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Stuffed Animals: From Concept to Construction
Are you ready for a soft toy book that goes beyond the basics? Here, for the first time in decades, is a comprehensive reference that teaches you how to sew heirloom-quality stuffed animals, from four-legged friends that actually stand to a classic, poseable Teddy bear. Each of the 16 projects contain lessons that teach such skills as needle sculpting, designing “cupped” ears, and making muzzles, snouts, and beaks. Make one of Abbys animals and learn something new, or take a new technique and apply it to your own design!
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2013
6 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 25, 2013
While I've seen cuter animal designs out there, this book (and the author's blog) are a wonderful resource. I will definitely purchase this book, because the techniques described have already improved my own stuffed animal creation, and I've haven't even read the whole book yet. There are not a lot of books about creating your own stuffed animals out there, as if authors are reluctant to share their techniques, so I really admire Glassenberg for creating this book, and doing it so well.
March 8, 2015
Lots of really good instructions, lots of variety in the types of animals and ways of doing things. For instance, author gives many different ways to attach limbs and explains pros and cons of each way, and shows many different examples of types of eyes, with such tips as using an awl to bore a hole through the fabric instead of cutting it, which would weaken it and might cause it to tear over time. Great resource for someone who wants to learn or master the craft.
December 27, 2014
When I received this book from Lark, I didn't realize it was by the same author who wrote The Artful Bird Feathered Friends to Make and Sew, a book Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood featured on a podcast, and a book that included a flamingo I adored.
This book has much more accessible looking and simpler looking projects (16 projects and 52 lessons) than her previous book. They also are more kid friendly rather than works of art.
The book starts with an introduction and I was glad to see the author bring up creating your own designs in the first paragraph. She also envisions big things for your future. She wants you to create patterns for soft toys.
The patterns are arranged by difficulty with the easiest coming first, preceded by the ubiquitous section on Tools and Materials (pg.11). there are a few different items required than many of the regular quilt books. An awl, a craft knife and a sliding gauge are listed, none of which are included in my basic sewing kit. The items that should be included in a basic sewing kit are listed separately. They include all the normal things, except for hemostats, which I would consider to be a specialty item. I can see where they would be required for projects that need stuffing. Everything required is pictured and well explained.
Abigail Patner Glassenberg has written an extensive section on Designing Stuffed Animals (pg.18- ). Considerations such as visual research and sketching, using tools, considering grainline, and drawing and editing a pattern.
The section called Making Stuffed Animals (pg.24- ) also includes different sections on skills and techniques for being successful in this endeavor. One caught my attention, Checking and Reinforcing Seams (pg. 25), because it occurred to me that I should do this on some of my quilts or bags. Glassenberg doesn't leave anything to chance in this book and this section goes over every detail, including leaving an opening, clipping curves, turning and many others.
Finally the projects start on page 35, which tells me how important the techniques and skills are to the author. "The simplest softie pattern you can make is an outline toy (pg.35)," which is what the first and easiest project is - a fish. Though she includes a pattern for the fish, she tells you what an outline pattern is and assumes you will work on your own. The pattern goes on for some pages, covering every detail from start to finish.
There is something for everyone in this book, of course, in difficulty, but also in design. There are lions, camels, hippos, monsters and other animals. Each project includes a lesson, which would help with techniques in the author's first book. The Crab project has a lesson in tab joints and turning and stuffing a long skinny part while the Kangaroo project has lessons in "putting in a pocket" and "cutting a hole to attach limbs". Having the lessons will help the reader design their own projects later.
Many of the fabrics were fine, but the one thing I didn't like about this book were many of the fabrics. I thought they were old and looked like they had been snipped from clothes in the closet of an elderly and solitary couple. The monsters would have been a lot cuter and more appealing in batiks. I didn't like the 70s looking prints and found some of the fabrics to be musty looking. Still, fabrics are a personal choice and have no impact on all the good of this book.
There is an index, which I like ;-) as well as full sized templates in the back.
This is a book anyone who wants to learn a lot should look at.
This book has much more accessible looking and simpler looking projects (16 projects and 52 lessons) than her previous book. They also are more kid friendly rather than works of art.
The book starts with an introduction and I was glad to see the author bring up creating your own designs in the first paragraph. She also envisions big things for your future. She wants you to create patterns for soft toys.
The patterns are arranged by difficulty with the easiest coming first, preceded by the ubiquitous section on Tools and Materials (pg.11). there are a few different items required than many of the regular quilt books. An awl, a craft knife and a sliding gauge are listed, none of which are included in my basic sewing kit. The items that should be included in a basic sewing kit are listed separately. They include all the normal things, except for hemostats, which I would consider to be a specialty item. I can see where they would be required for projects that need stuffing. Everything required is pictured and well explained.
