Everything I know about soft toy design I learned in one of two ways: sewing toys designed by other people and experimenting with my own patterns. These are the two tickets to my growth as a designer.
The more patterns I study, and the more times I try to incorporate a new technique into my own designs, the larger my repertoire of construction methods grows. This process of studying and applying and making my own is infinite. Every time I see an incredible new-to-me plush it makes my brain work, flexing that design muscle. How was that piece constructed? How did she get the mouth to open like that? Why do those tentacles curve downward? Are there darts in those horns?
I've sewn through many, many softie books over the years. One of my favorites is Soft Toys A to Z by Carolyn Vosburg Hall. I have all of Ms. Hall's books and I admire her so much. She is truly an expert designer and her books give me so much to think about. (On a side note, I know she lives in Michigan and I'd really like to get in touch with her and bring her on the blog for some reflections on a life of soft toy design, but I can't find her contact information. Carolyn Hall, if you're out there, I'm waving to you! Let's chat!).
This particular book has a softie pattern for every letter of the alphabet and in 2009 I sat down and sewed the toy for the letter P – a pig. Here's my post about it from that day.
This pig is really well designed. It's got just the right curve under the chin, the ears are attached in a most clever way, and the underbody gusset? Oh my. I really love a good underbody gusset and this guy's got one to die for. So I sewed this pig and I dissected the pattern and I learned a ton.
The pig sat on my studio shelf for three years. I picked it up and examined it many times, thinking about the shape of the pattern pieces and how they fit together, remembering the cool ears and the curved chin, admiring the legs, so upright due to that lovely gusset.
And then one day a few months ago I looked at the pig and I realized something important. The presence of this beautifully designed pig was inhibiting my growth. I would never design my own pattern for a pig while this one was still here in my studio. It's design perfection was a trap of intimidation.
My neice's birthday happened to be approaching so I created a pig themed gift. I bought one of our favorite book series, Mercy Watson, which stars a charmingly self-centered pig who loves to eat hot buttered toast, (we also love Freddie the Pig, by the way, and of course Charlotte's Web, while we're on the subject of pig literature).
I wrapped up the books and I gave her the beautiful pig.
And it set me free.
I don't have a new pig to show you yet, but I will. Without this perfect pig hanging over my head, I know I could go into the studio right now, pull out a big sheet of freezer paper, and design my own pig. And it will be beautiful in it's own right, maybe not in the same ways as Ms. Hall's pig, but in new ways, in my ways.
Making this pig, studying it's construction, looking at it again and again as my own skills developed, was invaluable to my growth as a designer. And so was giving it away.
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Do you ever feel held back by other people's designs? Have you made something from a pattern by a designer that you really admire, maybe a toy or a quilt or a handbag, and it was just lovely – cleverly designed, perfect proportions, and really great results.
Does that pattern, or the finished piece, inhibit your own design work or intimidate you in any way? I can't be alone in this, right?
Disclosure: The book links in this post are affiliate links.
Yes…I find I do better, the less I know, if I want to do something fresh.
Oh, I have this in spades. I am a perfectionist procrastinator! I get intimidated by others designs being so perfect, but then I also don’t move forward because something isn’t coming out exactly as I’ve envisioned it, when the best thing would probably be to just keep making iterations (I struggled with this all through architecture studio in school as well, it’s a mental block!). I’ve had a stuffie on my worktable for too many months now agonizing about how to attach the footpad or ears. I do think I need to go out and buy a bunch of other people’s patterns and try to make them – I think that would be an excellent way to learn new construction techniques that would give me more confidence in my own designs – at least until your book comes out! 😉 BTW, if you need anyone to test patterns, I would happily volunteer!
Thank you, Sacha! I’ve definitely found the more patterns you see the better you get at resolving those design conundrums like footpads and ears. Keep going and going!
My own blog post about this idea is percolating at moment but here are some of my main thoughts.
1. It’s very difficult to remember that “you” rock. We know and can see our own flaws so clearly but it’s difficult to spot/see them in the people we admire. Also, when you’re looking at someone’s finished work, you don’t see their crummy first drafts.
2. You don’t know until you try. I get people telling me all the time that they could never have faced cancer with such grace as I did. I didn’t know that either until it happened.
3. To piggy back on that, when we’re creating and making we need to be mindful that sometimes it’s okay to give up control and put our work out there. Lifehacker had a piece on that not too long ago called “F*ck it, ship it”. It will never be perfect because we mere mortals are inherently imperfect.
Abby, I am so with you on this…that need for perfection often just stops us in our tracks. I wish I could articulate things on my blog the way you are able to. I feel like I just stand up and say ” I made this”. I am trying to share a bit more of the process, because I want to be able to go back and see those changes and things I have learnt along the way.
I am also very fond of a good undergussett, I’m looking forward to and Abby style pig.
there are some artists whose work I admire so much – I don’t even let myself look at it anymore. It makes me feel defeated before I even begin! I do so much better when I look at nature photos and try to come up with my own way of doing things…of course, sometimes I realize I’ve been struggling for weeks just to reinvent the wheel! I still look for inspiration, but when I get ready to create something, I have to turn off the computer, close the books, and just sit down with a pencil and paper. I’m glad to know someone else struggles with the same issue!
You raise three really good points here, Vanessa. Not letting the best the enemy of the good is huge. And I’m going to go read that article. Thank you!
