iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

It is a long-standing tradition of mine to change course for the monthly design at the very end of the previous month. Especially when there's only 30 days in said previous month. But despite all the combinations, I only need to test four faces to get all the components. So I have a question:

ko-fi.com

Pumpkins again

Silver Seams published a post on Ko-fi

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 25/10/2024

It's decorative gourd season. silverseams.com/shop/downloa... #bsnm #MachineEmbroidery

A variety of plush pumpkins around a machine-embroidered valet tray that reads "it's decorative gourd season."

A couple of stuffed pumpkins made from Halloween-themed damask prints.

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Karen C @silver.phoenyx.net · 21/09/2026

I remembered I stitched out another slug when I made Alexander Mason, so I cut it out and stuffed it. Is there a reason for the shape, and for the background? Yeah. 🧶

A plush banana slug, this time curled in more of a C shape.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Not all of my in-the-hoop designs have this kind of size range but this is the comparison between the 8x14" hoop version and the 4x4" hoop version. (Also yes the leopard slug will be available in the shop shortly, and I guess I should get the tiny(ish) banana in there too. Both are fundraisers.)

A large, squishy (okay you can't really tell that from the picture but trust me, it's squishmallow levels of squish) slug made from black plush fabric with foiled gold leopard markings.

The big slug next to the keychain slug. It's close to three times its size, and extends from one side of the light box to the other.

The big slug with a one-foot/30cm ruler. It's longer than the ruler (its body is about the length of, not counting its eyestalks which have little gold bead eyes).

A closeup of the eye beads: because they're four-hole beads, the black thread from the two outer holes makes a sort of goat-like pupil on the eye, which real snails can be like too.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

This is a banana-free version of the Banana Slug design: silverseams.com/shop/product... I discuss interlining too-thin-for-plushies dancewear fabric in the instructions, and that's what I've done here.

silverseams.com

Banana Slug Design | Silver Seams

A design to make slug plushies in the hoop of an embroidery machine.

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Karen C @silver.phoenyx.net · 16/09/2026

Hope my neighbors are entertained by their Ring footage of my holding a slug photoshoot on my stoop.

A large (7-8") stuffed slug in sunlight, showing off its iridescence.

A close-up of its little sluggy eyes (faux anodized glass beads).

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Okay, now you can make your own banana slugs! (Assuming you have an embroidery machine. If not, I will have info on more premade snails soon!) silverseams.com/shop/product...

silverseams.com

Banana Slug Design | Silver Seams

A design to make slug plushies in the hoop of an embroidery machine.

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Karen C @silver.phoenyx.net · 30/08/2026

Aside from the three or so finished(?) moths in that box, I also collected the various moth bits. Got at least five where I have all the parts (some didn't ever have anything but the wings done because I only needed one of each type).

A couple of rosy maple moths, a darth's head moth, a sort of Minnie Mouse moth, and more, all in pieces.

A large Luna moth with its forewings detached, more random wings (cecropia, I think) and fluffy moth bodies.

More random moth wings, some from print fabrics.

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Karen C @silver.phoenyx.net · 30/08/2026

Dug through the various boxes and baskets where I chuck testers and samples for things that are on-theme for Skype a Scientist, gotta clean these up and take glamour shots and listing text and then WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN AUCTION #invertefest (and some mostly-marine friends with vertebrae)

A box with a wild assortment of mostly plushies: sharks, octopuses, frogs, spiders, moths, a gingerbread Mothman, crabs, an eagle (go birds), ball python, etc.

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Karen C @silver.phoenyx.net · 29/08/2026

I've added it to my StoryGraph page if that's a thing anybody else is on.

app.thestorygraph.com

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I am terrible about promoting but I have a Patreon and Ko-Fi (same content) on which I post at least one in-the-hoop machine embroidery design every month, usually a plush charm. This month: Mothman, spooky eyes, and a snail tab (so far). www.patreon.com/silverseams/... ko-fi.com/post/There-i...

patreon.com

There is no slug emoji | Karen at Silver Seams

... but that's okay, probably one of the Snail Facts is that slugs are just snails with no (or with internal) shells. (I don't know yet, I h

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Karen C @silver.phoenyx.net · 23/08/2026

A lighter-yellow, less-ripe banana slug! This one has its sensory tentacles retracted and its optical ones end in glass beads. Like the previous one, it's about 8" long as the crow flies, and it is yours for a shipping label and a donation ($25 for this one) to @skypeascientist.bsky.social.

A plush banana slug, with a 12-oz can for scale. Yes, I should have had a banana for scale but all that's in the house are plantains, which this slug *is* the size of.

A top-down view of the slug, showing off its light green embroidered grooves and graceful curve.

A face-on view of the slug. This one only appears to have two tentacles/eyestalks, but it has small jet glass beads on the ends of them.

This slug can be yours! Or you can wait for ones with fancier coloration, but they'll be more expensive.

