I would like you to meet these lovely and colorful Lana dolls.
Created this pattern two weeks ago as addition to one book on small crochet toys and dolls (that I will talk about some time in the future). This is one of two patterns I made for this book. The second pattern will show and share with you soon, and both will be available only through the shop. So far you can find it in my Etsy shop.
If you liked BB dolls, than you will looove these little ones. Easy to make, and long lasting! I have tried to come up with
the doll that can fit any little girls bag or back pack,
durable doll that can be played with for many years,
doll that can be washed,
doll which can change her clothes/shoes….
doll girls will love!
So far, both of my nieces, 4 and 7 years of age love it. Hope your little ones will feel the same!
Before I finish for today, wanted to mention that Flip from Maya the Bee movie is progressing pretty nice. So far missing only the hat to finish the pattern. If times allows me, he might be finished and pattern shared next week. Fingers crossed!
Here is little preview on how the Flip looks so far.
Have a wonderful day and happy working Monday tomorrow.
Maya the Bee is character, based on the books written by German author Walderman Bousel and first published back in 1912.
Maya was very popular in ’70s and ’80s through animated TV series. She was my favorite cartoon!
Last year Maya was released again by Studio 100 Media and what a wonderful work they’ve done.
Adventurous little bee who left the hive in order to explore the world.
I created crochet Maya for my nieces fourth birthday. She wished for and asked me to make her one (not just Maya…my niece asked for the whole set of movie characters) 😉
In two weeks time, which I had to investigate Maya’s new look (as well as look of her new friends), examine her shape(s) and develop the pattern) I was able to make just Maya and her friend Willy. They both turned out better than I expected they would (despite to lack of materials while making dolls for my little niece).
“Wow!” – was the only word my niece said after seeing her new dolls. Took both in her arms and since then they became unseparated. They play together, go to kinder garden together, eat together and sleep together.
This week she ordered Flip (which is the grasshopper, Maya’s friend; and hornet (son and father) friend (which I am not sure who he is and which role he plays in this, Maya’s movie). More for me to investigate and work on, but the trouble is worth it! 🙂
Since I had the pattern done, I feel happy to share it with all of you who wish to make Maya and Willy for your little ones. Please remember that both characters are registered and protected by the law and by any means do not make them for sale. Feel free to use this pattern to make Maya and Willy for you family and friends.
In this pattern I have written details on everything I’ve done while working on dolls I made for my niece. New Maya has special kind of hair, and that hair is what makes her character so unique. I tried to take as many photos as possible through all the process of hair making so you can make exactly the same one like I did.
here is collage of some of the photos you will find in the pattern on how to make Maya’s hair:
Second of some specialties in this pattern are painted eyes. My dolls have their eyes painted. Knowing that even mentioning painting on crocheted dolls for many of you will cause fear I decided to draw stencils, and lead you through step by step; from preparing your materials, coping to painting. I almost 100% positive anyone can make this. If you have possibility to buy any kind of textile paints in white, green and black and have some fine brushes (or can buy some)….go for painted eyes. You can make it! Children will love this!
Here are the eyes you can copy (detailed instructions on which size to copy and use them on your crocheted doll’s head, you’ll find in the pattern)
Maya’s eyes:
Willy’s eyes:
And here is little collage of photos you will find explained in details inside the pattern:
At the end what is left are the mouth. I haven’t sewed them but glued them on the head. For me it always works great! Mouth stay permanently on and are very, very easy to apply (and above all always look great).
As you can see I have really tried to make it possible for all of you to make exactly the same dolls!
So far the pattern is on test by several ladies, and so far the only problem they encountered is the way foot are made. I did made few photos and tried to explain it in the pattern, but still waiting for all testers to be done and give me feedback and their suggestions on how to make this foot explanation more simple for everyone. The foot I might to come up with in few days with new post. For now I will share photos and pattern I have made so far.
Foot starts from chain and is done in closed rounds. I call them closed rounds because each you start with chain and close with slip stitch (to chain made at the beginning of the round). The rest of the stitches are worked usual way…just this little start/end is different from continuous work.
Looking at this photo I think you can tell:
More details and complete 32 page pattern you can find and download HERE
Before we end, and before I come with some new Maya’s photo for the ladies who are testing the pattern, leaving you with few photos of my Maya and Willy.
