sewing resources

Why plushies from fuzzy socks? Simple: they're pretty cheap and more accessible than more traditional fuzzy fabrics, like minky. (*cough cough* Also, as a kitten, I would bingewatch Maqaroon's sock plush tutorials and daydream about making my own crafts one day...)

That said, fuzzy socks are kind of a pain to work with, actually! I might just be buying really crappy quality ones, but the fabric is very very loosely woven, so if you try to tie a knot at the end of your thread like you'd normally use for sewing, it'll just come right through -- not good! I found that it's better to try and make a little cross-stitch or something to that effect to anchor your thread around a piece of the fabric itself, rather than just relying on a knot, if that makes sense.

Still, despite that, socks are surprisingly versatile and you can really use the shape of them to your advantage! Like, using the heel to get a natural bend in the legs or the elastic for easy color changes, like Luxio's pants. On that note, I've found that it's really helpful to watch various tutorials to get ideas for different body shapes or other techniques to add to your arsenal! I'd recommend Sugar Maple Crafts or White Chocolate Heart (who seems to have since unlisted all of her videos, but here's a random playlist where you can find a few or you can look at her Amino or Reddit profiles for direct links).

If you were more interested in general plushie making, CholyKnight's site is a great resource, with free patterns tutorials from beginner to advanced, etc. Epimorphism (also known as Diffeomorphism on DeviantArt), also has good explanations of how to get started, how to design patterns, etc. I also found this Slowpoke plush tutorial from 2013 that I've really been wanting to try out! Another thing that's helpful to look into whether you're doing traditional plushies or amigurumi or whatever is needle sculpting; a relevant DeviantArt tutorial because I'm feeling very nostalgic.

Other than that, I really love the little 2D felt plush ornament-things, as well! There's a neat little DIY book series by a small Japanese studio, Aranzi Aronzo that has some ideas, basic info and patterns for making some (side note: they have such 2007-vibes, it's great. The Bad Book doesn't have patterns or anything, but it does have some of the little guys they made and it's just a hoot, highly recommend checking it out, lol). Also, tangentially related: Pokemon bell plushes are really cute, as well! There's just something so charming about how simple they are... <3