18 Comments
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Edward Low's avatar

I have a suggestion for your creations

Not for a creation

Have you considered putting little pockets in your stuffed animals

Maybe with a zipper closure

But nonetheless a place to hide little things if you wanted to

Or if you made a mama octopus you could put baby octopuses in it??

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Paula B.'s avatar

Great minds think alike, Edward. Another commenter recently suggested something just like that and I now have a pattern that does that. And, I will start thinking along new lines as a result of your wonderful suggestion. Thank you!

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Edward Low's avatar

There's a a thread or a sub Reddit on Reddit

Called “myog” make your own gear

It's kind of interesting

Mainly people post things they've made

And usually it's copies of other things but things with improvements

For example they'll make a backpack and it'll have different kind of pockets on it and maybe be made out of a different material that's more durable

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Paula B.'s avatar

Oooh, I like that. Thank you for the tip!

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Edward Low's avatar

and to add... (where I came in with the pouch on a stuffed aminal) is if you were to make a gift for someone.. you could easily make a jacket that that person would like.

For example... I like fleeces with pockets.. most don't come with them..

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Paula B.'s avatar

BTW, I do know how to make pockets. They're not difficult. Getting the material that matches the garment might be tricky though

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Edward Low's avatar

unless it is an internal pocket (similar to a pouch on a stuffed animal)

Or, you don't match the color but coordinate it (color blind in shades, I wouldn't be good at this)

I am not a seamstress, but at one point I made sure students learned the basics of sewing.. And I would say to them.. it is all about what you can live with...

I would hem pants and use a different color, but if the line was straight, I didn't care if it looked goofy

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Paula B.'s avatar

I love this. This is the kind of feedback that really helps me. Thank you!

I have to admit that my skills are not as advanced as I would like, but you guys pushing me will get me to improve them. I really want to design all my own stuff but I lack confidence. At the moment I'm being forced to do just that, however. A few posts ago, a reader suggested I make a krampus. The only pattern I've found that I like is sold by a Russian woman, and she can't sell to me because of the sanctions on her country. So I'm going to have to create my own krampus. I'm getting ready to do this now. We shall see what happens.

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Edward Low's avatar

IT's mostly a 'brag' page.. but they is a swapping of information (Q & A) about things like is this a good sewing machine, what material is this tent made out of.... and so on.. more 'gear' obviously thank stuffed animals

https://www.reddit.com/r/myog/

What I like about it : 1) the interesting things; 2) how they take something that someone else or a manufacturer did and made it better for their use

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Paula B.'s avatar

I belong to some sewing groups on FB that are similar. You're supposed to brag. 😀 But they also offer help. I haven't been on FB for a while and would rather go to Reddit, so this is a great recommendation!

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Mombeka's avatar

Krampus dolls! I love them and actually collect them from Etsy. I have a gorgeous one made out of felt and another chubby stuffed one. They will sell like hotcakes, “guarantee” 🤙🏼

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Paula B.'s avatar

I love these!!! Would you believe I'd never heard of them until your comment? What a goldmine of creativity. Thank you!!!!!

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Bart Silverstrim's avatar

Something I out of the blue was reminded of...remember Popples? Little "buddy" cuddly creatures that had a pocket you could fold around their bodies to turn them into balls, or reasonably comfortable pillows? Are there patterns for something like that as a project to build, maybe model them after Middle Earth or D&D creatures and stuffed with a soft foam.

Or if you're in an experimental mood, maybe a creature design that wraps around the forearm as a perched dragon, but the tail doubles as a hand warmer. It can curl and wrap around the forearm and stay out of the way using velcro or a small rare-earth magnet pair, and then unwrapped and fit around the hands when you want to warm up the hands, maybe with a thin pocket for disposable hand-warming packets to slide in for additional warmth.

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Paula B.'s avatar

I love this, Bart. I have seen patterns for arm dragons. I'll see if I can find them. I don't remember Popples but they sound like fun. I will look into that as well. Thank you for these great ideas!

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Mombeka's avatar

There’s a guy on BlueSky who sells this kind of thing in actual leather! “pricey but”🤙🏼

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Paula B.'s avatar

I can imagine! Woo hoo!

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Sheila Joyce's avatar

Wow! Beautiful fall colors and such a blue sky! I can't wait to see what you're working on now. Any hints? I think you should make a chubby Bubbie doll next, and it should be a caricature of me! I'll buy it for myself for Chanukkah!

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Paula B.'s avatar

I would be happy to make a doll for you, Sheila. No payment required. I won't be able to finish it by Chanukah though. I hope that's okay. Please send me some pictures of yourself that I can use as a basis. We can discuss clothing offline. That will be fun!

As for the current project, it's something simple and colorful. I don't suppose that helps much but I can tell you that it isn't a Santa Claus. 😀

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