While She Naps

Installing the Window Display

Today my artist's group, the Wellesley Women Artisans, installed our window display in a vacant storefront in Wellesley Center. Seven of us contributed work and it was fascinating to watch it all come together.

We were assigned a large and prominent corner building (the site of what used to be The Rugged Bear, a children's clothing shop) and just in time for Wellesley College graduation tomorrow. The weather today was beautiful and all kinds of passersby kept coming in asking about the work.

This is the first event our group has done outside of just meeting at one another's houses. It is a great feeling to be among likeminded people working together to create something beautiful for the whole community to enjoy. Wellesley seems more artsy, more friendly, more down-to-earth when we are among one another.

Our display is up for at least a month, maybe longer, on the corner of Central and Abbott Street in Wellesley Square.

You can read more about the Wellesley Community Art Project and how it pairs artists with empty storefronts right here.

Softies For Sale Series: Pursuing New Avenues as Your Business Evolves

First off I want to say thank you to everyone who has made a donation in support of this series. I really really appreciate it! Here is a comprehensive list of the 12 posts in this series thus far.

Please know that you don't need to make a donation to leave a comment. I want to hear from you no matter what. But if you've been thinking about it and haven't done it yet, here is the donate button:

Thanks, guys.

And now onto the next installment.

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In this installment of my series I want to think about how our businesses change overtime as we learn what we're good at and what is profitable. Allowing a business to head in a new direction can be scary because the path ahead is not yet trodden, but it can also save you from feeling tired of what you do and frustrated with where you are.

To exploret his topic further I talked with Pauline McArthur, a woman with firsthand experience running a softie business that has grown and changed direction multiple times over the last several years.

Australian artist Pauline McArthur is an excellent toy designer. Her Funky Friends Factory softie patterns reach far beyond simple plush toys. I would venture to say that her designs really look commercial. If you want to sew a softie that looks professionally made, pick one of Pauline's patterns.

Pauline studied to be an optometrist so like most (or maybe all?) of us, she was not trained in any sort of formal way to design stuffed animal sewing patterns, but clearly she has a strong aptitude and internal drive to make a success of her softie business.

Pauline with the toy that got her started: a plush bunny made for babies.

Something I admire about Pauline is her willingness to try every different sort of path to make sewing softies into a real business. "I can't think of much I haven’t tried when it comes to making money with softies! I have found there isn’t just one particular ‘magic method’, rather for me, it’s a combined result of all the many things I have tried."

The elephants she made to fund a trip to Europe as a teenager.

When she was 19, she made and sold 100’s of soft toy elephants to pay for a trip around Europe. "My mother still has one of these in her guest loo much to the merriment of her visitors who are amazed that it’s trunk is long enough for it to sit on!"

For many years, Pauline made and sold individual stuffed animals. Then, she shifted her business to focus on pattern design:

"Over the years my business has continued to change. For example, when I figured out that I got the most enjoyment out of designing I moved focus towards developing my Funky Friends Factory pattern range and selling the patterns to other home crafters."

Pauline's pattern: Dilby Duck

"Now that I have a lot of customers who make and sell the toys themselves I have made a conscious decision NOT to make the toys to sell myself anymore as I don’t want to compete with my customers! I still get frequent requests to make the toys from people who can’t sew but now I refer them to my toy-selling customers! This works out well for both of us, they get more business and I get more time to get all the pattern ideas buzzing around my head onto paper!"

Simplicity 2921 is Pauline's patterns.

Pauline has licensed Funky Friends Factory designs to Simplicity. You can read her blog post about it here.

Soft toy design has taken Pauline down another interesting avenue. She has used her skills to help impoverished women in southern India sew fair trade toys, giving them a secure job with steady income through an organization called Blue Mango. For four years Pauline has been designing soft toys for their sewing program, and a few months ago she was asked to visit Blue Mango in person to design a new set of toys for the women to produce.

Pauline's elephants with a Blue Mango employee in India.

"I have been working with the Blue Mango Fair Trade organization for four years, designing toy patterns for them to use in their income-generating program. They receive funding from a church group in the US that allows them to fly ‘guest artists’ over to work with the Blue Mango women."

 Pauline showing a prototype for a bear at Blue Mango in India.

"It was incredible when I got an email to say they couldn’t think of anyone they’d rather have visit them than me! And so I got the opportunity to go and spend 3 weeks at Blue Mango early this year. It's hard to put into words what a deeply moving experience this was, perhaps the photos I took show what a joyful experience it was!" Pauline's toy designs are now available on Blue Mango's website.

And in 2011 she quit her day job as an optometrist and opened a brick-and-mortar toy store.

Funky Friends Factory is a thriving business, but Pauline assures us that it is still very much an uphill climb. "I just got fed up waiting and gave up work because I was battling to manage both a day job and an online business. In hindsight I can see that this wasn’t necessarily the best way to go about things. Growing an online business just takes time, no matter how hard you work at it you can’t ‘force it’ and I think I ran myself ragged trying! It’s much easier and less stressful to do your normal job a few days a week and get some regular money each week and NOT have to rely solely on your softies business for your income!"

"I still don’t earning a living solely from my softies business but I now believe I will be able to make this dream a reality. I just refuse to give up, and one day I will be able to say, I earn a living playing with my toys!"

And looking toward the future, Pauline is looking into creating a line of commercial toys. "I am watching this series with great interest because I have actually been searching for something 'more commercial myself. I am keen to lean all I can from anyone who has crossed over from home made toys into getting their own range of toys manufactured."

Pauline's pattern: Larry the Lion

"I am wondering about independent artist like you or me getting a range of toys manufactured and distributed in mainstream stores. I wonder if it is limited to larger companies with large budgets because when I looked into it, all the manufacturing companies that produce toys insist on a minimum order of 2,000 0r 3,000 pieces. The smallest minimum order I could get someone to agree to was 500 pieces, but at about $10 per piece, a range of toys way out of my league!"

"I haven't totally given up on the idea as it's been a dream of mine to have my own toy range. I'm so curious to find out if anyone has made the crossover themselves."

This is something I'll need to investigate. If you know of anyone who has made this leap, please let me know. In the meantime, I know that Funky Friends Factory patterns will continue to sell well because they make it easy for home sewists to create amazing softies. Being able to design patterns like at this level is truly a talent to be admired, Pauline!

I think one of the very best things about our online craft community is that it allows us a way to find and connect with like-minded people. Pauline lives on the other side of the world from me, but in many fundamental ways we are driven by the same internal force to make designing sewing patterns for stuffed animals into a real career.

