Doing commissions or custom plushies is a great way to try new ideas for designs if you feel you can’t come up with anything on your own. You might be surprised with some of the things people want!
Ears, tails, legs, spots, noses, wings, claws, antlers, and horns can all be made from fairly simple patterns. If you plan to use a non-stretchy fabric, try drawing the pattern a little wider than you think you might need to make it.
If you have a hard time visualizing darts, grab some scrap fabric and experiment with them. Cut in shapes, sew them together, and just see what happens. The best way to learn is through experience, and simply playing with how darts work in your chosen fabric can help you understand bigger projects later. Keep in mind that wider, longer darts produce more dramatic curves, while smaller, thinner ones make finer detail.
Make sure you always measure your gussets and other parts to make sure they will line up together neatly. It may help to hold the paper patterns up against each other just to guarantee everything fits. If this is your first time designing a pattern, you may want to opt for a simpler, rounded oval-type gusset on the head as this will be easier to design and sew. If you are more experienced, try more nuanced head gussets that define the snout and forehead,
If you notice certain pieces don’t line up at all, you may want to go back to refine your pattern more before continuing with prototypes; otherwise you will end up with pieces that don’t work and soon will have been a waste of time.
Once you see it full, mark where you think improvements need to be made, with a pen or marker. These can be big or small.
For instance, if you find that you want the head of your creature to be rounder and wider, you may want to consider adding a gusset to make the head more three-dimensional and realistic. Keep in mind, any major new parts you add must be tested to ensure they produce good animals.
If you’re frustrated with a specific pattern piece, move onto a different one. For instance, if you’re stuck with getting the head of your doll right, move onto the body. You will still be productive, but rather than trying and failing at a tricky part, you’re working forward while getting experience that may figure out the problem-piece!
Felt is very common and easy to find. Higher quality wool or wolf-blend felt is recommended over cheap acrylic as it feels nicer to work with and doesn’t stretch. High quality felt doesn’t stretch and doesn’t have raw edges, which makes it a good idea for beginners and/or hand sewing. Fleece is very popular as well. It is cheap and can come in a variety of colors and patterns, and it doesn’t fray or wear. It is warm and soft, and very easy to find at your local craft or fabric store. Fleece also comes in different varieties, from polar to anti-pill to sherpa. If you’re using a type of fleece with a “right” side (that is, a side with a texture that the other side doesn’t have) take that into account when cutting and stitching your pieces. Minky, often known as fake or faux fur, is more expensive and harder to find, but can be a very soft and lovely fabric to work with. It is an imitation of fur from stoats and ermines (never use real furs!) but can come in beautiful colors and designs. It stretches, but not as much as fleece, and has a nice drape to it. However, it also has a “nap” which can be tricky to work with, and sheds a lot. It is recommended for more advanced artists.
Make sure to stuff extremities such as legs, arms, tails, beaks, horns, flippers, sails, and snouts before the main body. Once the larger part of the toy is filled in, getting stiffing into the smaller parts is a lot more difficult!
