Great news— Patchkins plush production is completed! They will be starting their boat journey to me in the next few days!
Upcoming Charges
Everyone who is still waiting on their pledge/preorder will be charged shipping on July 24th! You will still be able to edit your address until I receive the plush and prepare for fulfillment.
For my non-U.S. backers— Please review your shipping estimate! These calculations are based on using Pirate Ship's USPS International. I was advised by fellow creators to not use UPS since they apparently like to upcharge customs fees. But if you'd prefer to check if there's a cheaper-up-front shipping cost option, please email me at [email protected]. As a general note, I only really noticed UPS being slightly cheaper for pledges with 3 or more plush, but it couldn't hurt to check if you have that preference :)
Surveys Missing Payment Info
Due to an error on Backerkit staff’s end, there are a handful of pledges that were able to complete the survey without putting in payment information. Problem is, I need that to charge you shipping!
If this applies to you, you should've gotten an email within these past few months about it. As of now, there are 4 remaining backers who need to add payment information. I'll send another personal email today if this applies to you to give you a direct head's up.
You have until fulfillment is completed for all pledges to fix this. Otherwise your pledge will be considered a donation and you won't receive your rewards.
Unanswered surveys are reopened + Final chance to get your pledge rewards!
You have until fulfillment is completed for all pledges to finish your survey and pay shipping. Otherwise your pledge will be considered a donation and you won't receive your rewards. There are 3 of you remaining!
Customs Delays & Safety Testing
Given the customs rule changes for the U.S. on July 8th, the Patchkins might get stuck in the port arrivals backlog that could delay them a bit in getting to me— i.e. their usual 4-week shipping transit time might get pushed to 6-8 weeks.
However, per my manufacturer's recommendation on June 22nd, I did pay an extra $1,300 out of pocket in an attempt to be compliant with these new rules. At that time, when the rules were freshly implemented but still unclear on how to enforce (which this U.S. administration loves to do)— there was reasonable belief that there would've been a risk of the plush being destroyed at customs if I'd chosen not to pay it, which I absolutely did not want 😭
This is also why there’s been such a prolonged gap between the previous “they’re almost done!” update and this one. They were almost done, but adding the safety testing tacked on additional wait time.
For transparency: Patchkins are my first endeavor into plush making. When I was calculating the budget for this campaign, I asked around with other plush creators and did my own research to decide whether or not I should budget for child safety testing. The general consensus from multiple different sources was that, since I'm not a big company and my plush were promoted for legal adults on Backerkit, it was my choice to do it or not. So I decided against it— and then the rules changed.
All this to say, the Patchkins wash labels have them listed for ages 15+, because the plush were made before this customs rule change. But I have the documents that proves they've been safety tested and are officially safe for all ages. I'll be budgeting for the safety testing in my future plush campaigns and will adjust future wash labels accordingly.
If you'd like a better breakdown of the situation, my Pintopia cross-collab partner Kity has written a pretty thorough explanation of what small businesses/creators are dealing with in terms of these changes at U.S. customs.
(Totally not related whatsoever... did you know I have a Summer Trinket Sale live for 3 more days? 😅)
And just for fun— here are their mugshots on the safety testing report. Gizmo's gave me a good chuckle, they look like they've been framed and are so shocked about it!
As always, if you have any questions or need my assistance, please email me at [email protected]. I don’t get timely notifications for comments left on Backerkit updates, though I will check for them periodically.
Just popping in to share some production progress photos! I’m told that some are complete while others are going through quality check. As you can see, the many Echos were going through surgery last night 🤭
Our timeline seems to still be on track, but I’ll keep you all updated if that changes 💜
I will have a few random shop items for sale (including some new ones!), as well as leftover Patchkins stock that I have on hand that's taking up room in my office (stickers, enamel pins, keychains). I'm gonna need all the space I can get for the 715 plush that are shipping soon!!
I understand this sale is happening before most of you have even received these items yourselves, since we're still waiting on plush to be able to fulfill. Rest assured that all pledges including these items have already been sorted and set aside, so there's no risk of running out of stock for backers.
Additionally, to thank you all for your support and understanding— all orders still waiting on plush to ship will receive a 20% off promo code for my shop in your pledge package!
As always, please email me at [email protected] if you have any questions! I don’t get timely notifications for comments left on updates, though I will check for them periodically.
Hey everybody! Please read on if the title applies to you, or skip to the end if it doesn't for Kipper's ear revision pics and final plush numbers. ♥
Lune enamel pin
It's been brought to my attention that there was an error on my end in the surveys where I missed adding Lune as an option for the enamel pin add-on.