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So what about you? Has your business changed over time? Is a big change on the horizon? Is something holding you back from exploring a new avenue? Feel free to share any feedback for Pauline and any thoughts you may have about your own business in the comments. Thank you!

Softies For Sale Series: Plush You! Introduces New Audiences to Handmade Softies and Builds a Community of Collectors

Do you have particular customers that purchase your work regularly? A person who seems to buy something every time you list a new set of items in your Etsy shop or someone who comes by your booth at the craft fair and buys something every year? They think of you whenever they need to buy a gift for someone, and they talk about your work to people they know. I think of these people as collectors or even as patrons. They appreciate handmade work, they admire what you do, and they want one of everything you put out there. They are dream customers!

I have had customers like this and it has made a big impact on my handmade business over the years. And I know what it is like to be a collector. Every November for the 12 years Charlie and I have visited the holiday show and sale at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and chosen a new, original piece of art for our home. We started with a work on paper by a student and over time we've purchased pieces by many other students, and by faculty and alumni. The show is an event we look forward to each year. We buy art together in lieu of buying each other holiday gifts.

I know we are not the only ones who do this. Shows like this help to create a culture of collecting. There is always something new to see, the price range is broad and the styles vary enough that something will appeal to everyone. 

To me, Plush You! is a show that builds this kind of culture of collecting. Plush You! is an annual show put on by Kristen Rask, owner of Schmancy in Seattle, Washington. Kristen has been organizing the show since 2007 and it has spawned a book and all sorts of media attention since then. Looking back through Flickr you can see many well-known plush artists got their start at this show, and it's still going strong.

I talked to Kristen about her vision for Plush You!, what motivates her to continue with the show and with Schmancy, her unique store that showcases art toys, and why she thinks grown-ups can and will buy themselves handmade softies.

Kristen Rask, owner of Schmancy and founder of Plush You!

Why Start Hold an Annual Plush Show?

I started Plush You! in 2007 to showcase the amazing plush work that I was seeing being made throughout the world.  Schmancy, at the time I started Plush You!, focused more on vinyl toys but as a person who makes things, I wanted to focus on handmade things more and this seemed like a logical move. 

Photo of Schmancy via MochiMochi Land.

I had no idea what it would turn into and that has been a really fun part of it.  Every year when applications open, I am always really amazed by the quality of work.  It has been such a great experience to build relationships with the makers and see so many of them really succeed in their plush businesses. My original plan was to showcase the work and open people's minds to plush being an art medium and not just "toys for kids".  It has since become near and dear to my heart. 

Here is how Schmancy looks when all the boxes arrive and it's time to set up the show.

During poor economic times, I have had moments of frustration and just moments where I want to give up but I always think about Plush You! and how I wouldn't want to let that go.  As much as people feel honored to be apart of the show, I feel equally honored that these artists want to be a part of it.

Photo of Schmancy via MochiMochi Land.

Building a Community of Collectors

Since the show, I have had many shoppers come just once a year for the show who always get a piece each year.  It's amazing how many people have gotten excited about it and many of my customers who originally were more of the "vinyl collectors" have moved into plush. 

I have to interject here to say that I think the fact that people come back year after year to add to their collections is a huge accomplishment. This show attracts patrons of plush. These are great customers because they are motivated. They come out every year with the intention of buying something new. They are likely to go home and look up artists whose work they admired at the show. Huge props to Kristen for helping our community to find and connect with these customers.

What Makes Plush Special?

I think plush deserves a spotlight because it's accessible art.  There are the obvious toys that you would never want to have a kid play with and then there are so many whimsical toys that both kids and adults can appreciate. 

Let's be honest, life is harsh in many ways but sitting in a room full of colorful, whimsical and creative toys makes you take things a little LESS seriously sometimes.  Everyone has a little part of them that wants to tap into their childlike behavior from time to time.  We all need rewards and indulgence and sometimes that means buying yourself a toy!

Toys can be for grown-ups! If you make handmade plush your toys are bound to be more expensive than mass market stuffed animals. Convincing people that it is indeed okay to buy a very special toy for themselves can sometimes be a bit of an uphill battle, but once they own one they'll see! Life is short, buy a softie!

Toys at Schmancy. Photo courtesy of Kristen Rask.

Schmancy is a Part of Kristen's Unique Vision

As for Schmancy, I started it in a need to fulfill the itch of always wanting to own a store.  I have no business plan, no kind of strategy ever which makes me not the most ideal shop owner, but it has managed to work out for the past seven years without too many disasters.  When I have my moments of frustration, want good health care, etc. I also realize my life wouldn't be as fulfilling without this place.  I have so many great customers, the artists I have had the pleasure of
working with are amazing, many of whom I have become friends with. 

Photo of Schmancy from Hello Craft.

I have tried to create a unique store that makes people think in a subtle way.  I get a lot of customers that are confused when they realize it's not just a toy store for kids but they slowly come around and it's so fun to see how excited they can get. 

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Plush You! 2012 opens on October 12 at Schmancy in Seatlle, Washington. The show will feature the work of 65 plush artists, mine among them. Thank you, Kristen, for working hard to raise the recognition of handmade softies as an art form!

Hello From the Studio

My friend, Carolyn, came over yesterday to take photos of me at work in  my studio for an upcoming project. Here are a few of my favorites:

Here you can see my work desk with my bulletin board filled with all kinds of clippings from everywhere and my whiteboard with a list of upcoming tasks I'm supposed to be working on. Under the desk are bins of paper ephemera. And in the corner is my ironing board (which I also use as a cutting table - one day I'll have a real cutting table), and my photo studio. It's organized chaos. I like it that way.

I'm not wearing shoes. I can't sew with shoes on.

Hand stitching.

Sitting at my machine. It's in the other corner, to the right in the first picture.

What you don't see is the other side of the room because that's where our bed and dresser live. Yep, we sleep in my studio...I mean my studio is in our bedroom. Someday I'll have a studio that's really my own where I don't have to worry that I've dropped a pin on the carpet that Charlie will step on in the middle of the night on the way to the bathroom.

 

 

Magical Molly and Bronco Ben Hobby Horse Pattern

I am very excited about this new pattern. Last summer I made a hobby horse and it has been sitting in the corner of the studio staring at me all this time. I reimagined it as a magical pink unicorn sewn in dark and light pink fleece with colorful polka dotted reins, a sparkly horn, and striped stick. Say hello to Magical Molly!

And then I made a second one that is ready to ride your little cowboy off into the Wild West. Bronco Ben is sewn from light and dark brown fleece and has red gingham reins. I lent him to my friend who took some beautiful pictures of her son riding (and hugging) him! It's so nice to have a boy model for once!

