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Total matches for dragon: 89
Fuzzy Baby Dragon Squad
While Desert Bus for Hope 2021 was going on, I decided to indulge in a project I'd been wanting to get back to for over a year: justifying buying a bunch of fabric playing with a little plush dragon pattern and seeing what subtle changes to the construction might bring. So, I marked and cut fabric during the marathon. I marked and cut a lot of fabric. Then set it aside to get some other things done first, because that is My Way.
Total construction time per dragon, from the initial fabric marking to the final stitch: 7 hours. That translates into about a week "working while living a semi-functional life" time. This whole project took 8 weeks. That is... difficult for me to grasp. Each and every dragon is fully hand-stitched once to actually get pieces together and then reinforcing stitching is used to keep them together. The soft fuzzy fabric is an astonishingly luxurious acrylic fleece, and the belly/accent fabric is either cotton or "rainbow foiled cotton". All eyes are acrylic safety eyes from 6060 on Etsy, with only the silver sparkle eyes on the last dragon hand-painted by myself as a very successful experiment. Each dragon is very much different and the pattern itself was abandoned at various points to let their individuality shine through.
It's been really nice to have this pile-o'-dragon around, but I think they'd really prefer to spread their soft fuzzy goodness around. Currently unclaimed:
Minty Green with Hearts, White with Hearts, Blue with Rainbow Leopard Print, Pale Purple-Pink with Rainbow Streaks, Vibrant Pink with Skulls and Crossbones, Hearts and Camo, Black with Skulls and Crossbones, Hearts and Camo, Rainbow Stripes and Checkers with Sparkly Rainbow Reptile Print
Autumn Baby Jewel Dragon Twins
Two curious jewel dragon hatchlings, ready to explore the world! And have a snack. And take a nap. You know, the truly important things in life.
I've been making these baby jewel dragons off and on for a while now, but I'd always been a little worried about their stability. Sure, everyone ought to know to be gentle with tiny handmade things like this, and I never received any complaints, but even so I just wanted to make them overall sturdier with enhanced stability just to be sure they'd stand the test of time. These two are the fruits of testing and labor and so much cursing and complaining, but the results are spectacular and extremely sturdy. They're still a little squishy and flexible, but overall the body, wings and limbs are much more stable than previous attempts. ...The downside here is that they take an awful lot longer to make (read: much more work) than previous attempts, but it's a worthwhile trade-off.
Still, I mean. Aren't they worth it?
(For Sale)
Kaquel
Kaquel's what one might call a "world hopper"; they like to explore the galaxy by "hopping" between various planets, taking in the sights and sounds of different worlds and never really staying in one place too long. It's the nature of their species to be able to survive almost any kind of atmosphere, which is a really lucky thing as they haven't completely perfected portals and wormholes yet. That seems like a minor inconvenience, really.
I went a little "back to basics" here. There's no internal spine structure, but the legs and toes are wired. There is a criss-crossing wire down their back and tail, though, which does allow for a little posing. I started this with no particular ideas of where I wanted to go with it, so the felt horns just sort of happened. I had some leftover snake/skin agate beads, so those seemed idea for the eyes. Then of course I couldn't stop there with the shiny, so I mixed up some fabric paint with iridescent pigments, and ta-da or something. It was a nice, refreshing project. Somehow.
(For Sale)
Orange Fire-Bellied Dragonlet
Dragonlets are a breed of "house dragon" which were bred specifically for small spaces and apartment life. They ultimately don't get much bigger than small dogs (think pug or dachshund, depending on the type) and tend to have a varied diet so they're not overly difficult to care for. While they do develop scale patches when they get older, dragonlets retain their "fuzziness" for their whole lives and enjoy the occasional chin scratch or tummy rub. In all, a perfectly reasonable magical pet with a slightly questionable slogan: "Dragonlets, the city wizard's pet."
This particular dragonlet is just a baby of the fire-bellied variety. They're actually relatively rare, as far as type goes. That may have a little bit to do with the possibility of producing flames from their mouths while snoring, but if the proper precautions are taken to fire-proof their bedding, certainly there is no danger to be had. Still, you may want to keep them away from things like hair spray when they're sleepy. Safety first.
This little critter is the result of some self-imposed challenges (1.) can I make a reasonably simplistic plush that's interesting?; 2.) can I actually manage to use NO BEADS?), velboa scraps, fleece I've had around for 7~ years (which is discontinued, argh), and safety eyes that I've been holding on to for a little longer than even that. No wires, no "fancy stuff"; the pattern is my own, everything was sewn and reinforced by hand, stuffed with polyfil, and it's super soft and a little bit fuzzy.
I kind of greatly underestimated the massive "cute factor" when designing the head/face, though. I was not prepared.
(For Sale)
Vesta
Winged fire serpents like Vesta may not be what you'd expect. Oh yes, they carry the family lines of ancients, of great and powerful creatures which roamed worlds long before we can imagine. It's just that now, here on this planet of Earth, they've come to be so very small. Fitting in the palm of your hand small. But oh, they are no less fierce! But if you'll share your lunch with them, I bet you'll have a grateful buddy who is totally willing to light your barbecue for you.
