Textile Technology

Project: Plush Toy

Name: Hayden Thompson Teacher: Mr Ha Class: Technology 7.1

Design Briefing
Design Brief
Design, construct and evaluate a stuffed toy creature to be given a 2-4 year old child. Design Situation Most of us as kids would have owned or been given a plush toy. I still have my Gund bear called Tender that is in all my baby photos. Plush toys have been rapidly increasing in popularity and continue to be an important accessory to everyones bedroom. A wide variety of studies have shown that not only do children enjoy the novelty of these plush toys but it helps to foster growing emotions and improve the social interactions.

Project Limitations
Deadline: Due to the schools relatively short terms there is minimal time to work on our plush toys and folios to achieve the best product that we all strive to achieve. Experience: For a large majority of the class this will be the first time in taking a material/fabric curriculum. This will potentially stop us from fulfilling our vision for this project. Project Guidelines: As per the guidelines set there is only so far we can take our extraordinary creative visions, a nice example of this is the fact that the plush toy has to be smaller than an A4 page in size. Resources: Due to the large class and a small range of materials we have to try to make do with the items on hand. As this will not be the perfect choice of fabric we will not meet the guidelines set out by our sketch.

1. Applies design processes that responds to need and opportunities in each design project. 2. Generates and communicates creative design ideas and solutions. 3. Applies a broad range of appropriate tools, materials and techniques. 4. Applies management processes to complete the design project on deadline.

Criteria For Success

Gantt Chart

Existing Designs
Plush Toy Teddy Bear Positives The bear is soft, commonly used soft toy. Which parents are likely to buy. Negatives The bear is unlikely to connect with older children as it seems to be a toy designed for smaller children.

Plush Nemo

The Disney fish is a recognisable character toy from the Disney animated classic Finding Nemo.

This plush toy will not respond to teens and the way the eyes are wide and focused in it might the may frighten the kids by a small amount.

Plush Hippogriff

This is a mythical creature from the well know Harry Potter Series. This inspires a sense of magic to young children.

If this character is not previously known by the target audience they might have problems connecting.

Usable Fabrics
Where does cotton come from? Cotton grows on cotton plants. The shrub is native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Properties of Cotten. 1. Cotton is a non-allergenic natural fibre that doesnt irritate sensitive skin. 2. Cottons softness makes it a preferred fabric for underwear and other garments worn close to the skin. 3. Cotton is one of the easiest fabrics to dye, because its white in colour and very absorbent. 4.Cotton has a high absorbency rate and holds up to 27 times its own weight in water. 5.Cotton becomes stronger when wet.

Blanket Stitching
1. Thread your needle and knot the tail end. Start by sending your needle up from the back. This should be done about 1/4" in from the edge, or at whatever length you want your stitches to be. 2. To get the stitch anchored, poke your needle up from the back again, so that the needle comes out the top at the same spot where you started, creating a loop around the edge.

3. Send your needle under the loop stitch you just made. To do this, poke the needle under the stitch going sideways at the edge of the felt. This gets your thread anchored, but it is not a true first stitch.

3. To start your first true blanket stitch, poke your needle down from the top (#2 in photo D). This should be about 1/4" over from where the thread first came up, and about 1/4" up from the edge. To complete your first stitch, bring your needle up from the back, and through the loop of thread (#3 in photo D). This should create a straight line down from #2 in the photo. Before pulling this stitch tight, be sure that your needle is in fact through the loop of thread as shown in photo D.

Appliqu Stitching
1. Place the appliqu where you want it. You will work the stitch from the front of the piece. 2. Run the needle down through both layers of fabric. Work this part a short distance from the edge of the appliqu. 3.Run the needle up through the base fabric. Try to get it at the edge of the appliqu piece or just slightly underneath. 4.Catch the thread from the preceding stitch under the tip of the needle.

Sketches
I have chosen my R2-D2 design as my overall product. The R2-D2 plush toy has a set range of colours and has specific look. The hilarity of the character on his movie series will hopefully reach the target audience better and sell to the larger crowd. R2 has a range of sowing techniques needed to hold all the details in place. This will keep testing me and keep up the challenge. R2-D2 will be difficult but still a manageable project.

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