I love classic toys. Even with all the computer and video games, kids still love to ride a hobby horse. And this is a seriously cool toy to make. It's simple, but the results are so appealing. And don't worry, the dowel is a standard size that comes pre-cut at the hardware store so it is really easy to find.

A fun, easy to make toy that inspires creativity? Perfect.

The pattern includes clear written instructions, step-by-step photos, and full-sized templates. It is now available for instant download in my Craftsy pattern store and on Etsy.

Softie For Sale Series: Joining Together With Other Makers - The Etsy Plush Team

Running a small handmade business is a rather solitary pursuit. Each day I sit down at my studio desk, put on my headphones, and draw and sew for hours on end, and often I don't talk to anyone at all. I'm an introvert so this life actually suits me well, but I recognize that connecting with other people is important, especially with other makers.

Recently I helped to form a local artists group in Wellesley (I wrote about it here). We have 14 members and meet every month to make something, support one another, and share resources. And I really enjoy our gatherings, but I can't help but feel a bit like an outlier. After all, I make stuffed animals and that's, well, sorta weird.

Actually, in the design world generally making plush can make you feel a bit like of a misfit. Knitters, quilters, garment and home dec. sewers are by far more numerous and their communities are more heavily populated.

One of the reasons I undertook the Softies For Sale series was to explore the next steps for those of us who are primarily interested in making stuffed toys. Where do we go from here to turn our our hobby into a viable business? What are the logical next steps?

Networking with other artists can help to answer these questions. And joining together with other plush makers? Well, that is surely a good way to figure it out.

I don't know about you, but nobody in my town other than me makes plush. I've found really excellent plush makers online, but haven't joined any sort of formal group that gathers and communicates regularly. But the idea is really intriguing!

Then I read about the Etsy Plush Team. Here was a group entirely populated by people like me! I became really curious. What is this group's purpose? What kinds of things do they do together? Would being a member be a good next step for me, and maybe for you, too?

I got in contact with Christina Ward, a member of the Etsy Plush Team, to see what the group was all about. Here is what Christina told me.

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"Welcome to the Plush Team!" 

That’s the first sentence new members read when they join the Etsy Plush Team.  More than just civility, we really mean it!

The Plush Team was founded over six years ago by myself and a few other plushmakers who were selling our items on Etsy but were looking for more community. 

When people who aren’t makers ask me to explain the Plush Team, I describe it as more of guild. A guild in the very old fashioned sense. We are a team of equals working together to build awareness and respect for Plush as an artform.  And to support each other in our creative journey.  That to me has been the most rewarding part of the Team. 

As I type this, over half of our worldwide membership is making its way to Lancaster, Pennsylvania for a retreat. Some will ‘see’ each other for the first time; for others, it’s old home week!  Personally, I have made some of the best friends I have among these talented makers.

The core idea for Etsy teams was to have like minded folks organize themselves around a cohesive theme. It could be geographic, political, genre, or whatever!  Etsy would ‘authorize’ a Team, but did not participate in its operations.  So Teams had the freedom to define their own missions.

The Etsy Plush Team Is Well-Organized
My own background is in project management and non-profit management.  I knew from my experiences that for the Plush Team to be successful, we needed structure.  I tried to keep it simple. 

Here are the basics:
1. Leadership must rotate yearly.  This helps prevent ‘cliquishness’ and burnout.
2. Participation is required.  Of course there is wiggle room and understanding, but participation in challenges, events and forums is required for a healthy group.
3. Be Nice. Really!  We have great conversations and discussions that encourage disagreements; but we do not allow people to be rude or insulting to each other.
4. Make your own work. Be unique! Again, we require this from the get go. It doesn’t mean that new makers aren’t welcome, but we look at plush as a unique form of expression. Out of respect to ourselves as artists, we want our members to have a clear and defined voice.

Active Involvement Without Stress
I’m super wary of burnout. We suffer it as creative makers. We suffer it as workers. We suffer it in our home life.  I did not want the Team to be a source of stress for members.  We have a Leader, a Number Two (who becomes the Leader the next year) and numerous Committee Heads.  As we’re all adults, we feel it’s important to respect our individual and collective abilities; so we spread the responsibility of the Team throughout the entire membership. We ask that all members join and participate in a committee with the hope that they’ll want to take a leadership role at a future time.

So What Exactly Does the Plush Team Do?
The Plush Team has a number of projects going at the same time.  Each year, the Leader identifies a major project to be attempted that year.  In past years we have: set-up a collective sales booth at Renegade Chicago, joined Maker-Faire (San Mateo) in a 3-day extravaganza of teaching plushmaking to all comers, organized a themed gallery show at Hot-Pop gallery in Milwaukee, published a book featuring the work of all members, participated in a show held in conjunction with the Corduroy Appreciation Club, held a making retreats for members in the Virginia mountains and the Pennsylvania Amish country. Whoosh! That’s a lot!

We also have ongoing projects.  We have bi-monthly challenges designed to inspire our creativity. These are then promoted on our Facebook and blog pages; which of course helps give exposure to not just the Team, but to our individual members.  Challenge items are then listed for sale in our Team etsy shop, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Team.

It's Not Free, But It's Worth It

We fund the Team through a small yearly dues ($20) and our Team Store.  In addition to the Challenge items that are sold in the shop, we feature specially created promotional items throughout the year.  Currently, we’ve got the Funky Friday project. Every Friday a couple of items by a few makers are released at a super accessible price. It’s fun for us and helps cover our Team costs. And it’s a great way for fans and collectors get a unique piece at a low price from their favorite makers.

At least once a year, we design our challenges to benefit a charity that is near and dear to our hearts. We have created plush for the benefit of the Childrens’ Hospital in Philadelphia, the American Heart Foundation and our most controversial; our Boobie Challenge during the October Breast Cancer Awareness Month. (Proceeds went to the Komen for the Cure group; pre-scandal!!!) 

A Community To Turn To For Help and Advice
We host a private forum for our members. We designed it as a safe place for members to ask questions, vent, source materials and just talk about whatever!  We have assisted each other in resolving copyright issues, ‘bad customer’ issues, and so much more.  The research our collective membership has done regarding Plush Copyright Design issues is probably the extensive in the field. (Hmmm, maybe that’s a good project! Publish our findings!)

