Plush Monstrosities - If I Show You Mine Will You Show Me Yours?

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Hobbies, Crafts, & Houses > Plush Monstrosities - If I Show You Mine Will You Show Me Yours?

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Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

I started in '08 after a goon named Plethora (I think) posted a thread about the sock monsters she made.

So far most of what I've done has all been made of socks and sewn by completely by hand.

Here's attempt #2: Oh God the Neck!

Attempt #3: Getting Better But the Arms Are Oddly Placed

Click here for the full 522x696 image.

I don't remember 4 but this one is labeled #5: My coworker see them and asks for something bright and pink

#6: Same pattern as 3 but still off

#7: SocktoKitty! SocktoKitty makes me happy

#8: I discover babies love Cthulhu start something and wind up quite distracted (same design from #2)

#9: I decide to make a proper Cthulhu for a baby's First Birthday Present (This one I used fleece and an actual sewing machine for)

Baby shows admiration for the Elder God by placing tentacles and wings in mouth
(Not pictured, I'm not sure my friends want me posting pictures of their kid on SA)

I want to make more Cthulhus for other friends with small children but I'm not entirely happy with the pattern. Here's the pattern I started with: http://missvee.deviantart.com/art/Cthulhu-Pattern-45259107 I wound up making up my own arms, wings and extending the tentacles. I'd love feedback or suggestions.

Also I'd love to see some kind of squid bag or whatever you come up with

# ¿ May 12, 2010 09:51

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# ¿ Apr 23, 2024 22:53

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Eden posted:

Do any of you guys exclusively hand sew? I would like to get creative with some sewing but even second hand machines are too expensive here, especially given I don't know if it's something I'd take to.

I guess I'm wondering if it's too tedious/difficult?

I did all but one of the projects in my earlier post by hand. The only one I really considered tedious was the SocktoKitty, and that's because it has (8) 8 inch long tentacles so the tentacles themselves are about 128 inches of hand sewing. It wasn't really too bad but I might be more patient than you. I kind of like hand sewing in that I can do it while I'm sitting on the couch watching TV or a movie with my husband.

I've never really done any other sewing so I was in the same boat as you about a machine. I lucked into finding a 1970 era Singer in a Thrift Store for $1.29. It was kinda gross from spending what looks like quite some time in a chain-smokers house, but I was able to clean it up pretty well and find a PDF of the manual online. So if you don't mind putting some effort into it you may be able to find something that would work. I'm pretty amused that I've now spent more on thread, replacement needles and bobbins than I spent on the machine.

# ¿ May 14, 2010 18:47

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Sonata posted:

I made this for my husband a couple of months ago (and just finished it):

Click here for the full 845x1127 image.

In the thumbnail the book looked like the bottom of a trophy

Sonata posted:

And we made this platypus last night for a friend's future baby:

I loves me some platypus. Was this a commercial pattern or something you found online?

# ¿ Jul 4, 2010 08:21

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

I'm not sure what you're interested in but two good places to check out might be
http://www.instructables.com/ and http://www.craftster.org/ baring that I'd try google if you have an idea of what you'd want to make. That's how I found the Cthulhu I posted earlier. The pattern I linked for that was pretty easy, but was kind of annoying in that it lacked a good explanation for the feet. But making your own and doing as you please is my favorite part of this.

Your library might have some books that you might find helpful too. Some popular ones are "Stray Sock Sewing" "Stupid Sock Creatures"

# ¿ Aug 23, 2010 23:29

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

ufarn posted:

Hi, guys.

In another thread, we're mulling over sending a guy named Day[9] something to commemorate his 200th podcast. (He's done a lot of great things for the StarCraft 2 community and is a great guy overall).

He also has carpal tunnel syndrome (being an intense videogame-player and all), which requires him to, well, cuddle with a pillow to ease his symptoms.

We got the idea to make him a plushie for the purpose - although it might require a better, softer texture than what can be made by knitting.

What we had in mind was a Baneling (a unit from the game), but it's just something getting tossed around. Someone also made a model here. Unfortunately, it's sold out.

He also uses a toy bunny (named Manfred) - presumably for the same purpose - so I assume it could be used for his syndrome instead.

While we can't ask you to do make one for the occasion, can you give us some pointers on how we could make a convincing plushie to be used instead of a pillow?

Cheers.

I'm a little confused by what you're hoping for when you say plushie rather than pillow? Are you thinking of something more 3-D than flat? The one somebody made on Etsy I would call more of a plushie. It looks like the Etsy seller does custom items regularly. Have you talked with he/she to see how much/ if they can do it within their time line?