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Karen C @silver.phoenyx.net · 22/08/2026

Critter is a prototype so its eyes are a little derpy but if you send @skypeascientist.bsky.social twenty bucks and you send me a shipping label it's yours. Check the alt for details on it.

A plush banana slug, about eight inches long (as the crow flies... measuring the curve along its back is probably closer to ten inches).

A different angle on the slug. Its mantle is not a separate piece, but is formed by the stitched grooves along the rest of its body.

Close up of the slug's face. It's made of a low-pile yellow plush from an original pattern I'm developing.

Looking down on its eye stalks. The eyes are embroidered, and one is a bit caught in the seam so it has kind of a derpy Chihuahua squint.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

The kawaii mothman design is out! The plushies themselves are not listed yet, but that is forthcoming. ko-fi.com/post/Kawaii-...

The cover image for the Kawaii Mothman, with both a classic mothman and a non-man moth variant.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Fat quarter collecting is different from fabric collecting, in addition to fabric collecting being a different hobby from sewing. Anyway this was the last one they had.

A fat quarter with faux NASA patches: meatball, Apollo 11, couple of shuttle related ones.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

If your mothman has well-defined abs he's probably dehydrated, get him some nectar right away.

A tiny plush mothman, with machine embroidered pecs and abs.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Got out the moth-moth to see how the wings work on the chibi mothman and somehow I am making another moth?

A deflated realistic-ish deaths head hawk moth plush WIP, next to a yardstick showing its 20" wingspan.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

The design listing is up! You can make so many different little goblins in your embroidery machine. You can buy it as a one-off design, or it's the July reward for monthly members on both Patreon and Ko-fi.

silverseams.com

Kawaii Goblin Design | Silver Seams

In-the-hoop machine embroidery design for goblin plushies

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

silverseams.com

Kawaii Goblin Design | Silver Seams

In-the-hoop machine embroidery design for goblin plushies

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Product photography is my passion. 🙃

A group picture of the plush goblins in the light box. Everybody's in frame, didn't catch the edge of the backdrop... but the picture is upside down. At least that's easy to fix.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Never thought I'd be making in-the-hoop clothing on an embroidery machine but here we are. 😉

A preview image from the instruction pages for the clothes for the embroidery machine goblins.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

I'm back! (Unscheduled break because one of the kids was in the hospital)

Most of the pieces of three plush goblins on a lap desk for assembly.

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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Georgia is COMPLETE! That leaves us with 8 states FL 48 TX 32 NY 20 IL 20 MI 18 VA 7 CT 7 IN 6 Which state is next?? givebutter.com/USS2026

givebutter.com

United States of Science 2026

By Skype a Scientist

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Been making some clothes for the goblins and Ople is very happy with her little dress although it's a little clingier than she expected. She's gonna bash a bigger snake next time.

A little plush goblin (in Shannon Cuddle Minky Opal) in a dress made from iridescent black snake-pattern velvet. It is a bit form-fitting, and Ople's form is kind of "dumpling with legs."

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

I try not to work on weekends/holidays but sometimes a design is just fun. What I'm saying is, these are all assembled except Grummy Pickles (because I sewed him two left ears). And of course he, Ople, and Klurk need clothes, but those are pretty simple other than I have to photograph the process.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Found all the parts to the small size test goblin! The bodies will have three variants (so far): heart, navel, and this

The front of a small stuffed goblin, this one in pale olive fleece.

The back of the goblin, showing its machine embroidered posterior.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

I have to stitch out ten goblins for this design, what was I thinking. At least I don't have to finish the stuffing/assembly for all of them, just make sure the face stitching looks good and put together a representative sample for the listing. (And one-piece Baalk doesn't even count!)

Five goblins in progress. Two are finished and need clothes, though one (Baalk) has the same mouth as an incomplete one because it needed improved. Three more have been cut and turned, one of which has the head piece stuffed and one ear sewn on.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Been working on the Great In-The-Hoop Dragon Revision of 2026 and decided to put a thermometer on my little computer desk tucked under the eaves next to the air conditioner that has been roaring nonstop as long as I can remember and now I have moved to a cooler part of the house because it's 87.8F.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

I'm sure this spammer thinks their offer to buy a 20-ft container full of my product is tempting and not terrifying but buddy I make 4" tall dragons by hand, that would kill me

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Yep! Mom thought dragons were demonic but all my surviving relatives like mine. (But Mom thought everything was demonic, including the robots on the Mr. Roboto album because they had pointed ears. When I confusedly showed her the album cover she said it didn't matter, still demonic for Reasons.)