Collective Promotion
The benefits of being a part of the Plush Team are innumerable.  We have worked together to accomplish more than we could have achieved singularly.  Most recently, the Corduroy Appreciation Club garnered national press coverage. With items made by Team members featured on the Rachel Maddow Show. (PS: Rachel even bought a piece!!!)  Wow! Who would’ve thunk it? Plush coverage in the New York Times, the Colbert Report and the Maddow Show. It really is a statement to the power of collectivism.

A Team can be many things. The limits are only the ones you put upon yourselves. The Plush Team has achieved wonderful successes.  But our best achievement is that we have made the world a smaller place. 

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Christina invites us to apply to join this "merry band of scissor-slashed, needle-stabbed, fluff-lunged makers!"  There are currently 69 members of the Etsy Plush Team. Just email Leeanna Butcher of Plushgoodness if you are interested  Her email is: leeanna.butcher@gmail.com

Thank you so much, Christina!  I'm applying to be your newest member!

 

Custom Plush from a Child's Drawing: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

I found this excellent drawing in a box of artwork in the attic saved from when Roxanne was four-years-old. I don't actually remember her making this one in particular, but I absolutely love this rainbow guy and the writing, too. A beautiful, fleeting moment in her life. 

And now we have Mr. Rainbow to hug. This is my fifth piece for the window display that will go up in Wellesley Center at the end of the month. 

Baby Bear and Blankie Set: A New PDF Sewing Pattern

Imagine making a baby’s first favorite toy – a soft, huggable, handmade teddy bear. This bear has embroidered features and machine-sewn arms, legs, and ears. There are no small parts that might come off, even after years of snuggling and play. And make a cute matching blankie, too, perfect for the crib and complete with little ribbon loops to play with.

This quick and easy pattern will become a go-to staple of your sewing repertoire, as you turn a half yard of soft fleece and a fat quarter of quilting cotton or flannel into an adorable bear and blankie set that will delight baby and parents alike.

A quick and easy gift for that special person’s baby shower!

The Baby Bear and Blankie Set pattern is available in my Etsy shop and as an instant download in my Craftsy pattern shop.

Once you make one set you'll want to make more! Go for it! You can make Baby Bear and Blankie sets and sell them in your own shop or at craft fairs if you'd like. Everything is spelled out in the pattern listing. Happy sewing! 

Softies For Sale Series: Showing Your Work in Galleries

For this installment in my series about sewing softies for pleasure and profit I am focusing on gallery shows. Scattered all over the country, and all over the world really, are a select few very special galleries that show indie art. These are places that are run by people who are savvy to the online indie art and craft community, embrace the resurgence of interest in handmade and alternative art, and give shows to emerging artists who are making awesome stuff that may not fit into the mainstream. And, thankfully, this often includes indie plush artists.

Me looking all artsy at the opening of a show I was part of at artstream in 2008.

I made a list of all of the galleries I could think of that fall into this category. I'm sure this list is not comprehensive so if you know of others, or if you run a gallery that shows indie art, please add names in the comments:

Art Star,  Philadelphia, PA

Young Blood, Atlanta, GA

Schmancy, Seattle, WA

Lark & Key, Charlotte, NC

Magpie, Boston, MA

artstream, Rochester, NH

Gallery Hanahou, New York, NY

bookhou, Toronto, Canada

Gallery 1988, Los Angeles

Over the last seven years I've shown my handmade softies at almost all of these galleries, and many others that are no longer in business. I thought I'd share my personal experiences applying for shows, putting together successful shows, and what I see as the benefits and pitfalls of pursing this path as a way to make money from making softies. I also interviewed an indie gallery owner to get their perspective on what artists should do if they'd like to have a show. I hope you'll find all of this helpful!

How Do You Get a Show?

Lovely blurry picture of me and my mixed media work at a juried show entitled "Ode To Cornell" in Salem, MA, in 2007.

Apply! Don't be shy! Being in a show is a great way to build your artist resume and you've got to start somewhere.

About half of the shows I've been a part of happened because I actively reached out and applied for them. Sometimes this was in response to a call for entries, like for annual shows such as Plush You at Schmancy and Luv-able and Hug-able at Gallery Hanahou.

Other times it was just me emailing galleries out of the blue, explaining who I was, showing JPEGs of my work, and asking for a show. A well-written personalized email that shows that you have researched the gallery and explains how your work fits in with their aesthetic, along with beautiful photographs of your pieces, goes a long way.

Keep in mind that these galleries are often staffed by just one or two very busy people. You may not here back right away, but if it's been more than a week, follow up with a phone call or a second polite email.

The other half of the time I was invited to participate in a show by a gallery owner or curator. This happened because they admired my work on my blog or on Flickr or Etsy and wanted to sell it in their gallery. 

Photo of me and my birds at a show at Three Graces Gallery in Portsmouth, NH in 2008.

Collaborating With Other Artists 

All of the shows I've been a part of with one exception have included other artists. If you make softies your work is probably not that big. It's hard to fill a whole gallery with plush. And by collaborating with another artist, perhaps a 2-D painter or printmaker for example, you have the opportunity to create work that plays off of each other, and by having a diverse show you can attract a larger art-buying audience. I've had two two-person shows and several four-person shows and I've been a part of many large group shows.

Planning and Creating a Cohesive Body of Work

Just after installing my very first show! In 2007 at the Wellesley Free Library in Wellesley, MA.

Whether you are going to be a part of a large show or a two-person show, the same basic principals apply when it comes to the work you will create. Planning is crucial to coming up with a cohesive body of work that belongs in a gallery setting, that will attract attention from local and online media, and that, hopefully, will be appealing to buyers. 

First and foremost think big. Not physically big necessarily, although that is certainly a possibliity, but most importanty think big in concept. This work will be viewed all together in a room. What kind of statement will it make? What kind of emotions do you want it to invoke? Nostalgia? Romance? Adorableness? Modern simplicity?

What threads will tie you work together (pardon the pun)? Can you choose a signature fabric or color that will be incorporated in each piece in some way? Could you create a narrative for the viewer to follow as they walk through the gallery and take in each piece? Can the pieces hold their own individually, too? 

Hanging

Exhibiting plush can be particularly challenging because it often lends itself best to sitting on a shelf, not hanging on a wall. If you'd like to hang your work, you can sew a small hook (I like to use stitch markers) to the back of your pieces and hang them from a nail. Or you could suspend them from threads of monofilament and hang them from the ceiling or create a mobile.

Building shelves at Young Blood with David Hale.

If you are going to sit the pieces on shelves, ask the gallery how many shelves or pedestals are actually available. Most galleries don't have very many. If you are able to be there to hang your show, you can build shelves with scrap wood and screw them to the wall. I had a fantastic two-person show with artist David Hale at Young Blood in 2009. David built a dozen shelves for my work and his and then decorated them with bits of nature and random vintage objects. My birds and his paintings looked amazing displayed together that way (and I was seriously indebted to him for the amount of work he put into hanging that show!).

