How many times have you ambled past Kid Robot and thought, "Man, I wish I could make a toy figure with a cigarette hanging out of its mouth..." WELL HERE’S YOUR CHANCE!!! In our new Intro to Plush Toys class, toy designer Lauren Venell shows you how to design a workable plush pattern that you can use over and over again. This class covers surface techniques, how to stuff your toy evenly, and the super secret stitch that lets you close your toy with no visible seam!

Supplies Needed: if you want to bring your own materials, you will need 1/4 yd. fleece or cotton fabric (any color is fine). if not, we have fabric here. and we love donations of stuffing or old pillows if you have any.

Prerequisite: Sewing 101 or equivalent. Seriously...you gotta know sewing machine basics and be able to comfortably sew curves and pivot on a sewing machine.

Teacher Bio: Lauren Venell is an independent toy designer, artist, and small business consultant from San Francisco. She is the founder of Sweet Meats plush toys and a Senior Design Partner of Burning House Design. She manages several product lines in addition to independent creative consulting. Lauren is also the editor of the Biz Miss blog for creative women, a contributing "biz lady" for design*sponge, and the Indie Business columnist for the Bazaar Bizarre SF blog. She’s kind of a big deal...if you didn’t know.