Review – tedDIYbear

WHERE TO FIND AFFORDABLE PLUSH MAKING SUPPLIES

Morgane — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:00:17 +0000

To make dolls and stuffed animals yourself, you need to start by getting the necessary tools and supplies. In this article, I will tell you my favourite places (none of them are sponsoring me) to buy fabric, thread, elements, etc. Do not hesitate to watch the video at the bottom of the page, in which I gathered good finds.

Buttinette: original fabrics, very beautiful, soft, and at a reasonable price. It is the first shop I visit when shopping for plush making supplies. If you are looking for faux animal skins (giraffe, leopard, cow, etc.), this is the right place! I made the teddy bear’s paws with high quality faux suede from that store. However, the long-haired furs I have tried were not as soft as I wished. The fabric and thread sets are affordable and a must. There, you can also find very useful tools and wide range of stuffings. The shipping costs are a little bit high, so I would recommend to buy in bulk to get free shipping.

MaPetiteMercerie: a wide variety of very soft high-quality fabrics (Oeko-Tex® certified). The fabric is sold per 10 cm by 150cm, which allows you to order the desired quantity, and the price is very affordable. It is perfect for small creations, especially if you do not wish to have remnants that you may not want to reuse. I made the Halloween pumpkins with two pieces of fabric from that store: one orange and the other meadow green. The ‘Délice’ furs are some of my favourites! The customer service is very responsive. This is a very good store for furs and jersey fabrics.

GlassEyesOnLine: there is no better online store to order glass eyes. It is a small family-owned business based in the United States, who specialises in handcrafted facial elements for stuffed animals and dolls. They also sell snouts and joints, but I have only tried the eyes so far. You can buy them individually or by pairs. The quality is exceptional, especially for the glistening ones. They are perfect if you want your stuffed animal to have eyes that shine. The store also sells elements specifically made for stuffed cats, koalas, or even dinosaurs! They deliver worldwide.

eBay, Etsy, Amazon, and AliExpress are all platforms where independent sellers are gathered. This means you can find anything, and at various prices, but usually cheaper than anywhere else because there is no intermediary between you and the manufacturer. On the first two platforms, I buy very good embroidery patches (see photo gallery). However, be careful not to be mislead, especially on Etsy, because many occidental sellers offer the same articles you can find on AliExpress, but at 5 times the price. As for AliExpress, you can find a lot of very good deals there! If you are looking for long-haired faux fur, that is where you should order it. I used one for the fur of my teddy bear, for which I made a tutorial. The website offers excellent quality short-haired, corduroy, or even raised fabrics. There are also supplies to make beautiful wigs for dolls, tools, accessories to make your own pom-pom balls, joints to articulate your creations, etc. Many brands of DIY kits are available on Amazon. My advice would be to always read customer reviews carefully (especially those with photos and natural light).

Specialised stores are often small, but their range of products is that much more interesting and, despite what you might think, they are usually less expensive than bigger non-specialised stores. They offer a wide range of supplies for all kinds of hobbies, as well as informed advice. Lastly, I would recommend non-specialised stores as well. You can find good deals in stores that sell a little bit of everything. They often have a dedicated aisle for crafts, with mini kits or haberdashery. It is mostly about finding the interesting little “extras” that will be a nice addition to your toolkit.

Here below a video in which I gathered good finds.

SAFETY EYES AND NOSES

Morgane — Sat, 12 Jun 2021 12:00:26 +0000

The face is an important step in the making of a stuffed animal or a doll. Let’s see what are safety eyes and noses, and how to attach them.

NOSE SHAPES AND TEXTURES

Very useful to give depth to the face, ready-to-apply noses offer a wide range of options. Among the more frequent options, there are triangular, round, heart, and snout shapes; made in plastic, velvet, or glass; and some are hand-painted, while others are painted industrially. The below list is non-exhaustive, there are more out there, but it will still give you an idea of what is available.

Use the arrows on each side to navigate through the gallery.

Triangular | Velvet

Triangular | Plastic

Snout (cat) | Plastic

Snout (dog) | Glass

Heart | Plastic

EYE SHAPES AND TEXTURES

The eyes, which you can buy in pairs or individually, are most frequently oval-shaped with circular pupils, vertical ones (suitable for stuffed cats or snakes), fully black ones, simple ones, shiny ones that make the eyes spark, etc. Some pairs are specifically made for dolls, especially those with eye sockets. The size allows you to customise the look: the bigger the eyes compared to the proportions of the face, the more different the face and facial expression will be.

Use the arrows on each side to navigate through the gallery.

Sparkling | Glass

Vertical | Glass

Black | Plastic

Circular | Glass

Cartoon | Plastic

HOW TO ATTACH THEM

Safety eyes and noses are particularly resistant. They come in multiple shapes, colors, and sizes. They’re measured in millimeters, which represent the diameter of the eye. They have a short and thick pin, which is secured with a washer. The washer is always provided, usually made of clear plastic, sometimes metal. To secure them, use a sewing punch (or any other sharp tool, except for scissors) to make a hole at the desired spot (unless you have already left a dedicated opening when sewing the head), then insert the element into the fabric. Once put in place, stuff the head temporarily to have a preview of the final result. If you are satisfied with it, take the stuffing out and secure the element with its washer from the inside of the stuffed animal, while making sure to not let the fur inside as well. To take the element out, the only thing you need to do is to take out the washer from the inside of the stuffed toy.

Tips #1

You might need strength to secure the washer. So, to make it easier for yourself, use an installation tool specifically made for that purpose. You can find one on Etsy.com. Or you can also use snap pliers.

