brain into something I can hold. The process of creating.

Holly said...

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!"

Kira said...

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.

Unknown said...

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!

leafpeople said...

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.

Michal Wright-Ward said...

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!"

2 said...

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.

Dorothy Stuhr said...

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.

INTIMIDNATION said...

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.

BLUEPOMEGRANADE said...

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

meg said...

when I finally get turn those suckers right side out!

Kate said...

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.

Lowell and Son said...

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.

Vertuta The Re-PSY-cler said...

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

Cari said...

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.

12PUNT3 said...

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!

Bonney said...

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!

uglykids said...

I Love making plush because I'm able to get the misfits out of my head and into there own lovable huggable forms!

Andrea Carrillo said...

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!

Anonymous said...

I love putting the faces on plush and giving them their own personalities.

Eva said...

The reactions of the people I give them too- those are priceless!

kayte said...

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.

Katie said...

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"

MaddyMazeStudio said...

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.

PaisleyJade said...

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!

theCraftMobb said...

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...

lookwhaticando said...

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 :)

sy said...

i love making plush because it feels like i made them come alive.
songyueyu at gmail

Shannon O. said...

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.

ReFashioned by Lisa said...

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.

Plushroom Soup said...

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!

xha (Adamandia K.) said...

'cause plush are not just for kids.

superstitches said...

I love making plushies. They have a way of taking on a life of their own.

Anonymous said...

My favorite thing about making stuffed toys is that I can create something adorable that I can hug.

Irit said...

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. ^_^

Katie said...

i love coming up with new designs...and having them turn out the way i had envisioned them! :D

yermit said...

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

Amelia said...

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!

Glenys said...

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.

Felicia said...

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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