looking for tips on customizing and plush making!

[shintoji]

hello everyone!! feel free to remove if this isn't allowed or is in the wrong category, but i'm very interested in customizing ponies and making plush so id appreciate any and all tips you guys can give me! i plan on starting out small, with just simple repaint and reroot jobs or simple plush with small and easy patterns, but if any of you could provide me with any advice whatsoever id really appreciate it! ive been wanting to do both of these ever since i was little, but ive always lacked the skill/knowledge. ive seen what lovely things all of you guys can make and its honestly so inspiring! i believe if anyone can help, you guys can.

[Uninu]

Customizing tips should be asked in the Customs forum, but you can ask about plushie making here! ^^

There are lots of tutorials for plushie making on Internet, have you checked out any yet? One option is visiting a local library and look for books about plushie making, those usually have patterns and instructions in them.

[Skeen]

For plushies, start with someone else's pattern.  Don't make your own until you're familiar with how all the bits go together and how altering said bits will affect the outcome.  If you have a machine, get familiar with it and do some practice stitches on scraps.  If you're sewing by hand, get familiar with different types of stitches and practice.  Don't use really stretchy fabrics to start, because pulling them too tight/loose while sewing can warp the finished product.  You don't need a fancy machine to get great results!  And you don't need to do fancy embroidery either.  There are a lot of free patterns for a million different things on the internet - ponies can be tricky (lots of pieces) so you could always start with something easier til you build your confidence. 

Mostly just accept that, since you've never done it, the whole process will be a learning experience.  It's possible you won't like your first few attempts.  That's ok!  Just take what you learned from making them and apply it to future projects.     

[ZennaBug]

The customs forum will be able to answer your customizing questions (it's a lot of fun, so you should definitely give it a shot!), but we have quite a few plush makers in A&C.    I have made a grand total of one plush, so I'm not exactly what you'd call experienced, but I do sew in other ways.  When I made my plush, I used the filly patter from this Etsy shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/dollphinwing?section_id=18739935.  I found it easy enough to follow and I was happy with my result, especially since my sewing machine was broken and I had to sew some insanely fluffy fabric by hand lol.  If you don't have much sewing experience, a plush might be a hard way to start.  Just don't get discouraged! 

[Griffin]

Practice makes perfect! I don't sew so I can't really help you there but I'd love to see what you make. Familiarizing yourself with different types of stiches sounds like a good way to begin. Good luck!