Almost everyone in childhood loved to play with soft toys. Some had soft dolls, others animals: bunnies, dogs, hedgehogs, etc. At the same time, not only children rejoice in soft toys, but also adults. After all, even young ladies do not mind receiving a huge pink bear as a gift. Everyone saw and knows about the existence of these cute presents, but what is the story of a soft toy? It is quite rich and full of interesting events.
What is a soft toy?
A soft toy is considered to be a children's toy made of artificial (or, as it is now fashionable to call, environmentally friendly) fur, as well as fabric and stuffing.
The history of the creation of a soft toy is full of facts that state the use of a wide variety of stuff for stuffing, including wood sawdust, shavings, cotton, cotton wool, etc. But nowadays, thanks to the development of new technologies and the industrial sector, stuffing material has changed significantly. Now in use are granules of synthetic origin, various density synthetic winterizer, etc.
Appearance story
According to most researchers, the history of the soft toy dates back to the third millennium BC. And first wooden toys appeared on the territory of Egypt. Later, they already learned to innovate and add moving body parts to products. Scientists also found the remains of toys during excavations in Italy (Pompeii). These are not soft, but still toys that were intended for children.
As it turned out, each country and region has its own story of soft toys. So, prototypes of soft toys were found on the territory of Ukraine and in Siberia. These are figures in the form of animals and birds. China also boasts a large number of ancient toys found by researchers.
French-style toys began to be produced in the 19th century. Also in the 70s in Germany, a small workshop grew into a full-fledged company for the production of soft toys called Steiff. Later - at the beginning of the 20th century - the mass production of soft toys from plush, etc., already started.
Manufacture
As the history of the emergence of soft toys shows, its production goes in several directions. One of them is the manufacture of simplified versions of the toy, while the second involves a transition to the side of a naturalistic image, which exactly repeats the figure and movements of an animal, bird, fish, etc.
Among the main elements for the manufacture of soft toys, the main ones should be noted: a pattern (or pattern), a set of materials (natural or artificial fur, printing, fabric), as well as tools (needles, threads, special sticks, various scissors).
DIY toys
If we take into account that the history of a soft toy began not with soft materials, but with hard ones (for example, wood), then in our time a solid frame is sometimes taken as a basis. But more often than not, a soft toy remains completely soft, and only stuffing is located inside.
Do it yourself with your own hands to make a soft toy. The most important thing for this is to be patient, attentive and in a good mood. It's no secret that every year the number of masters who are fond of hand-made in the toy field is becoming more and more. This is due not only to the desire to have a unique toy at home, but also to give a handmade gift to a child, a friend.
Moreover, the history of soft toys shows such statistics: initially soft toys were made manually according to the author's drafts, then factory production appeared, and now both exist in parallel. An important role in the development of handicrafts is played by the Internet, thanks to which you can easily find various patterns, read methods and even watch video tutorials.
The main areas of toy production
Today, there are several main areas in which soft toys are produced. One of the first places on this list is dolls. As you know, many girls love baby dolls that are soft to the touch. Their feature is the presence of closing and opening eyes, such dolls can talk and even sing, answer some simple questions. All this is done using built-in mechanisms. Dolls can be changed, sew clothes for them, their arms and legs are bent.
Equally popular are teddy bears that both boys and girls like. When the story of a soft toy is outlined, we can briefly say the following about it: first various animals appeared, and then a teddy bear took possession of the world, moving its front and hind legs. In addition to dolls and bears, all other figures of a soft nature are produced: hares, seals, elephants, tigers, lions, dogs, cows and many others. Moreover, all these little animals can be of different sizes - from very small for babies to huge ones, on which children sleep, as if on a bed. Japanese manufacturers have even developed models of such soft toys that completely imitate pets (puppies, kittens).