Hanging the Young Blood show.

If you're anything like me and your life is busy and complicated, the reality is that you may not be able to make it to the gallery to hang your show or even attend the opening. In those cases you are trusting the curator and gallery staff to display your work in the best possible way. Request a floor plan of the space. Write up specific instructions describing how the display should be set up and communicate these to the gallery staff clearly and in advance. Print them out and include a copy in the package when you send your work, too.

Setting up the Young Blood show.

What About the Money?

There are some similarities and a few key differences between displaying your work in a gallery and selling it at a craft fair or even at a retail store.

First, I think you can set your prices higher when you show in a gallery because there is a preconceived notion that work on a gallery wall is fine art and should be priced accordingly. That being said, I think it is wise to have a pieces at various price ranges, just like at a craft fair, so that there is something for everyone.

Second, people will generally not pick up and touch your work when it's in a gallery. They look with their eyes and not with their hands and they'll tell their kids to do the same, unless you note otherwise. So your work is much less likely to get dropped or get dirty, but visitors also won't get to squeeze your softies and feel the fabric their are made from.

And finally, if you do get to attend the opening (And do try! Your work sells better if you're there to talk about it and, let's face it, it's really nice to be celebrated once in a while!) you'll interact with the public about your work that night. For the remainder of the show, though, the gallery staff will be the ones helping visitors see and purchase your work without you being present. I kind of like attending a party for a few hours and then letting someone else do the rest of the selling so this model is more appealing to me than setting up a booth at a craft fair for the day.

Like selling your work on consignment in retail shops, read and clarify the agreement with the gallery before you sign anything. Find out when you'll get paid, when work that doesn't sell will be shipped back to you, and who will pay the shipping costs to and from the gallery. Sometimes the agreement will state that the gallery has exclusive rights to show your work within the city limits through the duration of the show. Often galleries will choose a few pieces that don't sell during the show to hang onto and try to sell them in the months to come. And like selling retail, the gallery usually takes either 40% or 50% of every sale so price accordingly.

Work that doesn't sell will be returned to you so you should have a plan for what to do with it when it comes back. That might include listing it in your Etsy shop or taking it to your next craft fair. 

Publicity

Postcard from my show with Amy Rice.

Most galleries now also have web shops. If your customer base is international and has been watching your work develop on your blog, they might want to buy the work for the show through the gallerie's webshop once the show is up. Definitly promote the show on your blog, and don't be afraid to reach out to larger blogs that cover your genre of work. If they pick up the story the gallery will be thankful that you are helping to spread the word. And having a show is a great chance to get some print media coverage for your art business. Send a press release to  your local newspaper and to the newspaper local to the gallery. Good press can help you build your resume, too. 

A Gallery's Perspective

To get the perspective of a gallery owner I reached out to Erin Waxman and Megan Brewster, owners of Art Star on North 2nd Street in Philadelphia, PA. Erin and Megan have owned Art Star for seven years. Their store showcases over 70 indie artists. I was part of a group show there in 2010 have sold my work there for several years. I always love making ornaments for the annual Art Star ornament show during Christmas time.

Photo of Erin and Megan from HandmadeinPA.

I knew that the folks at Art Star would have some helpful insights to share about what makes for a good show at an indie gallery, what sells and what doesn't. I also asked them to tell me what they look for in an application so that if you'd like to apply for a show at an indie gallery you'd be able to maximize the success of your application. 

Here is what they said:

Well, we have actually taken a break from doing regular exhibitions at Art Star.  We were both kind of burnt out from doing it (I personally was programming/installing shows at The Clay Studio years before I opened Art Star).  It is a ton of work & with the change in the economy, it has really been tough to sell higher end art pieces.  We both really enjoy the boutique side of our business, as well as our craft shows (and have found it to be financially more successful for us), so we have decided to focus more on that for a bit. 

That being said, they did have some advice in general for artists seeking out shows:

We have found that a successful show tends to depend on the artist – whether or not the artist already has a following.  It really takes time & many years to create a following for your work & sometimes it really just is luck.  I do recommend artists having a variety of price points - if someone is interested in the artist’s work (but can’t afford the higher price) it is still accessible.  This person may later spend a bit more. 

I think it is good to have a blog & continue to engage your audience because this will really help develop a following for you work, which is really the key.

Photo of Art Star from HandmadeinPA. See my bird!

At the beginning we were showing work by artists that we didn’t really know or had worked with in the past.  What has been most successful for us is developing our own relationships with artists that we enjoy working with – continuing to show their work & cultivating an audience for them. 

Erin and I need to be behind the artist to really be able to sell it to our customers.  For example, we have really loved working with Amy Rice – we have had 3 solo exhibitions with her and her audience continues to grow.  We personally lover her work and have found that our audience really responds to it. 

I love Amy's work, too! I had a two-person show with her in 2008 at Paper Boat (an indie gallery in Milwaukee that is now closed. You can see the postcard above).

This type of relationship between artist/gallery staff/customer is really what makes a show successful in our opinion.  Though we are taking a break from a regular exhibition schedule, we will have shows with Amy and others artists that we have strong relationships with.

Photo of Art Star from CultureMob

We aren’t actively looking to book shows at the moment, but we always interested in seeing what is out there.  If there is something we fall in love with – we might ask them to send a few pieces to sell in the shop and then if we enjoy working with that artist & our customer responds well to the work, we would consider having an exhibition. 

Right now, instead of doing a full blow exhibition, we have been doing “Artist Features”.  This involves the artist sending us 5-10 pieces & then we will incorporate them into our boutique space and have a feature on the website.  We will also interview the artist and post that on our blog so customers can learn more about them and develop more of a connection to the work.  It is a way to highlight an artist and give them a bit more exposure without the commitment of a full blown exhibition.  If this ends up going well we may consider programming them into an exhibition in the future. 

Photo of Art Star by ScissorsandSpice

Because exhibitions are so much work and time, we are unable to take chances with them anymore unfortunately.  If an artist is interested in working with us, we have a link on our website for them to submit images or send us a link to their site.  We get a ton of submissions daily, so we are unfortunately only able to get back to those who we think would work for us.  We don’t have anything specific in mind that we are looking for.  We will know when we see the work if it is right for us.

Thank you so much Erin and Megan! It is really helpful to get a gallery's perspective!

