Jump to content

A Curious Collection of Child-Created Plushies


Mushy the Mushroom

436 views

A Curious Collection of Child-Created Plushies 

(A photo backlog blog with redundant writing style. Compiled during the precious few minutes of freetime in the car. Editing sponsored by poor quality control and insomnia.)

IMG_4252.jpg.9edd0523978b75a8dbbbaabe18097cba.jpg

Once upon a world ago, when I first began teaching myself to sew and draft patterns for plush toys, my mom mentioned I should take a photo with myself and all these curious critters I’d dreamed (dragged?) into existence.

At the time I said I couldn’t because they were yet-to-be-given gifts and a group gathering would risk ruining the surprise. 

There are individual photos stashed away on some forgotten/lost USBs somewhere. 

Many of these plush people were deployed to grandmothers, distant family others, but most rest with parents and brother. Clusters stand guard about the house, but they’re preponderantly a trunk troop these days. Today they’ve assembled for photo play.

I used to feel guilty over giving these because they were all only plushies-and I had no knowledge of how to sew/make anything else for gifts, this was all I knew to do to show my love for my people. How gracious were the recipients-nobody ever laughed. I used to be so terribly afraid I’d not have time to make gifts when grown, as I was incredibly slow, and for some reason would always attempt to make 3 plush toys each for both my parents and brother every Christmas.  I usually started pouring over them as soon as the year began and it was entertainment grand in the midst of flipped sleep.

To this day I’ve never followed a store-bought/premade pattern, didn’t think to look up real methods/books for sewing, and some of these funny friends are a testimony of how much that would have improved the quality therein, instead of merely human patience. Felt sheets, as one may observe, falls victim to fuzzing quite frightfully with wear.

Prior to all this: 

*why …do we still… have this 😆*

IMG_5778.jpg.99428045e8108171759befed4c2f2adb.jpg

...I gave my dad... a trash bag...?

And so it begins with pre-sewing machine makes: the Towel Totoro with painted details (made a V2 towel totoro and gave away later, but lost photos) Senior the Owl (Señor was what I meant, made for my bro’s birthday. ), Valentine dino for bro, Giant Microbes E.coli plush attempt for my bro’s Christmas gift. 

E68152E3-864D-4A8A-86FB-009E25A1253B.jpg.55c2e742d2b5705b96f957c46a8a4298.jpg

Hamel the Camel- also pre-sewing machine. 

From one cured ham sack (body) One soccer sock (head/neck), two glove fingertips (ears),four small sock legs and startling sharpie button eyes. 

16AC4AAF-8E30-4ED8-BB2B-8E31D21B05A6.jpg.6d9c58a51a2c111b0e4fd7ed94b98ad0.jpg

Drink can, black ballet tights, two packing peanut plush. And George the Towel Bear, first thing done by machine. Gave him to my dad.

1D176765-3D9C-4180-B608-14714D8A1587.jpg.ea10d65db260b8558fa5c7752903bbcb.jpg

Little early-makes ornaments and stocking stuffers for family.

 

E0D6435A-54FF-4DEA-8E5F-D5D423BDEF6E.jpg.a20a9a8158ab97e8c42cc59ecdbd6407.jpg

Mother owl + candy cane stocking stuffer for brother. 

E69A43CB-A2D7-499D-B4BF-7B3D84BD3A97.jpg.e16b87dfba9eda9df37097e1665d2cb6.jpg

Trio of Snow, from so long ago!

IMG_4266.jpg.f9e67387243cb55c447c9bda976190de.jpg

One of my first sewing machine projects and 3D plush drafts. I remember taking forever hand sewing the limbs and head on. For my dad’s Christmas gift.

7C78C849-273E-4A93-812A-7F4E1B52C821.jpg.c5e2582d2a6249eebbebad0884b1f2de.jpg

Elephant plush and Felt camel. Camel’s blanket woven on my mini-loom.

03F3CE29-9C24-4BE6-9C65-6557D7AB8D25.jpg.e051e17a1908297bf08102b510c4ccc1.jpg

Felt dolly stocking stuffer and tee shirt Pusheen, one the first couple plushies sewn by machine. A heavy kitty, filled with fabric scraps.

