About the service
Work starts with the hero and the size. A bunny that fits in a palm, a cat that sits on a shelf, a chubby elephant a toddler drags around by the ear — these are three different yarns and three different plans, so before I make the first stitch I ask who the toy is for and how it will be played with.
Cotton gives a crisp, sculpted stitch and holds its shape for years; plush yarn gives soft, huggable volume but hides the relief. I always take a hook one size smaller than the label suggests, so the fabric comes out dense and the stuffing never creeps out between the loops. Arms, legs and ears go on with a strong double seam, and I tug every single one of them before the toy leaves my table. A small weighted pouch goes into the bottom so the character sits up by itself instead of slumping sideways. Jointed limbs are optional: with them the toy can wave and change its pose.
The face is embroidered with floss and given a character of its own, not a pair of glassy staring eyes. For a child under three the eyes and the nose are embroidered only — no plastic safety eyes on a screw post, no beads, no small removable accessories. The stuffing is sewn in for good, and the fabric is worked tightly so the hollow fibre cannot push through the stitches. If there is a wool allergy I use cotton or acrylic, and I ask about that in advance. A child plays with the toy under adult supervision, and the toy is washed by hand in warm water and dried flat. My deadlines are honest: handwork does not happen overnight.
What the order includes:
— a chat about the hero, the size and the colour palette before I start;
— cotton for clear stitch definition or plush yarn for a cuddly body, your choice;
— dense fabric on a smaller hook, with no gaps and no show-through;
— an embroidered face with character, safe for the youngest children;
— a weighted bottom so the toy sits, and optional jointed limbs;
— knitted or removable clothes, and a set of two or three characters in one palette;
— washing and drying care notes, plus an honest hand-made timeline.
Cotton gives a crisp, sculpted stitch and holds its shape for years; plush yarn gives soft, huggable volume but hides the relief. I always take a hook one size smaller than the label suggests, so the fabric comes out dense and the stuffing never creeps out between the loops. Arms, legs and ears go on with a strong double seam, and I tug every single one of them before the toy leaves my table. A small weighted pouch goes into the bottom so the character sits up by itself instead of slumping sideways. Jointed limbs are optional: with them the toy can wave and change its pose.
The face is embroidered with floss and given a character of its own, not a pair of glassy staring eyes. For a child under three the eyes and the nose are embroidered only — no plastic safety eyes on a screw post, no beads, no small removable accessories. The stuffing is sewn in for good, and the fabric is worked tightly so the hollow fibre cannot push through the stitches. If there is a wool allergy I use cotton or acrylic, and I ask about that in advance. A child plays with the toy under adult supervision, and the toy is washed by hand in warm water and dried flat. My deadlines are honest: handwork does not happen overnight.
What the order includes:
— a chat about the hero, the size and the colour palette before I start;
— cotton for clear stitch definition or plush yarn for a cuddly body, your choice;
— dense fabric on a smaller hook, with no gaps and no show-through;
— an embroidered face with character, safe for the youngest children;
— a weighted bottom so the toy sits, and optional jointed limbs;
— knitted or removable clothes, and a set of two or three characters in one palette;
— washing and drying care notes, plus an honest hand-made timeline.