Have you been part of a show at an indie gallery? Any words of wisdom? I hope you'll share your experiences in the comments. I'd love to hear about them! Do shows increase exposure to your work? Are you thinking of applying for a show in the future? I love hearing from you and I always learn so much from your comments!

*****

If you find this series helpful to you, I hope you'll consider making a donation to help support it. Each post in this series takes several hours to research and write, and I love doing it! Knowing that you are willing to support it helps me to continue to write in-depth about each of these topics. Thank you!

Felt Hibiscus Flowers for National Nonwovens

This week I've been making felt hibiscus flowers for National Nonwovens' booth at Quilt Market next month. National Nonwovens produces gorgeous felt in all varieties. Last year I sewed butterflies for their booth which was a lot of fun and they kindly provided me with all the felt for my new book. It's always an exciting day when a big box of felt arrives from them!

I love working with their products and I really enjoy creating booth decorations for them. I'm not going to Market (maybe someday), but my flowers are going and that's something!

This year the National Nonwovens both will have a sort of tropical vacation theme. I came up with the idea of big hibiscus flowers that I think show off their beautiful new felt colors. This is nearly a no sew project (hello hot glue gun!) - just a bit of stitching to create veins on the leaves and to connect the petals. 

If you'd like to try out some of National Nonwoven's felt you can get it right here. 

Upcoming Workshop: Design Your Own Stuffed Animal

I am teaching a new workshop at Gather Here in May called, "Design Your Own Stuffed Animals."  In the class we will start by sketching and then work to transform our drawings into sewing patterns for stuffed animals.

You'll learn how and where to add gussets and darts to make your design truly three-dimensional. Don't let faux fur or stretchy fleece scare you!  Don't shy away from a softie with long skinny arms, or curvy antlers! Learn all the tricks of the trade and come away with an original sewing pattern that you can make and sell.

This is the first time that I'm offering this class, and I am very excited (and a bit nervous)! Guiding people through the process of designing their own sewing patterns is something I'm keenly interested in and is what my new book is all about. This is going to amazing!

If you live in metro Boston and would like to register, the class will be on Monday, May 14, and Monday, May 21, from 6 pm - 9 pm. And Gather Here is an extraordinarily great fabric and yarn store in Cambridge that is worth the trip in and of itself (you can watch this amazing video about their one-year anniversary - it's a beautiful thing). Register for the class right here.

I hope to see you there!  

A Collaboration: Forest Creature

Last week I posted about a collaborative project I am working on with Kristy of Fog and Swell. We sent eachother some fabrics that we will both use to make forest creatures and ocean creatures. Here is my pile at the beginning of last week.

Kristy started with ocean and made a stunningly beautiful crab with the red and pink hand-dyed linens we are using.

Photo of Kristy's crab by Kristy of Fog and Swell.

Photo of Kristy's crab by Kristy of Fog and Swell.

Today I finished the deer that I made from the wool and flour sack forest fabrics. 

I will send him across the continent to Kristy and her crab will come to me. Then I'll make an ocean creature from the red and pink linen and she'll make a forest creature from the wool and flour sack. I'm really excited to see the two forest and two ocean creatures together. Creatures created with the same fabrics by different hands, the two of us thousands of miles away from eachother, but tied together by a shared passion for creating soft toys. 

I really encourage you to reach out and propose a collaboration with someone you admire. The interaction and the challenge is fuel to the fire. 

Custom Bear for a Print Ad

Over the winter I got a call from an art director who was making a print ad for a pharmaceutical company. The ad was for a new pre-natal vitamin that helps alleviate constipation and the art director was looking for a custom teddy bear that was, well...constipated. 

Making this bear qualifies as one of the most fun jobs I've ever had. I sewed this poor bloated, uncomfortable teddy on a very short deadline. He is stuffed with excelsior so his body is really moldable and I left a gap in his back with a velcro closure so that the art director could maninpulate his stuffing on the day of the shoot to make him all lumpy.

I don't have an actual hard copy of the ad. Hopefully I'll see it on one of the tables in the waiting room at my OBs office sometime. 

Plush From a Child's Drawing: Stella's Snail

Stella came home from Kindergarten with this snail drawing a few months ago.

I think it was a pretty slapdash effort, actually, but to me this snail had such incredible personality. I squirreled the drawing away upstairs for a future plush project.

I mentioned to Stella this week that I was making a plush snail based on her drawing and she had not idea what I was talking about. So I would say that this softie captures a truly ephemeral moment of her childhood and that's just perfect to me!

Get a plush toy from your child's drawing right here.

 

Some Housekeeping about Softies For Sale

I'm in the midst of writing a new post in my Softies For Sale series right now. In the process of working on this one I am learning and thinking and researching and then composing and writing and editing and adding pictures and formatting. And then new ideas for new topics are percolating and I'm logging those in my notebook and new people are contacting me with their ideas and they get added, too.

And all of this is fantastic. And it takes hours and hours to make it happen. And I love it. And I've hired a babysitter. And I'm working harder than I ever have. And I've bought some software so that I can record and publish phone interviews. And I'm so happy.

All of this is to say that if any of the posts in the Softies For Sale series have been thought-provoking for you, or have opened new avenues for you in your creative business, or have made you ask questions and think critically before jumping into new projects, or have in any way been helpful to you, I am asking if you'd be willing to make a donation to help support my work on this series. There is a donation button at the bottom of this post. Here is a comprehensive list to help you remember what we've discussed:

The first post introduced the series and contained a list of potential topics.

The second post was a recorded interview with veteran toy pattern designer Carol Cruise.

The third post was about cottage industry licenses.

The fourth post focused on selling your work at craft fairs.

The fifth post explored selling your pattern through wholesale distributors.

The sixth post was about contributing to craft books.

The seventh post discussed teaching a class in person.

The eighth post was about selling art toys.

And the ninth post looked at selling on consignment.

The tenth post explored exhibiting your work in galleries.

And the eleventh post showed the benefits of teaming up with other makers.

The twelth post talked about building a community of collectors.

All of these posts will be here, on my blog, for your reference and the comments are amazingly useful, too. If you click the Softies For Sale category link on the sidebar it will take you to them. We've had some great discussions and there are more to come! There is more to explore, and more to think about and write about! If you have ideas for future topics, I'm all ears. Write me a comment or send me an email! 

Please consider making a donation. Any amount is perfect. I know it may seem like a small donation doesn't have an impact, but thousands of people visit here every day. Many little bits add up to enough to make it viable and PayPal makes it easy and quick. I really appreciate your support.

Thank you.