Tips #2

Use position eyes to determine which size eye to use and the best position for them to be placed.

Furthermore, other types of facial features exist. Let’s see how to install them, too.

WITH WIRE LOOP

You can also find glass eyes and noses with round wire loops. Note that to use this type of element on a teddy bear, the head must be stuffed. This technique is particularly suitable for restoration if you would like to replace a nose or a eye without having to unstitch the head. Double thread a long needle with the loop, fold the loop on itself with the help of pliers (or your fingers will do) to make it flat. With an awl or a sewing punch, make a hole at the desired placement. Now, drive the needle in the hole, through the fabric, making it come out of the back of the neck. Pull the thread very tightly, inserting the loop into the hole, seating the eye flatly and firmly against the fabric. Tie securely a knot. You can stitch again the knot to tighten it further.

USING GLUE

For flat eyes, or round eyes with a flat back, you just need to glue them to the face, preferably with a strong glue that you can adjust, so that you have time to place them straight. This method is easier on smooth fabrics or short fur. For long fur, you will first need to trim the fur down to avoid creating an empty space between the element and the face.

ON WIRE

Occasionally, you will find eyes that are mounted on a wire. These ones are more frequently used for needle felting projects. The wire should be directly inserted into the face and secured in the wool. You can cut the extra wire that sticks out at the back of the head with pliers, if needed.

USING GLUE

ON WIRE

BASIC TOOLS FOR THE MAKING OF STUFFED ANIMALS

Morgane — Sun, 14 Feb 2021 12:00:00 +0000

To make stuffed animals, you will need a few creation tools. Some very basic ones, which you cannot do without, and other more specific ones, which you can skip, but which will save you a lot of time and make it easier for you. They are not materials (stuffing, fabrics, joints, etc.), but they are tools. Here is a quick overview of what could be essential or useful to have on hand.

BASIC TOOLS:

Fabric pencil
Pair of scissors
Sewing needle
Embroidery needle
Sewing machine
Iron + protective cloth

Punch / awl
Seam ripper
Glue gun
Clear ruler
Pin cushion
Round end pins

USEFUL TOOLS:

Insertion tool
Position eyes
Snap pliers
Turning tool
Thread clipper
Stuffing tool

BASIC TOOLS:

USEFUL TOOLS:

Fabric pencil
Pair of scissors
Sewing needle
Embroidery needle
Sewing machine
Iron + protective cloth

Punch / awl
Seam ripper
Glue gun
Clear ruler
Pin cushion
Round end pins

Insertion tool
Position eyes
Snap pliers
Turning tool
Thread clipper
Stuffing tool

If you do not have some of the necessary tools on the spot, here are a few tricks.

Instead of a stuffing tool, you can use chopsticks.
If you don't have position eyes, round end pins will do the trick!
To insert the eyes, replace the traditional insertion tool with snap pliers.
No special fabric pencil? Use a piece of chalk that you sharpen with a pencil sharpener.

DIY & REVIEW | KULLALOO SEWING KIT

Morgane — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 12:00:44 +0000

 4/5

In this post, I am reviewing the kit from the Memomonsti collection by the brand Kullaloo. It is an almost entirely blue monster with long fur and is quite big with its 45 centimetres. It has been waiting for me in a closet for a while, I finally took the time to make it! You can find the kit on many online shopping websites and even just download the instructions in a PDF file, if you would like to use your own fabrics. In my case, I bought it directly from Kullaloo’s German website. Watch the creative process step by step in the video below.

Note: the making of this toy is recommended for 14-year-old people or older with an intermediate level.

In the package, you will find the necessary materials for sewing, except for the stuffing, as well as sewing and embroidery thread. There is also a small “made with love” tag. You have the option to choose the monster’s face among three designs to be applied with a heat-activated adhesive. The fabrics are high quality and soft to the touch, especially the one made for the paws and ears, and you have a little bit of an error margin when cutting the pattern. You will need a sewing machine and an iron. If you are particularly motivated and patient, you will be able to do it by hand. Seeing that it is big and that you need to sew the entire outline of the body, prepare a lot of pins! The blue fabric sheds lightly when you are sewing the toy, just like any long fur fabric, but nothing too dramatic.

THE PROS

The first positive point of this toy is its original design: a bright-coloured monster with big ears and large feet. Its coloured dots remind me of the stuffed animals from the 90s. There are not a lot of kits or patterns with this kind of plush out there! The second positive point is the options for the monster’s face, which allows it to be customised. It took me multiple attempts to make it, but the result is very satisfying! I chose the pattern of the pink monster, customising its smile. Finally, the sewing techniques suggested by the guide are rather unusual, maybe because I am used to sewing articulated teddy bear, but it allowed me to learn something new, a real asset for those who like to extend their skill set.

The best part: the customisable face

THE CONS

Fortunately, there is only one! The only disappointing thing about this kit is the clarity of the instructions, which could have been more precise. The level is indeed intermediate, but some techniques are rather complicated, like the one used to sew the limbs to the body. It says you can make it in 4 to 5 hours, though I largely exceeded that time (but who manages to meet the stated time anyway?). Filming the process has also extended the amount of time needed to make the mosnter. The complexity of the process may discourage you a little, but once you start, you are determined to finish it!

The most difficult part: sewing the limbs to the body

In short:

Design 98%

Quality of the fabrics 95%

Clarity of the instructions 65%

I am leaving you with a few pictures of the making of the Memomonsti
(use the arrows on each side to navigate through the gallery).