8DFDCABE-485B-44D0-80A7-B22FF06CD930.jpg.b3538f30a6484accb9f4d9de162f9b50.jpg

Gray pup and Snaily. Snaily was a first-machine-year project for my mom’s Christmas. Sewn during summer sick-insomnia nights. 

AF5EA4FE-689A-439E-AF8B-10A7FFBA92CC.jpg.8080d93bf9f6b996de5b79f8a0f07e0b.jpg

Christmas chameleon for my bro and deer for a parent, cannot remember which one. 😆

10C977AE-785A-4220-950E-0A2ED384583E.jpg.296e03dc8920813e6be347ec102a523c.jpg

Fleece dolphin, very early attempt.

71F62DB6-EC6F-4310-B9D9-10F22C484F91.jpg.a1a04a64e03d115920c4658266ea82a9.jpg

Sebastian the Seahorse for Sam, my bro + a stubby rendition of Mr. Narwhal from Elf for my dad. 

C67F186C-27B3-4BFB-90C8-FE2BFDF6511C.jpg.388fdc6915150506d88f64ec67be45b5.jpg

Easter Eggbunnies + Father’s Day dog made from pants. 

274687C6-163D-4F03-996F-3955841D8053.jpg.d2a140bfeabe0f648627d0b64d027a13.jpg

Three-toed sloth + mousey for somebody in my family. 

F08CF37D-363C-4E69-AE66-A725E8281952.jpg.b32df6e5cf2e4de1c821b73466f3dde3.jpg

Sherpa Panda for my mom’s winter gift.

F6C41113-73FC-49AF-8D08-CB70F2DE86AF(1).jpg.8cb4c5c17f79fcba3122c2acbcc43f75.jpg

Bro’s penguin and goldfish. Made the functional fishing pole from a chopstick, metallic tape, a bobbin, pony bead and paperclip a couple years ago for fun,  and these two became a crew. 

IMG_4351.jpg.3a1fd06b643f12e1d845cb2c4bd8def6.jpg

Stocking stuffers for my family because youngling me saw skinny stockings as sad. And felt was the only material I really had.

EC1A808C-480A-4E12-A5E6-D79C6000D0C4.jpg.d16282d482be7795b8facef7d609a7e6.jpg

Peachy the Pear and Peary the Peach- the main characters of my “Fruity Friends”-A drawing of a googly-eyed fruit basket gang. I think these were for my dad? Made Bob the Banana for him a couple years prior to this, but he was lost along the way. RIP Bob. 

And a first-year-machine-sewn kawaii cone for my mom. I used to be afraid to tie the hand sewing thread knots myself, and I remember covering the plush up and asking my mom to tie off the visible bit. On her own gifts. 

 

70BB7A89-D271-4D1B-BB25-917B2419389A.jpg.b7172934b8798e895737e0c0a4c41fff.jpg

“Uglydolls”, the happy little weirdos. Some were designed to look sort of identical to the actual “Uglydolls” brand, some are custom. (Just learned that there is an Uglydolls movie now that I have not seen, so I feel odd about posting these having no idea what’s it’s about 🙈)

1: Uglywalrus- Custom critter for walrus-fan bro. 2:Uglydolls “Groody” for bro

3: Uglydolls “Uglyworm” for bro

4: Uglydolls “Wage” (custom color) for my dad

5: Uglydolls Icebat (made from my old fleece sweatshirt) that I kept.  Bionicle icebats?

6: Custom WinterUgly for my mom. 


3DA8C116-969F-42C1-90CE-64A614EF72E3.jpg.ac700fbf0cd3a0afe9713931c0f42d27.jpg

More custom Uglydolls for my bro. Giant (Scoliosis?) Ugly with Velcro pearsnack, and Pixel the Xbox gamer. 

CABB6A85-677E-4B43-90F3-7BFDF51E4062.jpg.b21a9d547dfa30774d9b9da5bf195b08.jpg

My bro and I were once obsessed with Giant microbes plushies, prompting me to donate this Plasma to him. Made from my old unsightly dress. 

And some SCARY first attempt microbes plushies I made for him years before. The sock Fat Cell and the glove Amoeba, complete with hot glued, cabinet-door stopper eyes. 

IMG_4330.jpg.78ddd4cc91019dd8d394a03870506dac.jpg IMG_4449.jpg.61eebf72acef8a72311cf6bccaca938b.jpg

Minion plush for bro’s birthday. Made on knitting looms with sewn on felt eyes, details and extremities.