The Styx Mr. Roboto robot masks, which have round dials for ears.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Bluesky's struggling with images (it's a CDN issue) so this is probably a great time to post links, huh? Grugbobs says if you can't see him here he is at ko-fi.com/post/July-pl... (same post as on Patreon, if you follow me there instead). Goblins and wyverns!

ko-fi.com

July plans

Silver Seams published a post on Ko-fi

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

I have, over the years, gotten commissions for things like "a full set of Pernese colors" etc but this is the first time I've had someone request over a hundred plushie dragons for wedding favors. I... am gonna need some help. It'll basically be these, but GoT/wyvern style. In-the-hoop, <4" tall.

silverseams.com

Standing Dragon 2 Design | Silver Seams

A machine-embroidery design to make a plush standing dragon.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

The good news: I managed to publish a third design to Ko-Fi/Patreon this month (available for non-member purchase): silverseams.com/shop/product... The bad news: after taking the cover picture I realized the "sand" was upside down, you can't see the pink thread, I didn't trim some jump stitches...

Five different in-the-hoop machine embroidery variations on a Croc-style clog design: plush charms, faux-leather charms, and one with the ability to insert Jibbitz style shoe charms.

Closeup of the picture, showing some un-trimmed jump stitches, the print screen of the "sand" (scrapbooking paper), and a big hair or thread across a plush charm.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Should I put (properly dressed like Baalk, but proper ears like Grugbobs) goblins in the Romancing the Vote auction y/n? (I dunno though, slots are getting low and I would be concerned about blocking out a better auction item.)

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Kategod 🐉🧿🦑𓅛🪬 @kategodart.northsky.social · 26/06/2026

looking for $170 to pay rent now! slowly paring it down!! check out my shop, i got cool stuff for sale and i take tips/donations too! if the tips thing isn't working on kofi, i have a cashapp ( $KFLStudios ) here's more examples of stuff in my shop! #rentaid #bsnm #shop #handmade

zinnia the dragon plushie, bright pink with white underbelly/inner ears/underwings, bright yellow mane/crest and tail tip, black horns/claws, purple tongue, and blue eyes

a 21.5 inch long necklace made from red resin roses, glass seed beads, and red acrylic beads with a silver toned metal clasp

a bunch of 3 inch x 4 inch minnesota all inclusive pride stickers

a sandy brown plush bat ornament with a cream underbelly and a 9 inch wingspan. they have black shiny eyes, an embroidered little smile, felt gray ears, and hang from a braided cyan and green yarn loop

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Bark's Bog @barksbog.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

I have two trans-pride crocodiles up in my shop right now! These are 75cm/2.5ft long, made from shannon 3mm and star embossed minky, have holographic eyes, a weighted belly, as well as jointed arms and legs! barks-bog.com

a crocodile plush in the colors of the trans pride flag lying on sandy ground before grass.

a crocodile plush in the colors of the trans pride flag lying river pebbles

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Not sure the "inchie" size is going to work, but the next larger size will be fine. Should probably re-run the pink one with better colors (there's a third color on there, honest) when I run the stuffed charm version.

A couple of clogs (Croc style) in upholstery-vinyl bunting form. One of them has holes which are covered by the Jibbitz-style charms in them. They're accompanied by a 1/4-scale version of each of them in orange, which is hard to make out.

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saraofwhimsy @saraofwhimsy.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

There is a gremlet! Figured this little one would be a warm up for my actual plan...but sewing machine is definitely too haunted. So I will brave the storage room in search of the cords for the other one! If you don't hear from me, I was eaten by feral dust bunnies.

A little gremlin plushie with heart eyes, a big smile, and giant ears. The fabric has hearts, some if them say RtV for Romancing the Vote.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

When were y'all gonna tell me there was a topaz that was the thing Gemduo Backlit Petroleum beads were imitating? (sadly this ring is too big for me, both size and style)

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Am I as excited about America's 250th as I was about its 200th? No. Am I willing to cede its iconography to the worst people just because they're largely in charge? Also no.

A red pennant garland being stitched with the 13 red and white stripes of the US flag.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Re last post: coding is *perhaps* an acceptable use of AI (and I say that as a software developer) but it's kinda tainted by the whole *everything* so, y'know. (If I had an employer paying for it I might mess with it but since I don't, I just use my brain and avoid it all.)

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Tomorrow is my last day of PT, the machines are back at their usual spots and I am getting back to speed!

A one-piece goblin with a wacky embroidered from.

The same sort of goblin, different expression, but separately sewn parts. This one doesn't have clothes yet.

Ice pop (generic Popsicle) buntings and a clog (generic Croc) bag charm that holds shoe charms (generic jibbitz). Yeah, trademarks are awkward sometimes.

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Haven't had an order for a custom dragon in awhile* but unsurprisingly, it's one of Those Colors. (In part because that's what tends to be pictured in listings, so it *is* a bit self-reinforcing even for non-McCaffrey/Whelan folks.) Choosing an eye color can be a LOT. 😆

Seven pairs of tiny diamond-shaped (rounded parallelogram, not brilliant-cut) glass beads, mostly in shades of blue or green, on the rust-colored minky the dragon will be made from.

The box of beads: forty-five tiny compartments full of two sizes of the little eye beads, in a plethora of colors.

(This is not even all of them.)

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Karen at Silver Seams @silverseams.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Craftiverse Plus feed! bsky.app/profile/craf...

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