Trixie and Tess: A Topsy Turvy Doll

Aren't Topsy Turvy dolls cool? Sort of creepy, but also sort of amazing! Once I started making reversible toys, I felt like I had to make this classic children's toy. I named her Trixie and Tess.

Trixie is a rather stern girl, dressed in deep purple with a severe hairstyle. She is not in a very good mood. In fact, she just might be an evil step-sister or a nasty witch.

But Tess is all sweetness and light. And she has a lovely yellow felt rose in her honey-colored hair. 

This pattern is now available in both my Craftsy pattern shop and my shop on Etsy as a PDF download. It includes step-by-step photos and clear instructions to make this doll and her gathered dress, including the bow on Trixie's front and the felt rose on Tess' hair.

There are a few neat tricks involved in making a Topsy Turvy doll. I had a great time learning how it was done, and I think you'll enjoy seeing how it is constructed, too.

Guaranteed to make a little girl in your life very, very happy! And the baby likes her, too.

Softies For Sale Series: Selling on Consignment

It is many crafters dream to get their handmade goods in boutique stores. The thrill of seeing your wares on the shelves of a beautiful boutique, of knowing that the buyer or owner of the store thinks that what you make is worthy of being in their store, and that all kinds of shoppers will see your work and possibly choose it as a special gift can be pretty exciting.

I have sold my handmade softies through retail stores on and off for many years. I have wound down that part of my business, but while I was pursuing it more intensely I worked with about a dozen different shops, some local and many far from my home. I had mixed experiences selling handmade work in brick-and-mortar stores and often wondered whether it really made sense from a business standpoint. 

Photo of Laura Stantz by Louis Capwell

For this installment in my series about making money from making toys I want to examine the opportunities, and possible pitfalls, of selling your handmade work in retail stores. To help me think about this topic I reached out to Laura Stantz. Laura sells her handmade softies under the name The Wind and The Sail and I saw on Twitter the other day that she was busily, and happily, filling a wholesale softie order. I was curious about Laura's experience and was pleased that she agreed to answer my myriad of questions, some of them pretty tough. 

Kit Monkey. All images are of work by Laura Stantz and are used with her permission.

First, a bit of background about selling handmade work in retail settings generally. More often than not when you work with a retail store you agree to sell your softies on consignment. This means that you provide the store with your softies and they put them out on the shelves. The store only pays you when and if something sells. You set the retail price knowing that the store will split the money with you, or it may take only 40% and give you 60%, depending on the agreement they use with their consigners. 

On rarer occasions you will find a store that is willing to buy your work from you outright. In this case they place an order with you and pay the wholesale price (either 40% or 50% of the retail price) for all of your softies once they arrive at the shop. The store is taking a gamble that they'll be able to sell your softies and make back double the money they paid you. This arrangement can be harder to find, but is a nice guarantee for you as a maker.

Jefferson Camel by Laura Stantz

I asked Laura what kinds of stores she works with. She said, "I have quite a few stores I consign with, however, I always do my homework. I check with other artists who sell at the store, I read their consignment agreement thoroughly, I make sure my products are a good fit. All of these are really important when you decide to consign with someone. You are blindly trusting someone with your product. It's good to know there's maybe a reason to trust them." 

Laura has some great words of wisdom to consider before entering into an agreement with a store:"Some things you need to look for in a consignment agreement are: the commission split (I always look for 60/40), responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged items, sales and advertising, how you will receive your money and the length of time your unsold items will sit on the shelf."

Elsie the Elephant by Laura Stantz

I agree with Laura! Ask what will happen if the toys aren't selling. When and how will you agree that the shop isn't a good fit? Can you swap new work and see if it might do better? And what happens if the shop marks down your merchandise? Will that mean that your half of the retail price will be cut, too? All good questions to ask shop owners before you enter into an agreement.  

I asked Laura to think about one of the key difficulties I had with selling my work in retail stores: figuring out how to price things low enough that they would sell, but high enough that I was getting fair pay for the amount of work each piece took to create.

Newsy Beaver by Laura Stantz

I wanted a concrete example so I said to Laura, "You have a lovely beaver for sale in your Etsy shop for $22. If you make them for a wholesale order I'm assuming the store will take 50% leaving you with $11. Plus you have to pay for shipping to the store which we could put at $1.50 for this guy if he is included in a larger box."

"I'm assuming that beaver took at least an hour and a half to create, used about 1/4 yard of fabric in total, a button, a set of safety eyes, and about 4 ounces of stuffing. So materials in total are around $3.50? That leaves you earning $6. Is this about right? Or could you give me a layout of your costs versus your profits per piece?" 

See, I'm not afraid to ask the tough questions :)

Laura said, "Wholesale is a tricky world. You will never make as much money selling wholesale as you would selling straight retail at craft shows and online. However, I really like what wholesale does for my business as a whole, which is getting my name out there in places I'd probably never do a show. It creates a lot of return business. My Etsy prices are a little lower than my msrp prices, for the simple fact that I have make all the profit with Etsy. Whereas, with a wholesale order, I'm losing almost half my profit."

Mr. Alligator by Laura Stantz 

"There are a lot of worksheets online you can find to help you set up pricing. However, I did mine the old fashioned way in a lined notebook with a pencil. There are 4 columns: time (how much i get paid per hour), stuffing, color fabric (which also includes safety eyes and embroidery), and base fabric, I added those up to create a cost rate, then doubled that number to make my wholesale price. The goal in business is to make at least twice what you put in, and hopefully a lot more."

"I also have spent a lot of time establishing a workflow. This allows me to make multiples of an animal quickly. Creating an efficient work area and time schedule will really help turn out product rapidly. This immensely affects your bottom line. I always think of my craft room as a factory. Efficiency is the name of the game."

Andrew Hippo by Laura Stantz

Okay, that sets me and Laura apart. I can never think of my studio as a factory. I think of it as a workshop where I built soft toys from the ground up. When I start to think of it as a factory all my creative juices are sucked dry. Maybe that's why I'm not cut out for wholesale.

Over the years I have had stores close and steal my work or close and not contact me for a year, but eventually return my work. And I often wondered what was happening when I wasn't there and couldnt monitor how my work was displayed and cared for at the store.

When I used to sell my birds in retail stores I remember being horrified walking into one store and seeing that they'd bent the legs of a wading bird to wrap it around their Christmas tree. In other stores my softies have gotten dropped and dirty. Clearly this is not what happens at every store, but it has happened often enough that I became more and more selective when it came to choosing stores to work with.  

Laura said, "I do check in with my local consignment stores every couple of months, just to see how the store is looking. You can always tell how much product they are moving by how often they rearrange the store. As new product comes in, they have to move things around! If things are looking pretty much the same, it's a good indicator that things aren't going well."