24D6A716-423B-4727-BF64-25FF34EDF496.jpg.c72f564d0f9467b72939654cccb202b7.jpg

Platypus plushie for my dad. Made with knitting needles and a loose loom for the main body. Plus a pompom body + felt foot and bill baby duck.

IMG_4269.jpg.c2e53cc83d979b01ce14e22cde593cdb.jpg

A happy ragdolly for my mom’s birthday (?). Designed to resemble her favorite childhood doll who once survived a sharpie to the face.

E3162A21-50E4-466C-9E57-2FFB6E029FF9.jpg.a40792ea87e08af80f3a4ecb8d9f523b.jpg

Mom’s Matryoshka Nesting doll pillow + test subject curtain rag doll I never finished.

E568A066-8EF8-4B29-B376-E69AEDFF3FF1.jpg.1cb640761d1ef7880f14a94e15df9103.jpg

Coral-inspired Martian doll for my mom. And “The Beautiful Pear Bird”-for my brother, designed from his iconic Pear Bird artwork.

32015399-DBE0-4EDE-9370-E27A7AFD81AA.jpg.03f765f31f39b749021c1b71b9bfa2eb.jpg

Sphere Squiddies! I stalked Etsy plushies late at night during a severely-sick-insomnia-summer and tried to copy some Octopi. I couldn’t fit eight legs on mine! First lopsidey mustache one bestowed upon bro, last two done later for my mom.

 

CCA0D148-75BA-479F-83F8-BA46B0F7D949.jpg.69c1658ad56b67196a0f42ed1d652ea3.jpg

Corduroy Croc. Inspired by this Land Of Nod (questionable name..?) toy magazine that came to our house once with the most magical plush toys in it. Tried to copy the critter using my dad’s old pants. For my bro.

999D9C15-C5AA-40A6-994E-AC3A0F79DFAA.jpg.7424b188202eee56b7f5ec90b9021ecf.jpg

Bulldog for my dad. Has a red collar I forgot to slide on. 


5EA1A69F-2219-4CE1-899C-46633AA63A74.jpg.c53ef08f6e0065382266bd95c53ab619.jpg

Jenny giraffe for my mom. 

9E1B7E8D-CDBD-41A7-9D49-4CE103028C1F.jpg.5395cbca60c87c26a5c4c2e650812edf.jpg

 

Teacup Piggy for Mother’s Day gift.

87B3E97B-D7F8-46C7-AFB8-763247DBA4A1.jpg.c959f134509dba37ebf2ec197780e20e.jpg 3ABD7943-901D-4B77-985B-F4226D6B4181.jpg.743f0f48176701ab4a87cf8568c70fcc.jpg

Spike our Puggy and Penny, my mom’s favorite former pet in plush form (except the dress!). Both for her.


5BF12FFD-6FFE-4770-B895-C85A6FF81743.jpg.cbb089ea7069b835e6635bade22a3db2.jpg

Snoopy for my dad, weighted with beads. 

FB0DD5B7-11F0-4387-8107-0B00EA6A3FB7.jpg.f201d8b4e146ce225c07a3a484836096.jpg

Blanket stitch goat and painted fabric dog made for doll photo shoots + mini ornament of “scrappy do” -my bro’s childhood Meerkat toy.

158327F9-B108-4819-ABF3-1D05FCD2CD2D.jpg.65bd1ea65dc8b7ec5f7de35cee22c684.jpg

 

Flower with a plastic straw sewn in stem for stability, plush from printed fabric, and blanket stitched doll things (sandwiches, campfires and bears, oh my!)

CBC59ADE-0D29-4049-8CF6-888A1DC18CB0.jpg.3f2ae7ed9db20b0142b96f8ae8ae6c8f.jpg

Little seed bead clawed skunk and a bun for parents.

AC459B5B-6222-46C5-87AC-E38C5104C1F6.jpg.53ef6a688f1bb703f1d7dc057bfc853d.jpg

Canvas dogs for Dad. Painted bulldog +beady toes

509D4C73-E1EA-46E1-8F72-9AE8AA4F8713.jpg.88f4eccc9344e4ca9e403ab9b6b8e482.jpg

Brother’s blue lobster

AE0311E3-BB1D-41B3-BA7D-2F4231F19862.jpg.b2ff1e42f48670f88ec0ab9543a229fd.jpg

Koala-for a parent, which one is not apparent, though.

