Elf Makes Plushes
Hello! I'm ElfGrove (a.k.a. Elf, Elfie) and I make custom plushes as a hobby.
About
Hello! I'm ElfGrove (a.k.a. Elf, Elfie) and I make custom plushes as a hobby. I started making plushes in 2013 in so that when my brother and close friends had children I could spoil them with custom made plushes and because I loved plushes growing up and still do.
The majority of my early plushes were made with fleece and I developed a lot of my skills and techniques in the process of making plushes for the lovely crew of the Green Lantern: The Animated Series (GLTAS) show as I had a chance to interact with them and the show was sadly not going to have any official toys.
Most of my current plushes are primarily minky and starting around plush #25, I started sewing on a "Handsewn by ElfGrove" tag to most of my plush creations. If you find a lost plush with one of these tags, please contact me, and I will work to reunite it with its owner.
F.A.Q.
Q: How long have you been making plushes?
A: I completed my first plush in September 2012, but I didn’t really start seriously working at making plushes as a hobby until mid-January 2013, when I made 6 Zilius Zoxes for the producers and directors of Green Lantern: The Animated Series. Those I completed around February 1st, 2013.
Q: What are your plushes made from?
A: I generally work in fleece, felt, minky, and faux leather. Details are usually hand sewn on with embroidery floss and different craft findings. I use safety eyes and noses on many of my plush designs and a standard poly fiber fill unless requested otherwise or if the design calls for it.
Most of my non-prototype plushes have a “Hand sewn by ElfGrove” tag.
Every single plush is hand sewn with needle and thread as it gives me better control over the final product and because that's how I enjoy making them. It also means each plush has minor (often only noticeable to me) differences that makes them unique.
Q: How long does it take you to make a plush?
A: It depends on the size and complexity of the plush, if I need to create a new pattern, and if I have all the materials needed for a project on hand or need to order things. On average, it takes between 2 to 6 weeks for me to complete a plush from start to finish.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: It’s always best/fastest to check my plush instagram @ElfPlush (link) stories & highlights for what is currently being worked on.
Q: Are your plushes safe for children?
A: While I avoid using known toxic materials in making my plushes and try to use safety eyes and noses especially when I know the plush is for a young child -- I am a hobbyist making OOAK plushes, which means they have not been put through stringent child safety tests. My plushes are not recommended for extremely young children who might be prone to trying to eat the plush.
Q: I love the plush you posted! Are you selling it?
A: Most of the plushes you see me post already have owners before you see the first progress pic. So the ones you see are not for sale or adoption unless specifically stated otherwise.
Q: Do you take commissions?
A: Yes! When I have commissions open. Please check my @ElfPlush IG account for the current commission status. I enjoy making the plushes and I actually feel like I’ve gotten pretty good at it, meaning I am willing to make them on a commission or trade basis. I much prefer trades of art/craft/cosplay or other skills over money as I like keeping this strictly a hobby.
It is worth noting that I open commissions to the general public very rarely. Most of my plush making plans come from my own head (gifts) or discussions with/requests from friends and family.
I'm trying to get better about not filling up all of my time for plush making before I can post an open call. Plan: Be a less chaotic plush maker 2022.
Q: I see that commissions are currently closed, but can you pre-schedule or waitlist me for when you do re-open them?
A: No. While the enthusiasm is appreciated, it would defeat the point of closing commissions so I don’t get inundated with requests I cannot fulfill in a timely fashion (causing me stress) and it would be unfair to the folk patiently waiting for me to open commissions for you to jump ahead of them.
Q: Are there restrictions on your custom plushes?
A: I avoid making anything that an equivalent of is available mass-produced. The amount of time, money, and effort that goes into a custom plush makes it unreasonable to remake things that can be purchased for less than $200.
I generally max out plush size at around 10~12 inches. Noodle plushes like snake-dragons are an exception. Larger plushes just create a lot more overhead to deal with.
