Who is the "we" at MadHatterPlushies?
The "we", is really just a "me"!
MadHatterPlushies is entirely run by myself with convention support courtesy of my wonderful life partner <3 I am a queer, neuro-divergent Canadian who works as an artist full time!
In 2015 I graduated from University and instead of continuing in STEM I decided to save up and give my creative career a shot. I saw various artists who were making a life long career out of their artworks and specifically plush making; not just as a hobby or supplemental income, but as professionals who supported themselves and even their families with their art. By that time I had already developed a great love for plush making and seeing these professionals really inspired me!
Since then, I've come such a long way! I purchased my first semi-industrial machine in 2019 followed by a multi-needle machine in 2021, hit 1000 sales on etsy, expanded my products to all kinds of new items, designed and developed my mascot Cat-thulhu, started my patreon's patch club, attended conventions all across Canada and started connecting with various industry professionals. In 2019 I had the great pleasure of connecting with Symbiote Studios and have since worked with them to create several plush prototypes which continued on to become official mass produced plushies for IPs such as Overcooked and Transformers!
There has of course been struggles and many life lessons along the way but I absolutely love what I do and am incredibly lucky I can make my living pursuing my art. In the future, I'd love to continue working with even more artists and companies in prototyping, helping to bring beloved characters to life, and hopefully one day expand my own line of creatures towards mass production as well! Thank you very much for checking out my work!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is (item) sold out?
Except for my acrylic charms, all items in the shop are made by me personally! This means I'm only able to make small batches so unfortunately sometimes things will sell out and may not be back for a while.
When will (item) be restocked?
I'm not sure! Certain items will restock more regularly while other may be less frequent. For the latest news always check out our homepage or news page and if you want to be notified of restocks, please join our newsletter or check out the Restock Alerts tab to join a specific re-stock list!
Pets and Allergens
Items come from a smoke-free and cat-friendly home. Cats are present in my home and do come into my office but are not allowed to ever touch my fabrics. If you are severely allergic to cats please purchase with caution and perhaps have a friend wash your new plush first!
As for fabrics, I primarily use shannon minky and shannon luxury faux furs. Allergies to these fabrics are rare but not unknown. Please look up their fiber contents if you're worried about fabric allergies!
How do I clean/take care of my plushies?
Minky and faux fur are temperature sensitive so please do not put them in the dryer under normal heat! Plushies and patches can be washed in cool or warm water and tumbled dry on low heat or left to air dry. Ideally you should try to only spot clean plushies with soapy water or plush cleaner for a long and fluffy life. I recommend picking up a bottle of Build-a-Bear plush cleaner! Each plush also comes with a fabric tag with washing instructions!
Do you sell or share your patterns?
At this time I do not share or sell any of my plushies' or patch patterns but I may sell patterns in the future. Keep an eye on News for updates!
Why is shipping (x) price?
I'm from Canada! And unfortunately that means shipping can be more than you might be used to (especially if you live in the United States). Rest assured I do not make any profit off of shipping prices! These are prices available to me with Canada Post plus a dollar or so to help cover packaging.
What machines do you use?
I use a Singer Heavy Duty sewing machine and primarily my Brother PR 1055X embroidery machine however I started with a couple Brother PE-770s earlier in my journey along with a Brother PRS-100 in 2019.
What materials do you use?
I mostly use Shannon brand cuddle 3 smooth minky but I also use their sparkle, rose and luxe minky in some items and their luxury faux fur. All their fabrics are super soft! On some patches I use cotton or cotton-twill as well as accent fabrics like organza. For stuffing I use Poly-fil.
(Item) is really expensive?!?
I'm sorry to hear you think so! All items are made by me from my home office and I work as an artist full time. As an adult, I have lots of bills to pay and my pets to take care of so I need to properly cover my time and materials. Plushies, charms and even patches can take quite a long time to make, I often work 10-12hr days, 6-7 days a week. I can't pay people to take home my work!
If you like my work but can't afford it, I do completely understand! Artisan work is quite expensive and more of a luxury than mass produced goods; I buy many of my own items (from gifts to food to clothes) from other small businesses as well! Keep an eye out for sales and maybe you can get grab that item at a lower price!
I want to make plushies and things too! Any advice for getting started?
There's so much to cover on this topic but firstly I'll say: Welcome to Plush Making! This is just an FAQ so I won't be able to cover much here but I highly recommend picking up some patterns on etsy or from deviantart and giving them a try! Practicing with others' patterns can really help you learn and feels rewarding too. Also, get online! Join some plush making communities on facebook or discord!
To help you get started I'd recommend checking out Choly Knight/Sew Desu Ne? 's website and tutorials! They have some really great info for beginners along free and paid patterns!
Do you make custom plush, patches and/or charms??
Yes! In fact I very much like taking on smaller commissions when I can! I've made several custom patches for cosplays and I'd love to do custom character charms for people's OCs at some point! Plush commissions are more complicated & open a bit less frequently but please keep an eye on the homepage!
Any subjects or styles you won't make?