FB5215B5-1C90-48BB-928A-05C584BF62C7(1).jpg.6daecafb32de2265c4f3f027c1d28f29.jpg

Bobbeh- the friendly, enthusiastically southern catfish character concoction of my bro and I. Made for his birthday one year, RIP to the matching Bobbeh card. 

C29C7E96-AAE4-4DC9-A0CF-A7005E4D3EC6(1).jpg.7db48ec166a6c2764fdf0d6d857d15d4.jpg

Krunchy Kronch Donut Dudes! When my bro was in college, he took a game design class and his group created Krunchy Kronch-a 2D game of these ferocious donuts rolling through a city, avoiding obstacles in a Mario World fashion. Recreated the characters in felt for his birthday. Hand painted acrylic and ribbon tags. Made the box from poster board.

6162C062-CE38-4417-98B5-89D9B653F412(1).jpg.3c0049e3d255529f46aa6277c3d38926.jpg IMG_4256(1).jpg.8afeb82c467cdfe6ffcff9cb11a46870.jpg

IMG_4257.jpg.c3c1a10eacbc75a9874712246ab0b30e.jpg

HUNGRY

A faux suede turtle plush drafted for my dad one Father’s Day or birthday. Bead toes. The  shell is removable and handsewn faux leather. I had no idea one should punch holes in leather prior to sewing and destroyed my digits forcing an ordinary sewing needle through it. This was one of the hardest plush toys I remember doing.

IMG_5326.jpg.dbcea4ea9901cd79afe9e69712f02a76.jpg 90859B6C-8990-4768-B790-4C90E4B4FD97.jpg.bf18429d8a1a8522f71fffb3ca8c84bc.jpg

John Carter Woola drafted for my dad. Tiny teeth.

25A123ED-3E45-4A2C-8F89-DECE8B1C0469.jpg.676f810099cddbaffc0617bf5e5c3cc5.jpg

Bro’s BB8 + baby robot stocking stuffer. These robros have made an appearance here prior, though.

494DEF55-CF61-4E1B-AD93-006C71D54CD8.jpg.96692d3cc16c12252ff7f975e6fcfed2.jpg

Drafting a Dalek was a daring endeavor. Painted eye stock thing, I believe I stabilized the arms and such with a plastic coffee stir/straw. First time using screw-on plush eyes, for the body's bubbly bits.

389A6539-EEEC-413D-BE43-6931D7A004FF.jpg.b67d329454af4fdccb816a4c28fdaeba.jpg

Despite the household ban on Pokémon games, my bro fancied Pikachu so I drafted this one. From a tee shirt and felt.

D060A602-9524-4D8D-BEF9-3F97E08394AE.jpg.a4eb321eb8eff7d002d7f77a9758c6ee.jpg 96A67770-F0C8-4C20-8E29-B8FEBA2780C7.jpg.7268f9790bbe8d9677eb860f459e2319.jpg

Wheatley from Portal 2, a plush drafted in the  first summer of “real sewing” with a machine. I studied photos from Google all through the very bad sicknights and this was the result. He is a bit of a flatter sphere shape than intended. His frontal handle things are stabilized with disposable plastic straws. I’ll never forget my bro’s happy face when he saw its lopsided body.  Still, I’d rather run than stay when giving a gift to someone. So frightening to just sit there.

ED6FB78C-A2E9-4444-9C6E-2FDDC7985DD8.jpg.5dcf62a0664b18257524b571b0a89060.jpg AEDE5FF5-95CA-4B0A-9F16-DC49B1A167CA.jpg.e790628575d73f843fde27a34a5dcf62.jpg

Felt Kokeshi Momiji doll for my mom.

92DC1525-D8DA-43DC-B521-E1161774D6C1.jpg.3ad0e1cab770b059214fce9f460cc54d.jpg

Baymax for my brother with an acrylic painted tag. And a quick little Portal 2 dude whose quality I wasn't even proud of at the time.

E62E2565-F1C8-4EAE-8C4B-FFD3C5778626.jpg.3c90a2ed148dbabb05c5bfa56a2ad265.jpg

Felt Bionicle Jala/Jaller/I still am confused.. made for my bro for Christmas years ago. Stiff felt, non-stiff felt I made firm with glue, sharpie stains, but he didn’t complain ($40 for a McDonald’s toy was an unfathomable fortune…you can buy so many bananas for that...).