I will most likely turn down any request for more than 2 plushes at a time from a single individual due to the needed time commitment.
If you are the one requesting a plush, contact me directly to coordinate. Do not promise someone something then demand I produce it without having approved the plush and any deadlines with me.
Q: Do you sell at conventions or via an online storefront like Etsy/Tictail/BigCartel/Etc?
A: No. Nor do I plan to. I have a completely unrelated full time job. I love making plushes as a hobby, and I want it to remain something I do for fun, not as a business or job.
Q: I heard you had a standing offer of free custom plushes?
A: Yes. There is a very short list involved here, and they are very much an "as time permits". If you are credited cast, crew, or staff from Green Lantern: The Animated Series or Voltron Legendary Defender, I would be delighted to make one plush for you as a fan of your hard and amazing work, just shoot me a message via email or twitter to work out details. My brother, niece, and limited close friends (you have likely been badgered about this or done so before) can always make requests of me, within reason.
These can be requested regardless of whether or not commissions are open, but may have to wait longer.
Q: The price you quoted me is too expensive!
A: I am not Wal-Mart or Amazon. Each of my plushes are hand-stitched and take many days and hours to complete. Without even figuring in the cost of materials, I can pretty well assure you the price I quote is still putting it at way under minimum wage for the amount of work I put in. If you’re not willing to pay that, I’m not willing to do the work for you.
Q: What are the basic price quotes?
A: I do not have any basic prices laid out at this time. Recreating something I already have a pattern created for is easier than an entirely new creation and some designs are simpler to execute than others. Fabric choices and whether or not I already have materials on hand or would have to make a new minimum purchase of something specific can make it differ widely. I’m happy to chat details with you and update/work with you throughout the fabric choice process if needed. Let me know what you want made and I’ll give you a quote based on the level of work and materials involved. Asking for a quote does not obligate you to anything. Seriously, just shoot me an email or message to ask for details (when commissions are open) if you have something in mind.
Q: How does (money) payment for a plush work?
A: Once we have talked about and agreed upon a price, the plush goes into my working queue. Outside of special circumstances (like need-by deadlines), a plush that involves a money exchange will jump to the front of the queue. I will give you an estimate of when I expect the plush to be completed, and 50% of the agreed upon price will be due up front. Once the plush is finished, I will send you a photo and the other 50% of the price will be due then. As soon as payment is completed, the plush will be shipped to you with a tracking number. At this time, I only accept monetary payment via Paypal.
Q: I heard you made a plush for free or in trade for some art or other goods, can we do that?
A: So far most of the plushes I’ve created have been either gifts or part of a trade of skills. If it was a gift, be assured that I already know and really like the person I did it for, these are not completely random internet people. (Please do not attempt to befriend me to get a free plush, I don’t make THAT many for the odds to be in your favor.) I’ve also done them as gifts for artists, creators, and actors that I admire. Trades are only done when I both want to and I feel the exchange of artistic skills is worth it to both of us. I’m a cosplayer, and I love trading the results of my skillset for someone else’s skills. I encourage you to contact me to ask, but please keep in mind that because I’ve done it with other people does not automatically mean I will do so for you.
Q: How does making a trade for a plush work?
A: Contact me privately (via Instagram, Twitter, or email), and we’ll work out the details. I may ask that conversations eventually move into email for ease of tracking the exchange.
Q: Will you share the pattern for this plush?
A: Because I’m putting a good bit of effort into coming up with or modifying existing patterns (that have their own usage rules) and I would worry about them being distributed to people who would make them for sale, I will not be sharing any of my patterns.
Q: I never see you post plush work on Tumblr anymore, what happened?
A: I have primarily abandoned Tumblr as a social networking site. If you would like to see my latest plush creations and works in progress, please check out my plush IG account: @ElfPlush
Contact
Please read the FAQ before contacting me.
Contacts that ignore things covered by the FAQ may be ignored.
Use either the social media direct message function or email to get in touch.