What is your background in plush?
I began making plush as a kid, before I even knew how to sew (I used hot glue at the time!) In my 20s, I began to take it more seriously, creating my own, simple patterns. During the pandemic, when I had a lot of free time on my hands, I began to incorporate clay faces into my designs. That's when some of them became art dolls, in my mind. It was nice to have something so pleasant to work on during such a difficult time.
How does a 2-dimensional image or idea become a 3D plushie?
Prototyping! I don't have the best spatial reasoning skills (I'm not good at puzzles, for example) so creating patterns, especially complex ones, is the most challenging part of plush-making for me. I have to try things out. I sketch my pattern on paper first, then cut it out and tape it together to see if it forms the correct shape. If it does, I'll move on to creating it in felt without details. If that works, then it's a keeper! Otherwise, I have to tweak things along the way.
Please tell us about the legendary pancake bear!
Ah, Pancake Bear! I love him so. He was actually a commission for someone who wanted a pancake-themed bear. It was so fun to add the "syrup spot" to his belly and the little pats of butter. My customer requested a unique, very simple face for him, which I think made him SO cute. Later, another customer even requested a pink version with blue eyes.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into plush creation?
Just start! You don't need any special skills, all you need is a needle, some thread, and a simple idea. Start with cheap material, like felt. Don't make things more complicated than they need to be when you're first starting out, and go easy on yourself! Mistakes are part of the process.
To visit the official page, click
HERE!
