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Amigurumi: Cute, Cuddly, Crochet

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 11 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

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Ami-wha?

 

Amigurumi (a-me-goo-roo-me), the Japaneese word for "knitted or crochet stuffed animal", is the hottest craze in crochet right now. And why not? They're easy to make, quick to do, are are as cute as a button! A hand crafted fimo button in the shape of a wittle flower, even.

Many ami's are animal in nature, though little people are popular, as well as food. Yup, you too can crochet happy little cupcakes or ice cream cones...or sushi. What ever tickles your pickle.

(photo by Brenda Janish. some rights reserved.)

Getting Started 

The very basics

Amigurumi are pretty easy to make. They are made in the round using the single crochet, with a very tight gauge so that the stuffing doesn't peak out. (Because that's very embarrassing, let me tell ya.) Ami components are fairly simple in shape. All you need to know are the common increase and decrease techniques.

Are you giving your computer screen the "ok, that was all gobble-dee-goop" look? Check out these videos. The first is a silent video (not even a saloon piano soundtrack) that clearly shows how to chain and single crochet. The other two are fantastic amigurumi primers that cover working in the round, increasing, and decreasing.

Learn to Crochet

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Crochet tutorial - Amigurumi (Part 1)

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Crochet tutorial - Amigurumi (Part 2)

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Beyond The Basics 

Making something other than a hacky sack

Ok, so now that you've got the basics down, I'm sure you'll eventually want to make an ami with things like arms and legs. Or tentacles. Or antennae.

Here are some great tutorials on creating and attaching limbs, including the head. (Why does that sound so gruesome?)
Hook & Needles' Amigurumi Tutorial
Quick, go visit this link! Now! Really, this is the bestest tutorial on amigurumi on the net. Seriously. In three parts it covers all you need to know...with tons of video tutorials. A must read for ami makers the world over.
Amigurumi | Crochet Me
Some tips & tricks, along with a free simple pattern.
Pattern: Amigurumi tutorial, crochet animals, free pattern
A free pattern/tutorial for a baby octopus. (See, I told you that you could make tentacles.)

Ami On Parade 

Flickr pics of cute crochet

WHO CAN SAVE US ...?! by ♡weich♡taube♡

WHO CAN SAVE US ...?...

more amigurumi by julianne by shoshana f.

more amigurumi by ju...

craft fair 2 by shoshana f.

craft fair 2

julianne's amigurumi by shoshana f.

julianne's amigurumi

Mandy by ♡weich♡taube♡

Mandy

Jana`s presents ^-^ by ♡weich♡taube♡

Jana`s presents ^-^

Jana`s presents ^-^ by ♡weich♡taube♡

Jana`s presents ^-^

Keroppi (EXPLORE) by ♡weich♡taube♡

Keroppi (EXPLORE)

KLARA by ♡weich♡taube♡

KLARA

OMG !!! by ♡weich♡taube♡

OMG !!!

Free Patterns! 

Proof that ami makers are generous people...

There are a ton of free amigurumi patterns out there. So, instead of lising each individually (an almost impossible task) I'll give you some of my favorite directories. You can then browse through them 'til your heart's content. Or you gotta get up to go pee...which ever comes first.
A Crochet Toy Chest: Archives
A Resource for Free Crochet Doll and Toy Patterns on the Web. Not all of these strictly qualify as amigurumi, but that's ok because they have a link to a free crochet Dalek pattern. Yes, that's Dalek, as in Dr. Who. Geek crochet rocks! (whew, just had to get that off my chest)
Crochet Pattern Central - Free Animal Crochet Pattern Links
Another ton o' links here. Again, not all strictly ami. My favorite is the Snow Dragon. He's pretty. And snuggly. And won't breathe fire on your upholstery.
Lion Brand Yarn Company
Ok, so you have to register to view their actual patterns, but it's free. And they have some very simple amigurumi patterns that are great for beginners.

Further Instruction 

Ami video tutorials on common features.

Want to know how to make more than just a ball? Check out these videos for instruction on how to add detail to your amigurumi.

Amigurumi Tube - Arm or Leg

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Amigurumi Ears (rounded) demo

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Amigurumi Ears (pointed) demo

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Ami on Amazon 

Books full of fiber-y cuteness. What more could you want?

Internet tutorials are great, but sometimes you just need a book. You can thumb through them for inspiriation, take them to read on a plane, or use them to prop up wobbly tables.

On second thought, the wobbly table thing might not be such a good idea. Maybe just stick to gaining inspiration from them. Ya.

Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 12/01/2008) Buy Now
Used Price: $12.42

Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts!: Amigurumi (Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts)

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Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 12/01/2008) Buy Now
Used Price: $9.36

Amigurumi!: Super Happy Crochet Cute

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Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 12/01/2008) Buy Now
Used Price: $8.35

Cute Little Animals (Leisure Arts #4271)

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Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 12/01/2008) Buy Now
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Tiny Yarn Animals: Amigurumi Friends to Make and Enjoy

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Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 12/01/2008) Buy Now
Used Price: $6.86

Blogs 

What other people think about cute crochet

Amigurumi Octopus | Arts, Crafts and Design Finds
Amigurumi Octopus. Posted on December 1st, 2008 by Indee. Crocheted Amigurumi Octopus Doll. Available at : Happy Whosits. Categories: Dolls, Toys. Tags: amigurumi, animals, crochet, doll, octopus, plushies. Add Amigurumi Octopus to ...
Etsy :: curlsofsunshine :: Crochet Pattern-Amigurumi Dinosaur
Buy Crochet Pattern-Amigurumi Dinosaur for $3.00 on Etsy. ***This is a crochet pattern and NOT the actual toy***Pattern is easy but does require basic crochet knowledge.**Finished Size**Approximately 7 inches tallSize depends on your ...
Amigurumi | Crochet Me
If you're into Japanese crafts, you've probably at least seen photos of Japanese amigurumi books (if you haven't, check these out). They're beautiful, and the dolls are adorable. Amigurumi means "knitted or crocheted doll" in Japanese. ...
sew crafty & amigurumi cupcakes on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
My first time crocheting. Not my first time making cupcakes.

Yarn! 

Because you can't make amigurumi without it.

ebay can be a great place to find cut rate supplies for making ami's. Fun patterns, neat yarns, and crochet hooks are all available. Sometimes, at the end of a long day, I like to just go and drool over some pretty yarn. *sigh*

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My Humble Scribblings 

Articles I've written about fiber arts

Amigurumi: How to Make Them and Where to Find Them
Love to crochet? Love stuffed animals? (Or food. Or monsters.) Then amigurumi is for you!
Color Knitting: Intarsia vs Fair Isle
Intarsia and Fair Isle are two different ways of creating color changes in knitting. Intarsia creates blocks of solid color, while Fair Isle creates fine detail patterns. Learn to do both in this article.
Knitting in the Round: Double Points vs Circulars
Want to knit in the round, but don't know which method is right for your project? Check out the pros and cons of working with either double pointed or circular needles.
Knitting Tips: Five Things You Must Know Before Casting On
Follow these five tips can help make sure your knitted garments always turn out absolutely fabulous.
How to Cast On: Free Video Tutorials
Before you can knit a single stitch, you must first cast them onto your needles. But, which cast on to use? Learn about the pros and cons of the three most common ways of putting stitches on your needle.
Free Knitting Patterns: My Top Five Favorite Online Sources
As a rabid knitter, I'm always on the lookout for free patterns. Here are my top five favorite places online to find them.
Increasing and Decreasing Explained for the Beginner Knitter
Learn the most popular ways of increasing and decreasing in knitting. Written instructions and videos for k2tog, m1, ssk, and skp.

Amigurumi & Crochet Accessories 

Show off your love of the hook with these fun items...

Lidia: The Bunny Amigurumi button Socky & Peanuts Mug mug Crocheted Friends Stamps stamp
Crochet Chick Button button i love crochet button hooked on crochet mug Got Yarn? Tote bag bag

A Crocheted Fortune Cookie 

Every good meal..er...lens should end with a fortune cookie!

crochet fortune cookies

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Whatcha think? 

All feed back welcome...

MerryM wrote...

Thanks! :I [in reply to Tiddledeewinks]

ReplyPosted November 08, 2008

Tiddledeewinks wrote...

Fun stuff!

ReplyPosted November 08, 2008

sugarismypet wrote...

Umm, I like everythiiinngg! But, sorry to ask, how do you make a backround on your lens?

ReplyPosted September 15, 2008

ElizabethJeanAllen wrote...

I can crochet but I'm left handed. When I run into trouble, no one can help me. I love to crochet, its relaxing, so I stick to the simpler patterns.
Great lens
5*
Lizzy

ReplyPosted June 17, 2008

enslavedbyfaeries wrote...

Totally cute! Oh, I wish I could crochet or knit. I tried once and it was quite an uneven disaster. I love these amigurumi critters. (you should add a pronunciation guide, that word always gets me, lol.)

ReplyPosted May 25, 2008

 
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MerryM

About MerryM

Hi, I'm Merry. I've been knitting for about eight years now, ever since the needlepoint store where I was working opened a knitting section. I now teach knitting and crochet at my LYS, as well as taking in the occassional commission. I'm also a massage therapist, and am having fun learning about natural building techniques and sustainability.

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