It seems like you might be looking for tips on how to make one similar to the one you posted. I dug up the artist's blog and there is another picture of an early pattern that someone might be able to use to figure something out. http://www.shannahomeara.blogspot.com/ The shapes all seem fairly simple. The big back part seems like it's a few cat eye shaped pieces sewn together. The other pieces look similar to cylinders, but kind of squatty. Attaching them and figuring out how to attach them together and get the purple part that goes over it. The legs you'd want to stuff pretty full and probably sew on separately. The green and purple fabric looks like it's Minky which is nice and soft. If the person sewing it is in the US that fabric is on sale at Joann's this week. I know nothing about therapeutic cuddling so I have no idea if you'd want to stuff it with the standard polyfil (which is what you'd probably find in most plushies) or if you'd want to go for those weird foam beads. (I forget what they're called but they're like what bean bags are stuffed with but smaller. They're really small and they ooze around nicely which makes for very mold-able pillows)

# ¿ Oct 7, 2010 06:10

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

What software were you using to make that pattern?

I made a somewhat dapper looking octopus

Click here for the full 1296x968 image.

# ¿ Dec 8, 2010 09:57

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

You can play around with a few things and see what you like yourself. I like fleece it stands up pretty well to screwups and doesn't stretch badly. I made one of my latest creatures with flannel and I'm worried about how it will hold up because the stress on some of the seams seems to be pulling at the fabric and making the weave kind of separate. I like working with socks as well, just make sure to get the ones that are more stretchy and less woven.

I had some stuffing that was "eco fill" or something like that made from corn that I really liked, but I ran out of it and got just the generic poly stuffing that Hancock and Joann sell in giant boxes. At first I didn't like it but I may be warming up to it.

# ¿ May 1, 2011 20:52

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

I recall the discussion in the thread where somebody was selling one. What's the plan for making more? Or posting/selling a pattern?

# ¿ Jun 14, 2011 06:05

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

nolen posted:

I plan on finish off the fabric I have and making a few more to sell here on SA Mart, though the demand has already skyrocketed.

Selling the pattern and/or teaming up with another goon seamster/seamstress to meet the demand is not something I am against.

I'm interested in sewing a few. I don't know how fast I could turn them out though.

# ¿ Jun 16, 2011 03:22

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

I made this, then did a pretty lackluster job of photographing it

Only registered members can see post attachments!

# ¿ Jun 18, 2011 05:42

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

I made this.

I think the Get Out Frog may be cursed.

Now I'm going to try to sell it. And possibly make more.

I found out that one of the couples I'm friends with celebrates significant milestones in their relationship with stuffed animals. I offered to make the one for their wedding reception, the groom excitedly reached into his wallet and produced a drawing his new wife had done on their 2nd or 3rd date about 5 years prior. That drawing was the basis for this:

Comrade Quack fucked around with this message at 08:58 on Aug 13, 2011

# ¿ Aug 13, 2011 08:43

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

Oh wow I've been out of the loop, but I've been keeping up to date with actually making stuff. Because I am unemployed.

:ponies:

And I guess I'll keep posting stuff when I finish them. I've been selling them too, which has been fairly lucrative. The rainbow dash auction is at $152, which is pretty good for about 5 hours of work, and the Luna auction is hovering around $160.

I'm curious to know if or how you're promoting your auctions. Is the bidding just from people trolling ebay or did you post them somewhere else first?

# ¿ Sep 1, 2011 21:54

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

Woah. She just sold for $430.

drat nice work. I'll admit to being jealous. I made this:

Comrade Quack fucked around with this message at 04:10 on Sep 7, 2011

# ¿ Sep 7, 2011 04:05

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

I'm afraid to say that I don't know what it is - I'm getting vibes of both Cthulu and Frogs.

You're quite right. It's a Cthulhu based on the frog pillow I posted earlier. I couldn't decide what to call it. Elderfrog? Get out Cthulhu?

# ¿ Sep 7, 2011 06:38

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

Yes. I want to see if making it big will have a difference.

And I am getting kinda tired of doing little projects. Though I make a much bigger mess doing this.

And I burn through so many bags of stuffing. Wal-Mart sells it though, and I think I'll need to get more batting for the support pieces.

A PVC pipe skeleton will be needed in the future, I think.

I was actually meaning to ask again about stuffing. I currently buy 5 lb boxes from JoAnn, but I don't really like it. There are some clumps that aren't very well separated and some other plastic like chunks. I liked the box of stuff made from corn I had but that's only available online now and 50% more for 3 lbs instead of 5.

# ¿ Sep 22, 2011 07:43

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

I've made frogs with just the straight stitch and I think they've held up ok. A small child has been given a Cthulhu I made and his mom said it was quite sturdy. I was messing around with an old Kenmore I got for a friend and it has some special stitches that were made to stretch better. So if there's stitches on your machine you don't understand try to figure them out. They might be helpful

# ¿ Sep 28, 2011 10:36

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

I have a little chinese Janome too, but I can't get it to function in North America because of the... wattage in our outlets. And seeing as I am going to take a break from sewing for a bit, I am gonna take this badboy in to get fuckin' serviced. It hasn't been in 20 something years.