So I wanted to do something a little different from my jewel dragons. From the moment I picked out the colors, I knew exactly what she was going to be; but this poor girl waited so very patiently to be worked on between other projects, and I'm happy that I finally managed to finish her. Unlike her beaded kin before her, she's not specifically designed for poseability, but for being sturdily reinforced to hold that pose. (Which isn't to say that small adjustments can't be made, but she's meant to be static.) I just really loved the idea of the dramatic pose, wings out, her lower wings supporting her as she gets ready to fly. I am deeply pleased with the result.
About those colors by the way... her body is comprised of beads I'd been hoarding away for a very long time. Long enough to find that they've been discontinued since. The wail I let out was not dignified. These things happen way too often. So, technically, her eyes, the 6 crystals on her lower wings, the dark red beads that make up most of her body, and the fabric of her wings, have all been discontinued over the years. This seems cruel. (Sold.)
Orb Guardian Pendant Set
Orb Guardian pairs have come to be a symbol of partnership and trust. One feels affinity for the lighter stone, the other for the darker, both of them representing one half of a universal whole.
I hadn't actually seen these coming. I know, big shock. I just wanted to pick up a little polymer clay since it had been so long, and before I knew it... well, these. I'd intended them to be simple, and they did turn out to be... relatively so, but then I decided to complicate matters. They started out as very flat and smooth and I found that... boring. So I rounded them out, added texture and iridescent pigment, and of course a Swarovsky rhinestone each. I've also reinforced the wings to stand up to any possible hair or clothing snags, as well as balanced/shaped them in such a way that they carry the majority of their weight in the stone and the bottom of the tail so no one gets poked in the neck or chest while wearing them. Seemed kind of important to me.
(For Sale)
Mage's Familiar
The truth of the mage's familiar (at least in Rideum) is a little different than what standard tales will tell. It's not a "real animal", and it's not some entity disguised; but a mage's familiar is certainly a companion that they keep with them when they are to take a long journey away from home. It is their connection, their reminder, and indeed many times in the past it has served as the power to bring them back home. When a mage is either selected to, or elects to, use their gifts for some benefit of family or kingdom, then their family (and not merely by bloodline relations; magic cares not for blood, but for heart) gathers together to construct a familiar. No matter what skills they may have individually, from youngest to eldest, they contribute a part of building the familiar so that every stitch, every bit of paint, every bead so very carefully placed will be bound together with one will: to return the mage safely home. Some familiars have been stuffed with patches of clothing from every family member, while others have been decorated with beads from necklaces passed down many generations. Still others are simply constructed of socks and sawdust. (Magic cares not for material wealth, either; the value of will cannot be counted in coins.)
Between you and me, I'm fairly certain this little familiar will get the journey of a lifetime--and safely see their mage home.
So I sketched out a little pattern. Inked it, cut it out. Had some of this almost micro-suede fabric (it's not technically micro-suede, but it feels almost exactly like it; so soft) and decided to oh so carefully transfer the pattern lines and do a test with just a plain, simple, traditional plush. I should have known better. I was all the way through cutting out the pattern when inklings of this story, this creature's origin, started coming to mind. I had already sewn the back and belly when everything was becoming more clear and then... well, it should be more rustic, right? Out the window go the old plans, stomping straight into the front door come the new ones, and... here. I've been wanting to try that old-style "rustic" doll articulation, anyway. And I wanted to play with the idea of little stiffened/reinforced fabric "scales" here and there. So I can't really complain. Just sit back in awe and wonder what happened as usual.
This lovely critter cannot and was not intended to stand on its own, but drapes over one's hand or lap very easily. I mean, this is really soft fabric. And really smooth beads. And is seriously just a nice tactile experience. Entirely hand-sewn, no machine, because I continue to be insane and questionably intelligent. Wings are "unfilled" and "un-wired", but do swivel. Hips, shoulders, knees and elbows are all articulated. I'd intended for the head to turn too, but... the mock-up just did not look right. I like this better, anyway. (For Sale)
Purple Iris Dragon
It's rare for a person to actually see an iris dragon, or at least to recognize one. They're quite good at hiding, folding up their wings in such a way as to trick the eye into thinking they're just another fancy iris. By the time there's any realization that a second look is needed, they've fluttered off to some more flowers. More fascination comes in the fact that they don't even need eyes to "see" their environment; the "teardrops" that hang down from their tail are more advanced and sensitive than any insect's antennae. If by some chance you do manage to see one that isn't hiding, they tend to like gentle rubs on their backs, right between the wings. They're very soft and fuzzy there.
I'd had a very vague idea of this lovely creature somewhere around the time when I started working on the first Desert Bus 2014 chocobo. I even started the body and basic wire structure between chocobos. After I'd finished all of my Desert Bus work, I came back to this and had intended it to be simple. Yes, I should have known better. But I really love the result. The body is real silk velvet in a rich purple, with the purple beads being dark amethyst and the white ones being opalite. Then just so many glass beads, so much wire and finally a decent use for that plastic-feeling beading thread. And they're a pin/brooch! Because I don't do practical unless I'm paid in advance. (For Sale)