2DF3C90E-45C4-4778-98BF-08555EF503AF.JPG.b3f4e91e77d1dc603724ba4f4f9d8a69.JPG 0AE5E682-9D53-46CC-A6AD-48C0EAACA3F5.thumb.jpg.ff8d84ca6728355951730ea786714c48.jpg IMG_1621.jpg.467fd681ef5f60804f93eafe3fd24071.jpg IMG_1628.jpg.bdd4300a3423d17c8a6a7a89a57ef566.jpg

 

And 4ft( ? memory gone at this point ish Adi adipose who appeared here not too long ago! 

His limbs are bafflingly long compared to those in the TV show. 

 

IMG_5440.jpg.460a24812524cf08f3dd064e245fd340.jpg

Croissant crab crew for my dad.

IMG_4300.jpg.a4cd29e6781830a7f378f3cdf6702acb.jpg

And more recent plush designs. 

A henna based on our dozen hug-hungry Golden Comets. From scraps.

IMG_5323.jpg.c049840979d1431b57e51042e5aaa0d8.jpg

 

  Nursery scrap dolls for our old church and elephant baby toys for some church babies.

17A1CC1D-6A6D-495D-8135-06443B98A45C.JPG.7cda15c5ff752376515aaa00acdc6882.JPG

 

Toady! A turtle. A recreation of my favorite lost plushie from years ago (LPS Turtle). A fan of bonnets indeed. Every green creature is a good creature.

FE3C0483-DC9D-408F-85B7-40746667AD59(1).JPG.9c253216efd31fd3146f612722085b6e.JPG IMG_4445.jpg.0e1d6444211cec9bd52b5f3af8dd74f1.jpg

IMG_5389.thumb.jpg.8a7bef72777dd5416d56590237275a26.jpg

*one eternity later*

The swarm…

IMG_4251.jpg.ec17b955d013512fdc2d1a16ecca429b.jpg IMG_4253.jpg.a07723fe418a38e170fb00a49be51c4e.jpg

Scares me to think of how big it would be including the ones dumped on other relatives 🙈

IMG_4247.jpg.134356a1e4458af67ad2088e35200473.jpgIMG_4244.jpg

“Mom remember how you said [insert direct exact quote about group plush photo] years and years ago? I finally did it, thanks for the idea!”

Her: “Haha, what?”

IMG_4972.thumb.jpg.569e3abe0142548ac0d5db1b461ea36a.jpg
 

**tucks them back into a trunk..*

*...okay.. some didn’t fit.

How foreign life is from when these shots were snapped four months ago, that day after it began to undeniably unfold. Strange how snapshots hide that you're shaking. How sweet is truth after a life of forced faking. We had to just go. Why won’t the wounded let the tears show? Maybe one day it will be safe to let some stories go. Fright and flight, for we embark upon a new, happy, free life! 

For I’ve never been so grateful for a sink with running water (instead of a garden hose), a real mattress with sheets (and not a tiny shared air bed), a kitchen, rooms with walls and doors, that hairbrush I thought was lost in the shuffle, not accidentally losing a finger today, shop-vacs, surviving it all over the past four weeks with Covid, and mainly, for the safe and selfless people in this world. Here’s to anyone who is struggling or uprooted in any area.. or every. You are not alone.

Peace and joy to you all. And thanks to all here who make BZP feel like a home. 

Off to roam!

PS:

IMG_5391.thumb.jpg.d7571dd3d715010c44dd3e7d74151bc9.jpg

 

 

Edited by Mushy the Mushroom

  • Like 3

3 Comments


Recommended Comments

Now you just need a Mimikyu to go with that Pikachu. :P

(also your blog wasn't bumped up on the list after you made this entry...?)

Edited by Bambi
  • Like 1
Link to comment
On 6/19/2022 at 6:10 AM, Bambi said:

Now you just need a Mimikyu to go with that Pikachu. :P

(also your blog wasn't bumped up on the list after you made this entry...?)

Ooooh, a beautiful idea! 

(..the plot thickens... 😆 🤔

 

giphy.gif?cid=790b7611ad5fbce12e74de180c6f40bb353e19369d12d4c4&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g )

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Guest
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...