Going Soft
Softies book gives 25 ways to make cute and quirky stuffed animals (and other creatures) for adults
By Katie Heath
Published: October 15th, 2007 | 4:05pm
In the introduction of her book, Softies: Simple Instructions for 25 Plush Pals, veteran crafter Therese Laskey reminiscences on a childhood when “plush toys were cute and cuddly — and they were only animals.” Only animals?
Fortunately for us, growing up in a fast-fast-hurry society not only means instant gratification and the Internet but also the luxury of now having some real variability when it comes to our stuffed animals. Softies — handmade plush adult toys popularized in Japan and sought after heavily on eBay and at high-end boutiques — resemble, among heaps of other things, bear and dog plush animals we grew up loving. Only this time around, these soft creations might come with an extra eye or body augmentation for us to love and cherish just as well.
To assert her passion for these creatures, Laskey created the “most comprehensive book of its kind” and commissioned 25 acclaimed craftsters from around the world to share their favorite original softie, resulting in a cute and cuddly collection of some of the weirdest looking “pets” you’ve ever seen. As an instructional guide, the directions are easy to follow and won’t overwhelm you or over-speculate that you’ve done something like this before.
The book explains questionable craft terms, such as "rick-rack," "floss," or "wool-rolving.” The only underlying assumption is that you’re not afraid of needles. Ready-to-use patterns, including an ice cream sandwich, an “i-scream” cone, loose teeth, an elegant bunny, a green tea bag, or a “loney dollop” (a sneering piece of poop), are packaged neatly in an attached envelope in the back of the book. It’s as if Laskey had already taken the liberty of packing you a school lunch. With big colorful photos, quirky and assessable language, pictorial how-to stitch guides, and a big spiral ring, Softies is easily readable, functional, and irresistibly welcoming to strangers who have just stumbled upon the craft.
Every project begins with a guide that explains the embroidery stitches involved, type and size of felt needed, floss and thread color, suggested embellishments, patterns, and difficulty level. While it’s not “sew-a-button” kind of easy, if you follow the directions you can pretty much achieve your desired softie. Abnormalities that arise should just be considered what they are: charming. The more challenging softies, as you can imagine, suggest more intricate embroidery stitches and techniques that are more involved than a simple whipstitch (the classic up-and-around stitch used to close most seams).
Michelle Valigura, the artist behind a widely grinning whale called “the lookout,” has a short biography, like the other 24 artists, at the end of the instructions that explains her location, creative influences, and inspiration behind her creation. I found it particularly amusing to attempt to guess the softie’s place of origin based solely on its stylized aesthetics (“the lookout” came from the Pacific Northwest). Some of the projects suggest using a sewing machine, but this should not dissuade any potential crafter without said equipment. Laskey has included a very helpful page on replicating machine-quality stitching by hand. While each softie has its own ideas on stitching and sewing techniques, there is an allowance for your own creative take on embellishments, for example. “Generally,” Laskey writes, “you will need less than one-quarter yard of fabric to make a softie.” This is good news, because leftover parts of previously scraped projects will now have the potential for a second life.
While you’re not required to stray too far from the beaten path creatively, it is implied that once the softie is in your hands, its shape and style are at your own discretion. These little guys, despite their sweet looks, have the potential to consume entire rainy days. And while it might be unsettling to hear, you may start prioritizing embellishments over homework if you end up bitten by this “craft bug,” too. It is suggested that these creatures make “great gifts,” and you may flirt with the idea of giving away a fish friend or two once you’re done. But if you can’t part with their company, which understandable, perhaps it would be better to teach a friend to fish by giving them a copy of Softies instead.
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ABOUT THE BOOK
Softies: Simple Instructions for 25 Plush Pals (Chronicle)
By Therese Laskey, Leah Kramer, and Laurie Frankel
$19.95
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