Kelsey Kangaroo by Laura Stantz

"I'm pretty bold when it comes to my work and if they aren't displayed properly, I tend to say something. This has only happened once or twice. I offered to bring in my own display tool. The shop owner was grateful and now my items are displayed just as they are on my craft show table. This was an easy fix."

"Shop owners take their stores very personally. If you aren't pleased with the presentation, just find a way to gentle offer some help. It usually creates a better bond with the owner and your sincerity will go a long way. With stores that aren't local, I try to keep up with them through social media. Most store owners will post photos of the shop routinely. I always look for my items."

 

In my experience, keeping up with shop owners in order to get paid in a timely manner can take effort. Some shops will send a check at the end of each month if work has sold. Others won't pay you until you email repeatedly and ask to be paid.

Laura says, "I try to contact most stores every couple of months. Most owners will contact me if my stock is running dangerously low. It is a retail rule of thumb that products move best when they are displayed in large groups. There are times when I just can't keep up and stores have to wait a little while for new product (especially during craft show season). Most stores are understanding of this. It's something you may want to put into the contract."

 

"I think finding the right stores is all about knowing your market. I know to whom my products sell the best; new parents in their early thirties or late twenties or grandmothers with kids who are having kids in that age range. Also, my work catches the eye of a lot of gentleman. I have yet to figure this out. I found all of this out just by testing different shows, really paying attention to who was doing the purchasing and who looks at my Flickr."

"Knowing all of this, I really search out stores in areas with hip parents and stores who sell to that type of person. It's not always easy and I've put myself in places that weren't a great fit or that fizzled out quickly. It's all a learning experience and you have to pay attention."  

Laura, thank you so much for sharing your perspective. It is great to hear from someone who enjoys and profits from selling softies on consignment.

I'd love to hear everyone else's thoughts, too. If you've sold your handmade goods in retail stores, how did it go? Successes? Horror stories? What else should we look out for when entering into consignment agreements? Overall, is retail worth it to you?  

*****

If you find this series helpful to you, I hope you'll consider making a donation to help support it. Each post in this series takes several hours to research and write, and I love doing it! Knowing that you are willing to support it helps me to continue to write in-depth about each of these topics. Thank you!

A Collaboration

Grey whales by Kristy of Fog and Swell.

To me, one way to continue to push your creative boundaries is to reach out to other artists and collaborate.  For a long time I have admired Kristy's work on her beautiful blog, Fog and Swell. Kristy interprets her seaside surroundings by creating softies that are beautifully detailed with thread, visible stitches, and vibrant hand-dyed linen fabrics. Her sea urchins and whales are just amazing and whenever I see a new piece she's made I just look and look and keep on looking. 

Roosevelt Elk by Kristy of Fog and Swell.

A few months ago I emailed Kristy to ask if she'd like to embark on a collaborative project with me. I didn't yet know what it would be, but I knew that I wanted to work with her and create softies together. I was so pleased when she seemed excited about the idea, too, and we went back and forth figuring out exactly what we wanted it to become.

This is what Kristy sent me! These sweet starfish hang in my studio now.

We decided to pick two themes: ocean and forest. She would select some fabrics for us to use for the ocean and I would select some for the forest. I dyed brown wool with black dye to create a striated effect and sent her a piece of it, along with a piece of old white flour sack with gray type. She sent me beautiful linen in three shades of red. 

And here are our fabrics together, waiting to be transformed.

We will now both get to work. We will both use the forest fabrics to make a forest animal and the ocean fabrics to make an ocean animal. And we'll post about it periodically to update one another, and you, on our progress. My hope is that collaborating with an artist that I truly admire will push me to create something new, something I love, something that employs fabrics I might not normally choose. 

When our pieces are completed they will be for sale: two ocean creatures (one by me and one by Kristy), and two forest pieces (one by me and one by Kristy), tied together because they use the same fabrics and are being made at the same moment, but different in that Kristy lives far away from Boston (she is on the west coast of British Columbia) and we work in different styles.

I don't know how this project will take shape, but I know that it will be interesting and I know that I can't wait to see it all together. 

If you are smitten with a particular artist, maybe someone you've admired for years, why not reach out and collaborate with them? At the very least it will help to stretch your skills, form a new friendship, and build excitement for your craft together.

Kristy, thank you for working with me. Happy sewing!

Shark!: A PDF Sewing Pattern

This guy may look fearsome, but he's really a soft, huggable softie just perfect for all those little pirates in your life! He's got an open mouth full of felt teeth. In fact, his mouth is a soft pocket so you can reach your hand inside and the shark will gobble up your treasures!

My friend here thinks that's pretty cool. It was hard to wrestle Mr. Shark away from her after the photoshoot.

As you can see, this pattern creates a nice, big softie and it includes a few special techniques that might stretch your skills in a pretty cool way.

This pattern includes step-by-step photos, clear instructions, and full-sized templates to take you through from beginning to end.

You can find the shark pattern as an instant download in my Craftsy pattern shop.

 

 

Lovey Dovey: A New PDF Pattern

Josephine is 16 months old now and just starting to walk. With her increasing independence, including the ability to climb the stairs (!), comes a heightened need for security. This means lots of hugs and check-ins with me and with her sisters (and a fair bit of wrestling and climbing on top of them when they are laying on the floor reading or drawing). But it also means a serious attachment to her lovey, Mr. Purples.

A few months ago Mr. Purples was a soft, purple bunny with pink fleece-lined ears and a blankie body. Now that he's been dragged all over the house, dipped in a fair amount of yogurt and other sticky substances, dropped out of the stroller and retrieved a half dozen times, he is...rather gray. And not so soft. But she loves him desparately. Mr. Purples comes in the car whenever we go out and accompanies Josephine in her crib at every nap and at bedtime. 

Inspired by her (and our) devotion to "that little purple dude" (as I call him), I made a pattern for a lovey. Actually, four different lovies: a bunny, a kitty, a puppy, and a bear. They are made from soft fleece and scraps of quilting cotton, with embroidered features so that they are soft and safe for babies. Each Lovey Dovey comes together pretty easily in about an hour and uses only a 1/4 yard of fabric. A perfect handmade gift for a new baby.

The pattern is $6.50 and is available as an instant download in PDF format and includes step-by-step photos, clear written instructions, and full-sized templates. You can find it now in my Etsy shop and my Craftsy pattern shop. You never know - one of your Lovey Dovies could easily become as cherished a member of the family a Mr. Purples has become in ours!