This is the result of my very first step into the world of plush-making. And I am so proud of the way she turned out AND for the fact that I actually finished her! c:

If you didn't know, I absolutely LOVE stuffed animals and plush characters. They're almost like small, squishy friends that make me happy to see and hold. I've had them my entire life and have always wanted to make them myself, but I lacked the confidence and know-how to pursue that interest. After over six years of fursuit making, though, I decided to give it a go and see what I could come up with.

I made this plush to feature every single quality of a stuffed animal that I've always loved. She is literally, the ideal and most perfect plush in my mind because she encompasses all of the best qualities of a good plush friend (to me personally). She had to be made using super soft and high-quality fabrics. No pilling fleece or easily dirtied or lint-collecting materials. The colors I went with had to be bright and bold. She had to be large enough to hug, but not too large to get in the way or be difficult to pack. All of her small details had to be sewn in (spots, paw pads, etc.) so her colors would never fade or run if she were washed. The plush could not have any hard/over-stuffed areas that would prevent it from being super huggable or potentially uncomfortable to cuddle with (this also meant no joints, no wires, and no overstuffing of the limbs). Sculpy heads/hands/tails/etc. were also out of the question. Every inch of her had to be soft and squishy! The only minor exception is her plastic eyes because I don't have an embroidery machine. Yet. o3o

Aside from her spots/paw pads, every single piece of this plush was hand-sewn by me. And it took well over 40+ hours to do over the course of a month. That is ONLY the sewing, not the pattern creation, fabric cutting, pinning, errors, etc. Here's some other details:

Construction Notes and Plush Features:

• I created this pattern from scratch. I did not "tweak" another artist's pattern.
• this plush is just over 18" tall.
• she is made from minky fabric and luxury shag faux fur.
• she does not have joints or wires and is only filled with poly-fil and plastic beans.
• she is digitigrade and able to stand on her own with the help of her tail.
• her nose is squishy, shiny, and soft.
• her earrings are made from fleece.
• she is pretty poseable, yet floppy and squishy.
• she is a terrific couch companion and cuddle buddy! 83

I can't tell you guys how many times I stabbed myself with needles, had to undo my sewing and redo it after realizing I had done something wrong, and the overall frustration I dealt with during her construction. It was all worth it to see the end product, though, and I am officially hooked on creating stuffed animals/plush friends! The next plush I make will be of Dite, my border collie character, and possibly a plush to sell. I want to solidify/improve my patterns and style, as well as create a doggie plush to see how I do. c:

Special thanks goes out to my Sweet Baboo Jakejynx, as he sewed all the spots/paw pads on with the sewing machine and offered up some really wonderful ideas and tips for making Quaylak even more adorable. He also helped with some of the sewing from time to time when I felt like putting my fists through the wall, haha. She wouldn't be done or nearly as cute without him! <3

PS: If you guys have any questions that I did not answer above or in previous WIP images, feel free to ask. But PLEASE read the construction notes first, as I think I covered a lot of common questions there!

Quaylak and Quaylak Plush are Mine!