Also, I got it from my mom too, who had it brand new when she started sewing. Best gift ever. Its in great condition too; I oiled her up, cleaned the dust off and she runs perfectly. But I figure I need someone who know what they're doing to look at it.

As for not being an expert; I literally have 0 formal training in sewing. I learned how to use a sewing machine while in china, by teaching myself, and then I came here and started using this beast. I don't even have its manual.

As for Comrade Quack; there are a few stitches in yellow and green I don't get. One is six lines, in two rows of three, and another is three zig-zags overlapping each other (dotted), then there is another dotted zig-zag.

I too have very little formal education, I just figured that tidbit out by reading her manual. You should look for yours if you don't have a copy. Hers had a stitch that sounds like the three overlapping zig zags on yours. If you sew it is actually diamonds. If that's the stitch I'm thinking of it seemed to stretch a bit. I'd say give it a try on some scraps. The different colors sort of correspond to a colored mark on another dial, maybe called something similar to flexi-stitch.

# ¿ Sep 28, 2011 17:35

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

I showed some friends the giant Rainbow Dash auction and they demanded I ask you how many requests or questions you'd had regarding fleshlights.

# ¿ Oct 3, 2011 18:18

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Hey if any of you fun people are in the Seattle area, or will be sometime this month (I think it runs all month) you should check out Plush You! It's an annual plush art show at Schmancy

_{I wish I had work showing there}

# ¿ Oct 19, 2011 04:02

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

edit: look away!

Comrade Quack fucked around with this message at 07:47 on Mar 2, 2013

# ¿ Oct 19, 2011 21:38

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

I am never going to ask for advice.

What was exactly was off-putting, quality or quantity?

Brainbread posted:

about lighting and photo taking

This is also very good advice that I've heard and have been trying to be better about myself. That's what I was trying to get at quickly when I mentioned photography and lighting. But I omitted to try to cut out length, and because I really don't have room to talk about that area. Or such useful examples

# ¿ Oct 19, 2011 22:02

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

Mostly the in depth, pony sperging. I've been subjected to that /in person/ by a "sandwich artisan", so personally its cringe inducing.

Yes, I will admit it is cringe inducing. I tried to avoid it and failed. Now I feel obligated to change the subject to something else and redeem myself. But I don't have any ideas.

# ¿ Oct 19, 2011 22:11

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

I'm now curious about having the work done as embroidery. Would you be willing to share more about that? I'd have guessed the embroidery would need to be done before it was sewn together and stuffed. Will the wings be embroidered too, or do you have a different plan for those?

# ¿ Oct 22, 2011 00:23

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

I now feel bad for the person who posted asking a commission, because they seem to have gotten ignored. I also don't know how to make cats (and feel terrible when I do commissions), so I have my excuses.

I contacted Fluue via PM and there's now a cat head on my sewing table.

# ¿ Dec 5, 2011 22:20

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

I am now excited to see this. :3

Ok I stupidly made this way harder then it needed to be, but here are the Purrito images

Purrito Gallery

# ¿ Dec 13, 2011 04:29

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Behold! My latest creation

Zergling Gallery

# ¿ Feb 18, 2012 03:23

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Schmancy in Seattle hosts an awesome plush show every year in October and the application deadline for this years show is March 30th. Here's the link for application information: http://www.schmancytoys.com/blog/plush-you/plush-you-apply-today

If you want to check out some of last years artists look through the October and September archives on her blog.

# ¿ Mar 22, 2012 15:07

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

I'm also interested if you've got stuff you want to share.

# ¿ Mar 29, 2012 16:10

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

I'd guess it's the best place for it. I take commissions but my waiting list is a bit long right now. I've got a thread over in SAmart. Are you looking for something Like that first one you posted that looks like a panda, or human?

the least weasel posted:

Hi hello, over in PYF somebody posted an Abbath plush (from metal band Immortal) that I immediately fell in love with. We don't know where it's from but a poster recommended I come here and perhaps somebody would be interested in making one on commission.

It doesn't actually have to look exactly like that, just kinda like Abbath in general:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbath

Is this the right place?

# ¿ Apr 3, 2012 15:54

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

the least weasel posted:

Well to be honest I would prefer it to look more human, I think. Comrade Quack, how long is 'long' wrt your waiting list?

TVarmy, I'll let Comrade Quack answer but if his waiting list is too long for me I wouldn't mind your way. I'll let you know!

I'm really bad at time estimates. At least 6 weeks probably more. I've got 4 people ahead of you and some other stuff I want to do that isn't included on that list.