If your order has not already been shipped, and you wanted a Lune pin and were unable to choose it during the survey, please email me at [email protected]. I can swap the pin(s) for Lune or add it on to your survey that you'd pay for along with shipping later.
If you're happy with your current enamel pin choice(s), feel free to disregard.
Pay Over Time/Pay-in-4 Backers
Everyone with completed payments for their POT has received their surveys, and most of you have filled them out! POT backer surveys are locking tomorrow, so please be sure to get them completed. I am in crunch time to get final numbers in and non-plush rewards ordered/finalized so we will have everything ready to ship once the plush arrive.
For POT backers whose payments have lapsed— you will have until May 27th to complete your payments or your pledge will be considered abandoned and canceled.
I do not offer refunds for partial payments, so please be sure to get your balance paid off by then. I will also send an email on May 20th with a final warning.
In other news, production is in full swing! Thankfully, Kipper's ears were able to be cropped in his pre-production sample.
And just for fun if you've read this far, here are the (mostly) final numbers of pledged plush!
Heya everyone! I have received all the plush prototypes, so this update includes the final pics for all of the unlocked plush, surveys closing date, reward check-in, and updated timeline!
🧸 Surveys are closing on Monday, April 27th! 🧸
This is when surveys with additional add-ons will be charged so the funds can be put toward production. Shipping will NOT be charged yet! This won't lock your address either, so no worries! I've unlocked ALL* surveys so everyone is able to edit or add items to your final pledge!
* There are a very small minority whose surveys I'm unable to unlock for various reasons. But I should still be able to edit your surveys on my end, so if you'd like to do so, please email me at [email protected] and I'll see what I can do.
Unanswered surveys run the risk of not getting the rewards you want. I have a few stragglers, so be sure to complete your survey by Monday, April 27th to get your desired rewards.
Plush mass production will be ordered a day or so after surveys close! At the recommendation of my manufacturer, I'm getting the bulk order in before May since he told me they'd be a bit busier going into summer.
I’m only ordering enough stock to fulfill pledges. POT backers don't need to worry, I have a buffer built in for those pledges who can't access their survey before then. But I'm not ordering extra for my shop or anything, so once the plush are sold out during the leftovers sale, they'll be gone for good!
‼️If you are a POT backer and plan to order ADDITIONAL plush through your survey— separate from your pledge level choices— PLEASE email me ([email protected]) with your additions by the end of Monday, April 27th so I can be sure to account for them in the production order! ‼️
ESPECIALLY if you want Gizmo... they're going to have extremely limited leftovers (if any at all) since they're the backer favorite 👽🐶
Non-plush orders will (hopefully) be able to be charged shipping and begin fulfillment around the first week of May!
🧸 Pre-Order Store is closing TODAY! 🧸
I've had a countdown running on social media for a week for non-backers to get their last-minute preorders in, but also putting this here to be transparent. Cards will be charged (minus shipping) the same time as backer surveys on Monday, April 27th.
🧸 FINAL PLUSH PICS 🧸
Today is sadly a rainy day here, so I'll try to update this post's photos over the weekend as it becomes sunnier.
As a general note, Patchkins have weighted beads in their hands and feet. I didn't initially have weighted beads in their bottoms, but this batch of prototypes came to me with them and it really gives them a comforting weight. I've chosen to add them to all plush for production!
Ploosh
Production changes: Arms will have more stuffing in them to match the other Patchkins. Removing weighted beads from tail. Adding weighted beads to bottom to match the other Patchkins. Plush sensitivity disclaimers: None
Ploosh front standing
Ploosh back standing
Ploosh front sitting
Echo
Production changes: Adding weighted beads to bottom to match the other Patchkins. Plush sensitivity disclaimers: None
Echo front standing
Echo back standing
Echo front sitting
Gizmo
Production changes: None Plush sensitivity disclaimers: Their head has a crinkle when squeezed due to their embroidery, akin to baby toys but not as loud. The antenna have bendable stabilizing wire to hold their shape.
Gizmo front standing
Gizmo back standing
Gizmo front sitting
Taffy
Production changes: None Plush sensitivity disclaimers: Their head has a crinkle when squeezed due to their embroidery, akin to baby toys but not as loud. Ears have no stuffing.
Taffy front standing
Taffy back standing
Taffy front sitting
Remi
Production changes: None Plush sensitivity disclaimers: None
Remi front standing
Remi back standing
Remi front sitting
Lune
Production changes: None Plush sensitivity disclaimers: The antlers are stuffed (no wire) so they can be a bit floppy. Ears have no stuffing.
