Frequently asked questions

Pricing and buying

How do Meplushyou commissions work?

A commission is a custom order made for you.
I open rounds for plush commissions a few times a year. I'll announce on my social media accounts when a round opens.

Before commissions open, I’ll open for price quotations. There will be a form you can fill out with all the necessary info to receive a price.
You’re welcome to fill out this form for multiple plush ideas or sizes; a price quote is completely obligation-free and not an order yet. Price quotes stay valid for half a year.

Commissions will be open for one full day. There will be form linked on my website to fill out with your order details - the form is similar to the price quote form, but asks for a bit more info.
Commissions are not first come, first served: I will pick out the orders based on my time and preference. (If I don't take on your commission, you're more than welcome to apply again in the next round.)

If your commission is accepted, you’ll receive an email with further information. Payment is required upfront, before I start work on your plush. (Any payment plans need to be discussed beforehand)
I’ll send you an invoice (either for PayPal, credit card or bank transfer, depending on which method you chose).

The plush will be made within the upcoming 5 months, together with the other plush commissions of that round. Unless requested otherwise, I'll post work in progress shots on my social media accounts. As soon as your plush is finished it'll be shipped to you with tracking info and insurance. Before I send the plush, I'll contact you with photos of the finished work and to double-check the shipping address.

Where/when/how can I buy a plush?

Almost all the plushies I make are custom orders (commissions).
I open for new commissions every few months; slots are limited (See info above)

How much is a plush?

You can find starting prices here.
Prices depend on complexity of the character. Shortly before I open commissions, there will be a price quote form available on my website.

Why this price?

You are buying a handmade, customised product, that I put a lot of time and effort into making. I do my best to make something that you will love and cherish. High quality materials, labour hours, quality machinery and equipment all factor into the final price.

These are not mass produced factory toys - they are one of a kind art pieces that can take 15-60+ hours to make. I take great pride in making each piece the best I can.

Can I get a discount if I order more than one plush?

I'm afraid not. Every plush is made with greatest care and commission slots are limited, so I do not offer any type of discount on custom orders. You will save on shipping though ;)

Can I trade with you?

I generally don't do any trades, sorry!

Process

What happens when I commission you?

Price quote
You can fill out the price quote form when it's available. You'll be able to enter any details you think I should know about! If I have any questions I'll contact you. You'll receive a price that will stay valid for half a year (which usually means for 2 commission rounds).

Commission request
If you accept the price, you can apply for a commission whenever I'm open. You'll find the current status on my price list page. Commissions will be open for one day - if I accept your commission you'll hear about it the next day!

Payment
You'll receive a (Paypal) invoice to pay for your plush. If it's an OC, all payment will be required upfront.

Making the plush
After payment I'll start on your plush! I'll work on a few plushies at the same time during my commission round. A commission round lasts 5 months max.
I will take progress pictures while I work and post them on social media (and email them to you, if preferred).

Completion and shipping
Once finished, I will take photos of your plush and ask for confirmation to ship. Your plush will be shipped with a trackable service with insurance. You'll have to sign for the delivery.

Care and handling

Can my plush be washed?

Your custom plush cannot go into the washing machine. Use spot cleaning to clean your plushie instead.
Here's a handy cleaning guide.
Other than soap you can also use rubbing alcohol or alcohol cleaning whipes. It does nothing to the fluffiness of the minky fabric, it leaves no residue, it sanitizes and removes stains. The alcohol smell is strong for a little while, but after leaving them to air the smell goes away with nothing left but super soft and clean minky!

For removing dust I recommend lint rollers. Don't worry; it won't make the plush sticky - they don't leave any residue.

Can I handle the plush a lot?

The plushies I make can definitely be cuddled and handled! The only downside to frequent handling is that the stuffing may become less compact.
They aren't suitable for rough play though, nor are they safety tested, so please take care when giving it to a child.

Plush types

What kind of plushies do you make?

I can make all kinds of plushies! I prefer making animal or fantasy type characters though, but feel free to challenge me.
I've made them very tall and very tiny; with and without clothing/accessories, with minky fabric and with other fabrics.
Please note I do not make 'NSFW' plush.

What is a beanie plush?

A beanie style plush is typically posed lying down. Their legs are filled half way with plastic pellets, to give them weight. Their joints are lightly stuffed so they are 'floppy'. They can be draped over your shoulder and their legs can be slightly posed/folded.

Machines and materials

What materials do you use?

I use a super soft plush fabric called Minky. The brand I use is Shannon Fabrics, they call their fabric 'cuddle 3' (because of the 3mm pile length). I usually buy fabric from plushaddict.co.uk and minky-europe.com.

Which sewing machine and other tools do you use?

I use a PFAFF Ambition 1 sewing machine. I started off with a Brother INNOV-IS 20 LE.
For my embroidery I use a Brother Stellaire embroidery machine. To make the embroidery designs, I use a program called Brother PE Design.

Do your plushies contain metal wires?

Generally: no. I like to make plushies with as much soft materials as I can. Some accessories may be made with different materials, but I'll mostly use minky.
If I do think the plush will benefit from an internal structure (wire or different), I'll discuss it with you first.

Do your plushies come from a smoke- and pet-free home?

My house is completely smoke free and me and my partner do not smoke. We do however have two cats. They do not touch fabric or plushies and are not allowed in my sewing room, however please commission at your own risk if your allergies are incredibly severe.

Making plushies

How did you start making plushies?

I've been making plushies for quite a few years now. I started with simple plush shapes made of fleece fabric. The first plushies I made to actually sell were my deer plushies. They were made with minky, combined with a cotton fabric with a fun pattern. Their eyes were made with plastic safety eyes.
I wanted to give more character to my plushies, so I got myself an embroidery machine. And with that, I started making "My Little Pony" style plushies; those really got me hooked.
So far I've made well over a hundred custom plushies of all kinds, in all shapes and sizes ^_^

How did you learn to make plushies?

I had some basic experience with a sewing machine when I started (-thanks mom!). I learned a lot from looking at other patterns, mainly the ones from Valleyviolet. I've looked up various youtube videos, for example on how to do a proper invisible ladder stitch to close the plush from the outside.

Can you help me make my own plushies?

Feel free to message me on my social media accounts with questions, I'd be happy to answer.

To get you started, have a look at existing patterns and tutorials - there are a lot of them out there. Google, Youtube, Pinterest and DeviantArt are your friends when it comes to finding free patterns and tutorials. It also helps to buy a good, well documented pattern, for example on Etsy. If you want to make pony plushies, I highly recommend Valleyviolet's patterns.

For specific help on learning how to sew, check out youtube videos ^_^

Here's a list of some other great pattern makers:

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