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Viergacht β Plushie Pattern Testing
Published: 2011-09-26 17:16:06 +0000 UTC; Views: 25187; Favourites: 162; Downloads: 1026
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Description
Pretty much what it says in the title: why it's always good to do a test of a new pattern before you commit yourself to a sewing project, featuring my malformed first try at a new style My Little Pony.I've been making patterns for about 12 years now, and I STILL need to test them first - there's no shame in failing if you learn from your failures.
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Comments: 70
I am definitely a mistake maker! At some point I plan on writing a pattern making book, I figure nearly 20 years of this, I should have some wisdom worth passing on.
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i would be very interested in a book like that. i have Abby Glassenberg's book, but more info is always better.
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Some handy information and so true! Β Pattern making can be super intimidating.. but like so many things often it's better to jump right in!
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Yep, I made some hideous looking monstrosities but it's all a part of learning
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haha! Β Me as well! Β Every crafty person has a couple laughable skeletons in their closet, I think
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My one little sister "adopted" mine when I was about to throw them out LOL
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That's hilarious! Β My daughter or friends claim them. Β I'm cringing in terror or embarrassment and they are all 'it's so adorable! Β it has so much character!' Β Sometimes we are just hard on ourselves. Β Other times I have no idea what part they found adorable!
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Yeah, this is the sister who grew up to do things like care for an injured crow and rescue kittens, so there ya go
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Aww, what a sweet soul
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She really is
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IF YOU FIX THE PATTERN SOME IT COULD BE BREEZIE WORTHY~
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This is very helpful. I don't think I'm nearly at the level to start designing patterns but it's good to see how its done.
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This is actually insanely helpful.
I've only tried making a plush once, I'm pretty intimidated now but yet, super intrigued. This inspires me a lot, not to mention this is an amazing idea. Would have saved so much time and frustration.
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I've found the best way to learn (for me at least) is studying other people's patterns. Actually I've been working on writing a book on pattern design - most of the books out seem to be "follow this pattern to make this exact plush" but don't tell you the nuts and bolts of designing your own.
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This is really useful thanks! I was wondering though if you had any tips on actually drawing out your own patterns?
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What sorts of things would you like to know?
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The basics really, I'm clueless
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LOL that's a whole book's worth of information! Actually something I have been working on writing, since most books on designing your own plushie patterns are 20+ years old.
Let's narrow the focus - what are you making a plush of?
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Haha, am I making life difficult? I'm sorry :/ But a pony, more filly-ish though
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Well, it helps to start by looking at the patterns other people have made, see what you like and don't like about them.
Start with an orthographic drawing - draw what you want to make from sides, top, bottom, front and back. It doesn't have to be completely accurate, but it gives you an idea of how wide gussets have to be, that sort of thing.
Remember that limbs and things are going the shrink when they're stuffed. For example, one problem I've seen with ponies is toothpick-legs. I think that happens because people are tracing right off a drawing, but you have to know that the leg has to be wide enough to wrap around the hoof, so the pattern for the leg has to be three times as wide as you want the leg to be.
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Thanks for the help! Sorry if I was a bother...
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Sorry to bother you again, but I'm in the process of making a Derpy Hooves plush, and I was wondering about copyright infringement... Am I not allowed to upload it on DA? There are so many MLP plushies on here so I'm confused.....
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I'm not really an expert on copyright law, but making a couple of plushes for fun shouldn't be a problem. It's when another corporation mass markets them that seems to be the problem.
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Ugh thank you so much <3
I'm just starting to try out plush making.
And I seriously have no idea how to start.
I have a pattern sketched up, but how do I magically know how big each piece is? If I eye ball it, won't parts be inaccurate?
Doing a test run will DEFINITELY help me figure out all these issues!
But I have one question... you mention "dart" a lot, what is that? O .o
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A dart is a little cut taken out of a piece of fabric cut to help it fit around curves. If, for example, you try wrapping fabric around a round object, you'll see you have to pinch the fabric up in folds to get it to fit tightly - cut out the excess fabric and sew the edges together, and that's a dart. These usually look like a little pie slice cut out of the fabric. To get a stuffed animal's legs to stand upright under the body, you use an "oyster dart", which looks like a spindle or circle shape in the armpit area of the limb.
I could sketch this if the explanation isn't making sense.
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I understood the first part just fine <3 I've seen it many times ^^
But the part about the legs was a little confusing @~@
Sketching it would be a lovely thing to do Q3Q
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That's Ico, the brave horse. A character in an argentinean animated film from the 80s. [link]
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Oh man, that's really cute!
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you could always make circles to put under the bottom of thefeet to make it "stand" flat like :3
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Yeah, I plan to do this for the final design. This one is just so small, and felt is so godawful to work with, I left it out.
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It's not bad actually, just needs some eyes and a little care on the mane. It's better than Hasbro's
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LOL Thanks. The new version is looking pretty decent.
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My Son took a liking to my test pony, its got random embroidery on it ..different eyes, is roughly sewn out of cheap fabric with wonky legs....BUT he loves what is now dubbed Proto-pony. Monsters need love too hehe.
Great advice you give here.
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LOL It's true . . . I was ashamed for the first bear I made, it was so wonky, but my one little sister was HORRIFIED that I was going to toss it, and "adopted" it. I'm glad she did.
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This is such wonderful advice, I've been searching all over for some help with patterns. And then I found the group! And this!
I've only just gotten into plush making and yet I've decided to give myself the mammoth task of making a 6ft long game character monster -,-
I've done a couple of tests for it, but I'm so impatient I'm always tempted to just throw test pieces aside and straight dive in. I must keep telling myself no!
Btw aside from any of the mistakes which arent that noticable to me, this pattern is adorable
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Oh man, I am SO IMPATIENT too, believe me this advice is coming from hard lessons.
Good luck with your monster! I just got a massive stash of scale-patterned black fur and am sorely tempted to make some kind of ginormous dragon or dinosaur with it. No idea where it would live in my little townhouse, but there ya go.
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Oh noes 
I wish I had some of that black scale stuff 
Thank you ^.^ and good luck for whatever you decide to do! What is space for but to be taken up with awesome things?
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I got my fur at Hancock Fabrics, here's a pic: [link] It would be perfect for that Nargacuga critter!
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Oh wow that stuff is gorgeous! It really is perfect, I will have to grab some for myself 
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The head-shape is EXCELLENT. I'm jealous. I can't wait to see the perfected model! :33
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Thank you! Don't be too jealous, it wasn't easy. LOL
I'll probably be posting the pattern when I finish it.
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Considering she's full of needles, that might not be a wise idea XD
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i would give it more butt and the backlegs a stronger bow.
and i would add a belly piece and a middle head piece.
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