Lune front standing
Lune back standing
Lune front sitting
Kipper
Production changes: Ears might be slightly smaller/shorter (the manu photo was taken at a slight angle where it made them look smaller; gonna talk to them about possibly changing it before approving his production). There is a 50/50 chance his ears will stay as-is. Plush sensitivity disclaimers: His head has a crinkle when squeezed due to his embroidery, akin to baby toys but not as loud.
Kipper front standing
Kipper back standing
Kipper front sitting
🧸 Rewards Check-in 🧸
Stickers: In-hand Acrylic keychains: In-hand (may need to order more based on final survey counts) Enamel pins: In-hand Adoption certificates: In-hand Pin backing cards/add-ons packaging: In-hand Embroidered keychains: In-hand Hang-tags: In-hand Plush: In production
🧸 Updated Timeline 🧸
We are currently way ahead of my initial timeline estimate! Production is estimated to take about 2 months, but this is definitely where delays commonly occur. Though I'm cautiously optimistic that this updated timeline is closer to when fulfillment can be expected while still giving some wiggle room for delays.
April 24 - Pre-Order Store closes April 27 - Surveys close; Survey add-ons & preorders are charged April 28 - Plush production begins May 4 - Non-plush pledges charged for shipping & prepared for fulfillment August - September - Production completes & Rewards ship to me September - October - Rewards ship to you!
‼️If you have any urgent questions that need answering before surveys close on Monday, please EMAIL me at [email protected] instead of commenting here. I don't receive instant notifications for comments! ‼️
Next update is expected to be posted when the plush have completed production and are ready to start their sea journey to me!
Hello all! I'm dropping in with four FINAL 🤯 prototypes and one single round 2 pic. We're nearing the homestretch for the prototyping phase AAAAH!!
These came to me a little more staggered over the last few weeks. I posted them as I received them in the Discord server (linked below 💜), but waited to compile them all in a bigger update for Backerkit to save your email inboxes.
⚠️ Friendly reminder for everyone that if you don't like how your chosen plush is looking in these photos, please wait until I receive the final prototypes in person! ⚠️
I can take my own pics in natural lighting, as well as have them all beside each other for comparison. I know it's super easy to get discouraged when the plush isn't meeting your idea of them in the manu photos, but you gotta trust the process 🤞🏻
EDIT: I FORGOT TO ADD KIPPER WHEN I INITIALLY POSTED THE UPDATE ARGH! They've been added below now, so sorry!!
FINISHED PROTOTYPES
Remi
Taffy
Kipper
Gizmo
I love this fur color combo SO much more for Gizmo, it matches their art pretty spot-on!! I've also ordered a fabric sample book from my manu to avoid getting tricked by factory lighting swatches again 🫵🏻
Their eye placement is also PERFECT! It's what I originally wanted for Patchkins, but I was told early on that it would be too close to the muzzle. I'm gonna see if future Patchkins (after this campaign) can all have this eye placement because it's so adorable to me 🥹
Round 2 Prototypes
Lune
Just need to shrink the nose embroidery, it was a bit too large this time! Since it's such a minor revision, I'll just wait to share Lune's final prototype until I get them all in the mail :)
New Projects
If you've been around my profile or in our Discord server, you'll have noticed a lot more planned projects popping up! I've featured a few of the relevant ones below. Click the images to be taken to their teaser pages!
Patchkins Plushies Redux: The campaign for Rowan, Teacup, and Jolly! We have a tentative launch date for Pintopia 2027 TBA in March, but if the original Patchkins haven't been fulfilled by then (unlikely), then I will push it back. I will hopefully get their prototypes done beforehand so they'll be able to be put into production immediately after surveys close!
Puppysaurs Pins Series 2: Another campaign to fund designs that didn't unlock the first time, plus a few new ones if we're lucky! Will be launching as part of Beasts & Botanicals on April 23rd and will also be cross-collabing with Paleo Pals!
Poncho's Pride Pins: A pride campaign that I'm super excited about! Will be launching as part of Pride Parade/Queerly Made on May 26th.
Next scheduled Patchkins update—Once I receive the prototypes in person for their final glamour shots! Estimating by the end of April 💜
This will also be the time when I will announce the date for closing the Pre-Order Store and surveys, charge for all items added during surveys, and get the final counts for production! This should be around the time when POT backers will be making their final payments, so no worries on being left out :)