# ¿ Apr 4, 2012 06:57

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Not exactly plush but I think it still counts:

Revenge on lovely days at work

# ¿ Apr 10, 2012 07:10

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

I think the rule is, "Is it functional? -> No -> Post in Plush Thread"

I recognized the character, but I don't recall his name. Its from Southpark, right?

Its slightly functional in that its a puppet. It is Mr Hat from South Park. (I briefly thought his name was Mr Hand when I was about to google for a picture). Yes, I do use it to say the things I want to but shouldn't.

# ¿ Apr 10, 2012 15:32

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

I never want to make this again (jokes on me, I have another commission for it). Her hair bits totaled in at 24 pieces (8 each). That took me a good few hours of planning and cutting and screaming at them for spiraling.

Looks good though! I wish this commission wasn't from like 2 months ago, when my prices were lower. She probably took me about twice as long as a "normal" plushie.

I doubled the amount of beads in her feet too. They weren't heavy enough to keep them really well balanced in the original amounts. Still squishy though!

Have you thought about doing the hair highlights as pieces on top of the rest of it? You could try folding the edges under or doing a zigzag in matching thread over the edge. Mr hat is pieces on top of pieces. The red stripes are on top of a white hat rather than white and red pieces sewn together.

# ¿ Apr 12, 2012 20:45

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

I worried about doing that, as I figured the seams at the sides would be a bit too obvious/not look good. I'll try it out next time I make a multicolour'd piece of hair. Maybe it won't drive me to drinking.

This is what scraps are awesome for. gently caress around as much as you please, try different things and don't worry that you've wasted material or your time cutting pieces out.

# ¿ Apr 13, 2012 01:39

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

... Satin stitch?

Applique?

I don't know what these mean.

Appliqu�: the fancy name for what I said.

Satin stitch: the back and forth back and forth stitch used to cover large areas.

In short, take piece A and lay it on top of a larger piece B. then set your machine to zigzag stitch with very short stitch length. Then sew over the edges of piece A attaching it to piece B.

If I've done a terrible job consult google or wait for Nolen to wander back by.

Edit: here's a YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlPECmbwSOc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Comrade Quack fucked around with this message at 04:17 on Apr 13, 2012

# ¿ Apr 13, 2012 03:29

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Brainbread posted:

My concern lies with the 3 and 6 coloured pieces of "hair". With 3 colours, it won't be that bad (I can just line the smaller colours side by side, stitch them on), but with the 6-coloured manes, there is not "base" colour that I am working with.

Eg.

Like the tail on this character. I'm not sure if I can/should do an applique in that case. Is there a good rule of thumb for it?

It might not be perfect for you in every situation. That's why I'm advocating trying a bunch of stuff out on scraps. You can play around with overlapping the sections a bit and then trimming the bottom piece to cut back on bulk or leave it. It sounded like what you were doing involved a lot of hand stitching. I'm curious to know how that factors in.

# ¿ Apr 14, 2012 17:34

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

flutterbyblue posted:

I guess a good rule of thumb would be "if it drives you to drink, try a different method."

this.

You can stitch over a section multiple times if you think that would work better. With satin stitch like that it's easiest for me not to back stitch but to use the bottom thread to pull the upper thread to the backside then tie them together.

# ¿ Apr 14, 2012 23:28

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Voltin Bolt posted:

From nolen's pattern. The small one is 1/3 size and was for practice, that's why he looks a bit off (pulled the dimple string too hard, now he's a buttchin.) If there's still any interest in frogs, I'd really like to make and sell more of both sizes!

It depends on how much you're hoping to sell them for and what kind of marketing you may be able to do on the forums. I don't know how closely you followed the frog pattern discussion, but I don't know how much interest still remains. Shortly after Nolen released the pattern one goon had a thread selling them for $95 and I don't think they got many takers. The ones I was made I auctioned at about $60-75. I had a SA mart thread for a while with those and other stuff and didn't get too much interest.

I hate gluing stuff like that on so I sew stuff like that. I think company that makes crazy glue also makes a bunch of other glues like fabric and maybe even felt specific. I'm not sure how different they are.

I think I remember deadlysweet using glue on a fruitcake.

Plus I totally love her(?) stuff.

# ¿ May 5, 2012 02:12

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Charmmi posted:

O hay that was my thread. $95 worked out really well for me. I had enough requests to keep me busy until I lost interest

Sorry I guess the jerk that lives in my brain had chosen only to remember the "why isn't it as cheap as a Chinese sweatshop?" debacle.

# ¿ May 19, 2012 01:35

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# ¿ Apr 23, 2024 22:53

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

blackflare posted:

What's that? A new project I just finished?

(Its a luchadeer)

I love puns and I love this.

# ¿ Jun 6, 2012 15:26

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Hobbies, Crafts, & Houses > Plush Monstrosities - If I Show You Mine Will You Show Me Yours?

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