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Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/softie/www/www/wp-includes/theme.php on line 623 Softie Making: resources for making handmade softies » Tips-n-Tricks
Here is an excellent tutorial by Crafty Sheep on how to create a gorgeous thick head of hair for a doll (not just for Waldorfs - you could do the same for any kind of handmade doll):
Following on from the previous post on process, Holly from Two Cheese Please (a talented softie-maker from Melbourne, Australia too!) recently challenged herself to start and finish a doll (from sketch to finished product) in 24 hours.
Due to other priorities, she didn’t quite meet her deadline but this is the final doll (how CUTE is she?!):
Holly shares the process/behind-the-scenes (decisions, obstacles, frustration, rework - who said softie-making was a walk in the park? ) here (listed in order):
I think the process of making something can be just as important as the final result - many lessons are learnt for the next challenge. I find it fascinating to see how others approach the process of making, especially how they turn a sketch on a piece of paper into a 3D object. So I hope you will find the next two posts helpful.
Jodie (of Ric-Rac) is from Melbourne, Australia, and makes beautiful softies (amongst other crafty things). More importantly though, she is kind, generous and has an infectious positive spirit. It is no surprise then that she took the time to share over a number of posts the process for making this little guy, Milton:
When I started making softies a few years ago, I found it fairly easy to cut them out, sew them up and stuff them. What really stumped me was the the bit at the end when the instructions would say: “Use a ladder stitch to sew up the opening” (that was used for stuffing).
I had no idea what a ladder stitch was. I searched the internet and found lots of diagrams and as great as they were, I just didn’t get it!
Finally, someone had to show me how to do it. And wow - it is the perfect stitch for closing up softies as it ends up being invisible (hence also known as the “Invisible stitch” :-)). I’ve found, in my own experience, that the trick is to keep spaces between each ‘rung’ small and even, and to pull each stitch through tight.
If it is a complete mystery to you too, just watch this clip and hopefully it will make sense!
The steps and accompanying pictures are very helpful. In my almost obsessive search for good yarn hair how-tos, I think this is one of the easier methods and actually seems very do-able - still time-consuming but at least you don’t need to know how to crochet or knit to make it. I also like the idea of using different types/colours of yarn.
Softie artist, Serena Kuhl, recently launched the “Plush It” show at the Ruban Rat Gallery in Sydney, Australia (all participants were given the same softie template and were asked to customise according to their own style).
Serena also recently posted very helpful articles on the plush making process based on her own experience and the experiences shared by the show’s participants on the Plush-It blog.
It is always of great value to see how other artists create ‘behind the scenes‘ - you will notice that the artists featured each had their own method and means of problem-solving and working through their initial concepts. I also thought Serena’s article on characterisation was insightful and the exercise included is a good one to use if you find yourself hitting a wall when it comes to designing your softie character.
I will add the remaining steps to the list below as they become available.
I received an email a few weeks ago from Ginny who wanted some guidance on sewing up fleece for softies. Fleece is a fairly inexpensive material, comes in many different colours, is stretchy and flexible, and has a soft/fluffy texture well-suited for softie-making.
I have used sherpa fleece, polar fleece, chenille fleece and terry fleece (amongst others) to make many softies for kids. Here are a few examples: Shmerpi, Springbean, Bunnito, Doddi-Bears. However, sewing it up can be a real challenge - some machines ‘eat up‘ the fleece and/or stretch it out disproportionately.
I pointed Ginny to an excellent step-by-step guide on Burda Style on how to sew fleece.
The How-To addresses sewing up a garment but all of the tips can also apply to softie-making, particularly how to transfer the pattern pieces; suitable machine needle, thread, and stitch; and finishing.
Talented softie-maker, Michal, takes us behind the scenes once again and shows us the steps she goes through to transfer a monster softie sketch in to a pattern pieces and then putting the softie together:
To view the steps in order, start with this picture and then click the next picture in the top right-hand menu.
A very good tip from this series is to keep all your pattern pieces for a softie in a clearly marked, transparent pocket for easy storage in a 2 or 3-ring binder. I only started organising my large amount of softie patterns this way a few months ago and it has made a huge difference as I am no longer wasting time looking for lost pattern pieces
Her first post of the series provides some great links and ideas on developing and defining your softie character. I’ll update this post with steps two and three when they are available also. In the meantime, check out step one on Ideas, Inspiration and Resources.
This is a comprehensive article providing different ways of making hair for amigurumi (i.e. crocheted softies). I suspect that you could also adapt some of the ideas in the article to knitted or sewn softies.
Copyright of free patterns remains with the respective Author so please use the pattern to make the softie as a gift or for yourself but do not make softies to sell. Thank you!
