Sunday, October 29, 2017

Tips and Tricks for Crochet Amigurumi and Best Amigurumi Patterns



This post contains affiliate links. 


Amigurumi is any object that has been crocheted and stuffed. Some examples would be crochet food, crochet animals, crochet cactus. 


Amigurumi Basics



1. It uses a smaller hook to create a tighter stitch, so the stuffing stays inside. 
It is crochet in the round.
2. It uses increase and decrease stitches throughout the pattern to give desired shape.
3. All pieces/parts/limbs are crocheted separately and attached.

You can be as creative as you wish when making an amigurumi. You can add emotion to your shape adding eyes, cheeks, and more. 

Are you a visual learner, sign up for an online class through Craftsy to learn how to make an amigurumi.  Other classes available include How to Design Your Own Amigurumi Monster



I saw it on Craftsy

Learn from the Best: Kristi designer of Crochet Owls on Craftsy




Some examples of amigurumi projects: 








What do you need to make an amigurumi?


Amigurumi Basic Supplies




Additional Supplies to Crochet Amigurumi


 


Add character to your amigurumi food and animals using safety eyes. Get even more creative using different eye colors!




 


Create eye expressions using embroidery floss. Use your bent edge needle to weave in amigurumi.

 



Use the poly-stuffing to stuff amigurumi. It will make the new crochet toys extra squishy and soft.


Cotton Yarn

 




Cotton yarn will be the softest and most durable yarn to use for making an amigurumi.




Free Amigurumi Crochet Patterns 




Use an amigurumi pattern to make a new project. Some FREE patterns from my blog:






Paid Amigurumi patterns I have tried and loved:







 


Beautiful pattern collection of amigurumis!!!!! What will you make first?



Have you made an amigurumi? 

What have you made? 

What amigurumi will you make?

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Basic Crochet Supplies for the Beginner and Experienced Crocheter Everything You Need to Crochet

When you have decided to crochet, you will realize you actually need very few crochet supplies to make beautiful hats and scarves or crocheting garments.  Below I am sharing my favorite hooks, brands, and what I recommend using. 

I am only showing you products that I have used and have loved. This is my personal opinion on what I think are the best crochet supplies for someone who is a beginner in crochet or someone who is advanced in crochet

In a hurry --> Find this complete crochet kit here. 
This post contains affiliate links. 




See this post for What Do You Need to Crochet an Amigurumi?






10 CROCHET SUPPLIES FOR THE BEGINNER OR EXPERIENCED CROCHETER 




Crochet Hooks 


Crochet Hooks: I have used Boye Aluminum hooks for a long time. A J size Hook is a great place to start. A few months ago, though, I needed to get a G size hook for an amigurumi project which required a smaller hook. That is when I came across Clover’s Crochet hooks.  Oh my. My crocheting experience has been forever changed


Clover hooks are very comfy, soft, and easy to maneuver. 

See these projects where I have used a G crochet size hook. 





I have personally tried and used these crochet hooks for years. Boye and Clover hooks are excellent to crochet any project!!!!





Stitch Markers will help you keep track of your first stitch and your last stitch. It is especially helpful when crocheting a hat in the round or when crocheting an amigurumi project or when you need to make a color change in a blanket.  This set of stitch markers will last you a long time, it is very durable. I still have my set and it has been well-loved!  


 
These crochet stitch markers are my favorite. I have used them in MANY projects.

The stitch markers do not break, stay on the stitch, do not come off. I can leave them on for weeks at a time on a stitch until I can get back to my project and the hooks are still there. I strongly recommend getting a set of this to keep!


You will also need a Tapestry Needle to weave in the loose ends from your project. This will be the yarn from every place where you cut it and will need weaved in.



   



The bent edge of this needle will help you weave in the ends of your yarn through your stitches at ease. It will work much better than a flat edge.



The best part about getting to crochet is choosing the yarn for your crochet project.  There are many places where to purchase yarn in craft stores and also online.



My favorite yarns to crochet with have been Vanna's Choice, Caron Simply Soft, I Love This Yarn, and BernatCaron Cakes Yarn is also a very popular option, especially for making blankets. 


These yarns are very affordable, yield really great results. You can use them for all sorts of projects such as hats, scarves, blankets, amigurumi, dishcloths, etc.




Crochet Patterns and Books will be very helpful to make new projects. Some of my favorite patterns online come from Etsy, Craftsy, Moogly, and Kim Guzman.


This post includes my Crochet Books. 


Sharp - Pointy Edge Scissors will be great to have. You will want one that you can easily take with you wherever you go. This one is a small size.

You will need a Pouch to keep your hooks and small things with you. How about a pouch like this one?


 
This pouches or pencil cases will be the right size to fit your crochet hooks, needle, and small supplies that you will need to keep with you while you crochet.



Last but not least, you will need a Measuring Tape. It will be very useful to measure your gage to compare it with the pattern. This type of tape measurer will fit in your pencil bag.


 






Use the measuring tape to check your gage, to measure head sizes, or to measure the length of a desired project.


Last but not least a wooden crochet bowl has been amazing to have!!!!

 




This wooden yarn bowl is so functional. Set your yarn there, carry it with you. The yarn will stay in the bowl the entire time while you crochet your project until you run out. It looks very pretty, too.



Wooden Yarn Bowl
Wooden Yarn Bowl

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