Abigail Patner Glassenberg has written an extensive section on Designing Stuffed Animals (pg.18- ). Considerations such as visual research and sketching, using tools, considering grainline, and drawing and editing a pattern.
The section called Making Stuffed Animals (pg.24- ) also includes different sections on skills and techniques for being successful in this endeavor. One caught my attention, Checking and Reinforcing Seams (pg. 25), because it occurred to me that I should do this on some of my quilts or bags. Glassenberg doesn't leave anything to chance in this book and this section goes over every detail, including leaving an opening, clipping curves, turning and many others.
Finally the projects start on page 35, which tells me how important the techniques and skills are to the author. "The simplest softie pattern you can make is an outline toy (pg.35)," which is what the first and easiest project is - a fish. Though she includes a pattern for the fish, she tells you what an outline pattern is and assumes you will work on your own. The pattern goes on for some pages, covering every detail from start to finish.
There is something for everyone in this book, of course, in difficulty, but also in design. There are lions, camels, hippos, monsters and other animals. Each project includes a lesson, which would help with techniques in the author's first book. The Crab project has a lesson in tab joints and turning and stuffing a long skinny part while the Kangaroo project has lessons in "putting in a pocket" and "cutting a hole to attach limbs". Having the lessons will help the reader design their own projects later.
Many of the fabrics were fine, but the one thing I didn't like about this book were many of the fabrics. I thought they were old and looked like they had been snipped from clothes in the closet of an elderly and solitary couple. The monsters would have been a lot cuter and more appealing in batiks. I didn't like the 70s looking prints and found some of the fabrics to be musty looking. Still, fabrics are a personal choice and have no impact on all the good of this book.
There is an index, which I like ;-) as well as full sized templates in the back.
This is a book anyone who wants to learn a lot should look at.
April 28, 2013
I have read a lot of crafting books and rarely do you see such a thorough but brief and well thought out description of everything you would need to know to be successful. I will reference this book for sewing questions in the future even when I'm not sewing stuffed animals!
The book is brilliantly laid out to include lessons and then projects that incorporate the design / sewing lessons so you can read about a design feature and then have an opportunity to use it (or see how it would be used) in a real pattern.
Everything is explained so you understand the importance of different shaping techniques, which parts of the sewing instructions are responsible for making the legs or arms or whatever look a certain way. It even teaches you how to take a regular softie design and turn it into a hand puppet design, and all kinds of other neat ideas that will help you truly design whatever it is you're interested in making.
You really could use this book and design your own stuffed animal, even if you're a beginning sewer, it's that well explained! But even if you're more interested in learning to sew stuffed animals than in designing your own, this book is fantastic because the sixteen projects in it are ridiculously cute and a great variety. It's got 16 adorable projects, including an elephant, a monster, a teddy bear, even a camel and a crab! Something in it for every kid.
I love this and can't wait to use it to create my own pattern to give to one of my kids.
The book is brilliantly laid out to include lessons and then projects that incorporate the design / sewing lessons so you can read about a design feature and then have an opportunity to use it (or see how it would be used) in a real pattern.
Everything is explained so you understand the importance of different shaping techniques, which parts of the sewing instructions are responsible for making the legs or arms or whatever look a certain way. It even teaches you how to take a regular softie design and turn it into a hand puppet design, and all kinds of other neat ideas that will help you truly design whatever it is you're interested in making.
You really could use this book and design your own stuffed animal, even if you're a beginning sewer, it's that well explained! But even if you're more interested in learning to sew stuffed animals than in designing your own, this book is fantastic because the sixteen projects in it are ridiculously cute and a great variety. It's got 16 adorable projects, including an elephant, a monster, a teddy bear, even a camel and a crab! Something in it for every kid.
I love this and can't wait to use it to create my own pattern to give to one of my kids.
September 26, 2018
The projects in this book look a bit clumsy, to be honest. However, after digging into the text, I discovered, to my delight, that this book isn't really about the projects. Instead, Glassenberg's goal is to build up skills from basic newbie sewing skills up to slightly more sophisticated skills designed to encourage you to make your own patterns. I love this since I'm not really a "let's make this thing step-by-step" kind of person, but someone who likes to see how things are made so I can use those construction ideas and skills to make things on my own. That is exactly the kind of person that Glassenberg is wanting to use this book. So, if you're interested in learning the skills to make your own stuffed animal designs, then this is a great book. If, however, you're just looking for patterns to follow, maybe try a different one with cuter animals in it.
November 10, 2013
Wonderful book full of many techniques, clearly explained, to help you design and make your own stuffies. Great for beginner toy makers.
November 17, 2022
this is a very helpful resource for somepony new to plushie construction and a good starting point with lots of helpful information.
July 30, 2013
So cute!
October 28, 2013
This book was really awesome. So much more than just a book with ideas and patterns--each chapter was a true lesson, with ideas that I had never thought of before but which made lots of sense.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews