Paper to Plush?

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Permalink Reply by Ross on February 7, 2010 at 3:55am

the type of fabric you use depends on what you are making but i would use fleece fabric as its soft and durable. i use a old pillow for stuffing as its cheaper than buying stuffing from a art store. you will need to learn all the different stitches there is and pick the best for what you are making

:) hope this is helpful
Ross

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Bryan on April 22, 2010 at 10:07am

I think paper is waaay easier than plush, but here's a good tutorial http://wendolonia.com/blog/2009/03/28/taggie-monster/

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Permalink Reply by andy barker on February 7, 2010 at 6:47am

try doing sock monsters or sock monkeys theyare much easyer but still look good

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Permalink Reply by StandupArtista on February 9, 2010 at 4:25am

I found this a bit ago, it's good for a laugh... So I would think it's probably easy to find a *good* instructional video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbQWxL-_8LU

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Permalink Reply by andy barker on February 10, 2010 at 2:22pm

where cani download this from

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Permalink Reply by Saltnpaper on February 9, 2010 at 9:58am

I used to think that paper toy pattern can be applied directly to plush, but once I tried it failed quite alot. The thing with fabric is they tend to stretch unlike the rigid paper structure. Another thing is since I'm not good with sewing, I find it a little confusing with the stitching method. Tried the 3D program as shown in Standupartista's youtube link, but failed at that too =(..

But then again, it's just my case study. Let me know if you find the trick =)

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Permalink Reply by J.E.Moores on February 10, 2010 at 9:09pm

Brother sewing machines are like $99 at Walmart. Find fabric that suits your design. I use several techniques in my sewing. I like to print computer iron ons, iron them onto canvas or linen, and then use the linen as patches for applique work. There is another product called Sculpy Bake and Bend. Once fired in the oven, Sculpy Bake and Bend is soft and rubbery. If it's rolled thin enough, one can sew through it. I make creepy monster teeth from the Bake and Bend, and sew it direct to the puppet/plush. If you are used to paper crafts, simply iron your design onto linen or muslin using computer iron on sheets, and sew the printed fabric. A stuffed critter is different than a hollow paper construction. They look stuffed. Here are some step by step photos of me sewing my puppets at: http://www.evilbay.com/labels/puppets.html

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Gwynne on February 11, 2010 at 12:43am

the iron on thing is what im doing :D

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Permalink Reply by J.E.Moores on February 11, 2010 at 4:49am

Try a thicker fabric, like muslin or thin canvas. Linen is great, but expensive. T-shirt fabric is really hard to sew, and stretches so much while you sew it. Get a yard or two of white muslin and give it a try. The white takes the iron on best, and it's a little stiff after it's got the iron on added to it.

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Permalink Reply by Deadly Furry Cute on February 22, 2010 at 7:03pm

My wife and I are opposites; She can pick up some fabric and stuffing and make a plushy without thinking, but can't fathom the design of a paper toy. I'm the reverse. My fingers also thank me for not going anywhere near needles.

One good tip she did give me was: when starting out, think in 2d, create a toy that has a front and back stitched together with extra detail added afterwords. Takes out a chunk of difficulty until you get the hang of it.

To answer your second question appropriately could you give some more details; What size is the created toy? What is the sheet size (I.E. A4, A3, 2xA4 etc)? Full color? Any other printing techniques (I.E. perforated cut lines, pre-scored folds, raised/reflective/glow-in-the-dark ink, etc)?
I think at least those things have to be answered to correctly estimate the worth of the toy - outside of artistic value.

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Gwynne on February 23, 2010 at 12:43am

ok there A4 full colour and background....proffesionaly printed on 200 gsm photo paper.

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Permalink Reply by Deadly Furry Cute on February 23, 2010 at 12:39pm

I'd $2 (£1ish) is a reasonable price, more if postage (in origin country) is included.

Whether or not you get sales will come down to a few choice decisions I think;

1. Is a free version of the toy also available? In my experience people will pick free over paying even if the pay for version is that much better.

2. Do you have a market? Do people already follow your work? I can tell you from my personal purchases, artists I regularly seek updates on get their items bought. That could be down to what they are selling or how they interact with users.
I've tried to sell a few items in the past to the internet in general and they're usually non-starters.

I don't mean to ramble or cover things you most probably already know, just writing what pops up as I go.

I'm interested to see the item(s) in question and hear your thoughts on marketing the toys. The price point is a minor concern for me, is the work good? Do I like the artist enough to buy more of their work (not just this piece)? Does the product look quality? They're my biggest concerns as a potential buyer.

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