Jodie,
Your audience totally loves the funny posts you write about the toys you are making and your struggles with them. I think you’re blog is awesome!
Feeling defeated before you begin is no good at all, and I know we’ve all been there. It’s hard to push all that stuff aside and just dive in and make our own work in our own way. At the same time, as you rightly said, there is no reason to reinvent the wheel. We need to find a happy medium for ourselves between the two.
And just quietly, I have never undertaken a proper bird …because all yours are to me, like the pig. I cannot imagine a way to make a bird other than yours.
Aw, Jodie, that's so nice. I know you could make an entirely Jodie bird!
having never once used a pattern to make anything from costume to embroidery, I can’t say I’ve ever had that problem. although I have always thought of pattern use as being very inhibiting to creativity as it stops you experimenting from what I hear from those that use them
I'm of both minds, Tanya. Patterns are really instructive because they show you how other people solved a problem. Using multiple patterns to make the same kind of object (like a teddy bear or a tote bag) can show you a variety of approaches and I think that's pretty valuable. When you go about making your own pattern, those techniques are stored in your mind, like a toolbox of ideas. The trick for me is to be sure that those patterns that really are terrific don't get in my way when I set out to do my own design work. Thank you for your comment!
Your blog has been one of my main points of inspiration in my quest to become a better toymaker. (I owe 100% of my design improvement on your Toy Design series! Seriously, you opened my mind to a new world with your posts on gussets =) ) Sometimes seeing all the wonderful work others post online makes me feel like I’m not capable of making anything comparably worthy… and I have to keep reminding myself to stop comparing myself to others and to grow at my own pace.
That's one of the nicest comments I've received. Thank you! That series was the inspiration for my new book and I really hope it opens the doors of creativity for lots and lots of people who want to design their own toys. The creative ideas that come from you won't be like anything else that's been made before so I say forge ahead and go for it!
Your wren patern is really hard to top. That is the perfect bird!
Thank you. That’s so nice to hear. But I know there are other great ways to make a bird, too!
Oh I’m so glad I’m not alone in that! For me it’s more the desperation of getting something as evocative as a finished piece I’ve seen. I have this terrible habit of bickering with instructions even as I’m trying them, so the patterns aren’t pure by the time I’m done anyway!
I have a road block every time I go to make a new scarf because I feel like it has to “top” the last one. And if I don’t love it at the end, I get depressed and in a bad mood.
A part of me thinks: If it doesn’t come easily then I must not be a true artist.
I don’t have the physical reminder you did (the piggy) but looking at everyone’s work online is my constant reminder. And yet, as you say, looking at others’ work inspires, and intrigues. Figuring out how they did it and experimenting until you get it right is sometimes the only motivation I have to start a new project.
It’s easy to SAY positive things to yourself, but to really believe them and be effective is quite another.
As the other commenter, Linda Hicks, said about “knowing less” to do something “fresh,” I totally get that! Sometimes ‘beginner’s luck’ really is a valid thing. Fortunately, I teach classes on what I make, so I get to see things through my students’ eyes and get a completely fresh perspective! I get a lot of questions that I never would have THOUGHT of anymore. It does help get a different slant on things.
Thank you for your post, it was very thought provoking and personal.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Terri. I love your scarves and I also love that you have made an ebook explaining the process of making them. Really great stuff. Inspiration is a tricky thing, isn't it? The balance between feeling motivated to create and feeling overwhelmed and defeated. I would agree that the process of teaching helps to spur me on.
Love the post! Just starting sewing in February with a 7 month old. The inspiration was to sew his cute cloth diapers we (I use no one else) use part time. I just went back and re-sewed that bad boy for fourth and hopefully final time! Pray it doesn’t leak! Still chicken to try that one! With all I’ve spent on fabric, notions, used machinery to learn, them on a whim new machine and serger, I could’ve bought top of the line ready made or WAHM made ones. Amazing how critical I am of myself, even cutting imperfectly can throw me off for days. Picking the fabric takes me forever. I love some support pages but sometimes think my work isn’t good enough to post pics or my questions are too dumb. The time spent on Google I could have sewn 3 prototypes and had it perfect by now. Mistakes are how I learn. I know I second guess myself way too much!! My files of printable pdfs and bought patterns runover as does ones cut at the moment.
BF did put up some shelves in room/ his old office/ dropoff room he never used. More organization will help with a 13 month old! Now to stop stressing over crate covers by picking out what to upcycle or sew with, it would be great as a skirt or whatever one day! 🙂 and just sew or even serge it! Why is it so hard to just cut! Though I’d rather just sew, the cut , sew, pin (fabric glue!), iron (fun, fun 😛 ) holds back at times! A finished project after I fix rookie mistakes and criticize myself to shreds them someone makes a nice comment, especially a fellow sewer! Had some one ask if I sold baby ties like one in a profile pic and I almost cried it felt so good
Thanks for post will follow you! 🙂 I did finish an upcycled wool longies (pants/diaper cover) this week. Probably a 25-30 min project I dragged out a few days! Hope he wont itch too bad in these & will fit a while! If not pass one and bless someone else! Heavenly soft cashmere!
Thank you for sharing, Shannon. Keep sewing! It gets easier!
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How Getting Rid of Perfection Can Make You a Better Designer – While She Naps