Enjoy the pattern and feel free to write and ask for help if needed. Happy Maya and Willy crochet everyone 🙂
When Waldorf inspired baby pattern was presented to you few weeks ago I’ve made a promise to show you some of the works form ladies that have helped testing the pattern long before you saw it. For that reason I feel honored to show and share their work, and this is little something I can do to thank them for their time and kind help.
Last year my dear blogger friend Jennifer from Squirrel Picnic announced Make it challenge call. Anyone could write suggestions and challenge Jennifer to make something special and unique, something she has never done before. I found it very intriguing and as I was working on one sumo fighter at that time (and was not one easy task to do), I challenged Jennifer to make a Sumo.
Last week I got mail and my very own sumo made by Jennifer arrived!
And not just the sumo! I received a whole wrestlers collection!! Ninja, Luchador and world’s famous Hulk Hogan!
I tried to make a photo with all of them on my fingers, but didn’t manage to focus right so I took different approach and instead of fingers used bunny ears.
These bunny pattern will share with you this week. For now they are my models to show you fabulous, but fabulous thumb wresting toys Jennifer designed.
For detailed post and wrestling thumb champions patterns, details and video on how to play thumb wrestling game, you can read and discover on Squirrel Picnic.
You sure don’t want to miss that!!
I am waiting for my son to come, to try the thumb wrestling game, but so far I have been amazed by wonderful work Jennifer made, and not just her work, but her creativity to come up with such a great design.
Thank you Jennifer for such a precious and fabulous gift
and thank you all for taking time to red this post.
By now we have talked about rounds, cylinders and coins, some of the basic and fundamental shapes you need to know how to crochet and understand how are done if you wish to make your first amigurumi doll.
Now it’s time to crochet those pieces and see how they work together.
The major problem most of you have is not being able to draw your idea to keep it as reference and guide to your work. It doesn’t have to be the drawing, you can find inspiration from clip art pictures online, maybe you liked some plush at downtown shop, or you have a photo of one old doll or toy from the childhood you would like to make. Important is to have an idea on what you wish to make, and to work that idea in details before actual crocheting part starts. Best way is to draw a sketch. It is not essential, but is good way to start.
I hardly ever work with colors when drawing, and most of them are just lots and lots of basic shapes joined together (same as you need for crocheting, so use basic shapes for your sketch as well), and that way I know in advance what I am after. While making the sketch your ideas on what shapes you’ll start and use will grow, and while sketching write them down a side as notes.
Here is sample of simple sketch I make for my designs. Based on this I make notes on how I expect my work will go. This one was done in tiny little notebook I always keep by hand, but for more detailed work I have big sketch book with all the notes written on sides and across the sketch.
Important is to help yourself with anything you can. So use all your resources and make preparation before you start to crochet.
To show that you can make your doll for stick man drawing, in the FB group I made this little girl based on which I finished this lesson on basic amigurumi shapes. Stick man drawing is not detailed, but again, can help you guide through your work. And you all know how to make stick man drawing, right?
So let’s start with one simple like that!
Is it getting easier? From this simple drawing everyone of you can do, now we know what we’ll crochet in order to create a little doll.
And with color or two, I wish my doll to look like this!
Based on what we learned so far, we know how to make rounds to make the head. We can try endless options. Don’t be afraid to try different options for each of your dolls. Experiment! It will not be successful work every time, but from trials and fails you will learn.
With rounds we will star the legs, but then after creating feet (shoes looking bottoms) we can decrease evenly just a little to make the right width for legs we can carry repeating till the top, or as long as we wish our legs to be long. Another option is to make simple cylinders. Will show you the samples later.
Arms, same as legs. We can work them as simple as plain cylinder shape from bottom to top, or we can add little round on the bottom to form hands.
On below photo you can see options on how to make legs and arms. As we are still on basic shapes, and even increasing and decreasing, both, the arms and legs are done same way. If they have larger roundish end on the bottom, it is even on all sides. It is increased evenly, repeated rounds are done 2 times for each of them (but you can work as many as you wish, and that depends on number of the stitches you will use), then increased slightly, but enough to reach the number of stitches I needed for arms (6) or legs (9).