I don't make NSFW plushies and I very rarely make humanoid plushies. If you have a human or humanoid plush design you'd like to commission you can certainly still apply when my commissions open but I find the little details for them to be a lot of time and energy so I only like to take on characters that I also personally like very much!
Can I order patches of my design for resale??
You can! But I wouldn't recommend it. I am just one person with a lot of work on my plate and while I love making custom patches, I only have a semi-industrial single needle machine so my prices will not be at all competitive with large suppliers/manufacturers. If you'd like a smaller batch of patches to test the waters, for a patreon reward, or for friends then I may be able to help out! It would depend on my current workload but I don't have any minimum order quantity (MOQ) for patches.
When will plush commissions re-open??
-vague shrug-
But, in all seriousness, I have no clue! I completely open commissions very rarely because I feel like I always have enough other work going on. I'm thinking of opening some restricted commissions here and there such as pokeroll commissions or charm commissions. I do still take on some select commissions when asked but please just check back on the site periodically or join the newsletter! My workload is constantly shifting so I can't really plan more than a month or two in advance!
Orders, Prototypes and Commissions: Terms of Service
Cancellations and Refunds
For all standard orders, you may cancel your order for a full refund as long as your order has not shipped yet.
For custom orders, cancellations are generally allowed but the amount refunded is decided on a case-by-case basis. Factors include; if fabric has been purchased, if work has started, how long has already been spent, if the item in question can be resold or not.
Turnaround Times
Turnaround times vary greatly by order, please check individual listings for details! Keep in mind some items are Ready to Ship and will ship in 3-5 days while other items are Pre-Orders and are not finished at the time of ordering. This means they are made or finished after that date and could take several weeks depending on current workload.
Commission and Custom Order Quotes
Quotes vary quite a bit depending on how detailed the request is, the style of the plush, the materials, the size and, honestly, how confident I am in the process of completing your request.
When commissions are open, please apply with detailed pictures of the character as well as a style example and general size estimate.
Custom orders, aka small changes like embroidery colors or fabric colors, may only add 10-20$ to an item's base price. Commissions typically range from 250-350$ but can be 500$+ depending on the factors mentioned. If a style is very simple and uses a pattern I am very familiar with (ex. beanies, pokerolls) then that may bring the commission cost down closer to 150-200$ or possibly even less if very simple.
Commission Process
After I take a look at your references and we decide on a design and quote, I get to start working!
First I tend to sketch designs from various angles of how I would translate your character into the given plush style and you can give input on certain details or changes at this stage. Next, I review the colors and available fabrics, choosing ones that I believe match closest or go best together. Pictures will be sent to you and you can again give input as to which you like best.
After this point I start working on the patterning and embroidery so updates may become more sparse as I may be doing a lot of testing and retesting where I don't require customer input but am instead trying to match the sketches we discussed. Before embroidering I always double check as well that the designs are correct.
Once the plush is completed you'll receive photos from different angles, possibly photos in the testing stage as well, and you can let me know if there are any small details that need to be adjusted before it is shipped.
Payments and Payment Plans
For commissions I do accept payment plans but all commissions will require a non-refundable deposit paid at the beginning to cover fabric costs and likely my time in sketching and working with you on details. After that point, payments should be made regularly or commission progress may be put on hold. Until all payments are made, your plush will not be shipped. If payments are stopped part-way through and payment dates are missed, you plush will be put on hold.
Revisions
During my commission process I try to gain input from customers at each step in the process (detailed above). I do allow a limited amount of revision on the final plush but if the changes are excessive or are contrary to decisions made earlier in the process (that were approved explicitly by the customer), then I reserve the right to refuse such changes or ask for additional payment to complete such changes. Please carefully look at each step and let me know at that time if there are changes you want made. The earlier the better!
Shipping
Shipping rates do not have tracking unless stated in the name i.e. "- Tacked/Insured" or "Tracked Packet" or unless they are marked as Express.
All items in my shop can be upgraded to a tracked package but I understand that for some items that price is more than the item and for some locations that it very pricey. I offer these lower options to help buyers but by purchasing an untracked item you are buying at your own risk. Without insurance/tracking I cannot refund you if your item is missing or damaged on arrival. Please buy at your own discretion or upgrade to tracked if you do not trust your national postal carrier!
Can I resell my commission?
Please do not commission me with the intent of reselling. It is extremely disheartening and rude to take advantage of an artist this way. The sole exception is if you are up-front with this information from the beginning and we make a deal based on this information. I would absolutely love to make plush for small events, kickstarters, as promo items, etc!
All that said, If you commissioned me in the past and are selling off old items, de-cluttering, etc then you may of course sell an older commission from me.
Legally, I cannot control what you do with your commission once you receive it but if I find you have commissioned me secretly with the sole purpose of reselling my work, I will put you on a blacklist and inform other plush makers as well. As a community, we stick together. Please just be up-front and kind!
Other Terms
- Legally, I cannot sell to any persons under 18 years old online. If you are under 18, please have a friend or family member purchase on your behalf.
Still Have Questions?