Ponies and Plushies

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone had a good weekend :D

For my project I would like to make my own plushie (stuffed animal). I have always liked collecting plushies growing up and I still do today. Each one is is unique and they are made with different fabrics, stitches, and other materials. The only sewing experience I have is the basics and had a small amount of time on a sewing machine. In the past I must admit I have spent a great deal of money in participating in plushie consumer culture and I never really thought about making my own.

Here are some of my current plushies I have collected in the last few years. Each of them are different animals and characters from cartoons I watched growing up. I think what appeals to me about collecting is the feeling of nostalgia they bring and also I think they are cute as well.

The plush I really want to make is a character from the My Little Pony franchise by the hugely successful toy company Hasbro. My Little Pony started off as collectable toys marketed towards girls with plastic colorful ponies with brushable manes. But as time when on the ponies went through several design changes. The ponies were also given screen time in animated cartoons for better marketing. The latest generation of ponies is My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic which gained popularity beyond everyone's expectations by being enjoyed by both genders of all ages. I think the appeal is due to Lauren Faust who was the main driving force behind this generation of ponies. She is an animator who had major roles on shows such as Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. 

 These are some of the ponies I own. Two are custom made and are not mass produced. They mostly hand stitched, use some machine, and have embroidered details. The fabric is a high quality material called Minky which is super soft. The others are made from Build-a-Bear company which allows the purchaser to stuff the toys with cotton. They are sold by the thousands and are made from a more lower grade of fabric (need to research the name). 

I will be going through several steps in making my own plushie pony. I think I will be using a combination of hand stitching, machine, and I would also like to use an embroidery machine if possible.  For starting I would like to try stitching together a very simple plushie that has basic shapes.

 Photo credit to: http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/241/c/7/derpy_pony_loaf_plush_by_tawny0wl-d5cv87f.jpg


Here is a "Loaf" Plushie design. It looks very simple and also has a cute look to it I think it will be a good place to start. I will be following a pattern and be using an inexpensive fabric and hand sewing.

pattern by http://voodoo-tiki.deviantart.com/

Also for a character I will be working with is a silly little pony called Derpy Hooves

photo from http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/139/4/a/derpy_hooves_flying_by_sierraex-d3gp4fx.png

I am looking forward to this experience and I hopefully be able to make a few plushies for myself and other people who enjoy making them :)

Thanks all!

-Raven