Body! Body can be done several ways. In this description I will mention only two of them as they are probably the most common and most of you will go after them in first trial. So let’s see what difference each of these two options I decided for are.
Both bodies are the same length. From above photo you can clearly see the difference. One has more repeating rounds in the middle, but ends short with even decreasing on every second round. While second sample has less repeating middle rounds, but to reach same length, instead of every second, I decreased evenly on every third round.
For my stick man drawing I decided to use upper sample. No special reason, simply thought it’s slimmer and with extra edgings I had in mind on adding to collar and sleeves, the second one will make my doll look chubby.
Now that you have prepared your drawing, and started to make samples for your doll, let’s put pieces together to see what we might expect doll will look like when done.
I crocheted options for legs and arms. It is more to show you what you can expect from your basic crochet elements and your first doll. If you ask me, I like both of them!
Both ways, simple cylinder legs and arms or those with little roundish ends look great for on this little doll.
But as I am working after my sketch, my doll will have round ended legs, but her arms will be simple and straight. As said earlier, for body shape decided to go after first sample, one that ends more slimmer way.
Sorry I forgot to mention my pattern on this doll’s head. I make dolls for some time now, and for me is not easy to go and make just ball looking head. I think it is because I like to challenge myself on every new project.
The head I made for this doll, I tried to simplify BB dolls head. I just love wider cheek area on doll’s head, and so far you could notice that on almost all of my dolls. I like that smiling expression doll can make without mouth on and that is what these wider cheek part of the head does (at least I see it this way).
So let me explain how I made this round head, BUT…..if you are making your own doll for the first time, try to come up with round shape of your own. Make your own lovely doll you can share with your friends and public. You can do it!
Started with 4 sts in MC
then increased all stitches for 2 rounds, or until I reached 16 sts round. From this round worked on even increases until 32 sts round.
32 stitches round repeated 2 times. Then evenly increased by 4 stitches around and reached 36 sts.
36 stitches repeated 2 rounds. Then evenly increased by 4 stitches around and reached 40 sts.
40 stitches repeated 2 rounds. Now I increased evenly around by 10 stitches and came up to 50 sts round very fast. (this is where I made head wider and made my lovable cheek area 😉 )
50 stitches repeated 5 rounds. I wanted to finish with flat bottom and to reach that I used 10 even decreasing stitches on each of the next 3 rounds
Last one closed evenly to 12, as 12 was the count number for my neck. This way when I sew body and head together they will fit perfectly stitch by stitch.
Now that we have crocheted all doll parts and know which ones we will use to make our dream doll. It is time to decide where we will make color changes. This is where your sketch will help again.
For this part, on how to decide where to add colors I didn’t make any photo, nor I can say more. This part is something you have to make. This is part is what making your doll unique. So take your time to count rows, observe your plain crocheted doll and decide where to add colors in order to create sleeves, shoes, dress…
This is still the most simple way of making your doll! when crocheting the body, leave front loops free to attach and crochet the dress, collar, sleeves, shoes, socks…. anything you wish to add. Plan in advance.
I am talking about this prototype doll, because this is the way we do in FB group. We start with simple doll. And this is the most simple one one can do. First doll needs to be made plain. No eyes, no colors….simple head and body. From there we go further. First step is to add the colors and add clothes, arrange and position eyes and decide on hair. Second step is making the doll, based on all of the information gathered and decided. As you need to know how to crochet the round, the same way you need to know where to add eyes or wish round to leave free loops for the dress later. If you are starting to crochet dolls, these are all the steps you need to take before you actually make your first doll and write your first pattern.
After this basic doll, and basic pattern, we can continue to expand our knowledge and upgrade to more difficult shapes, and work at all.
Hope this Amigurumi Philosophy didn’t turn me in boring philosopher 😀
For any questions, please feel free to write and ask. I do apologize (again) for all the mails I answer late, but really, really, I have little free time left. I do answer all of your mail, and again, please be patient; I will get back to you with reply, soonest I can.
If I forgot to mention anything in this part and you think is important and not to be excused, please feel free to point it out and let me know.
For the end let us see how my stick man drawing looks when finished.
I am sure you got idea what those might be!?
Crocheted patched hearts!
This idea ceossed my mind last week, after few weeks of practicing and all started with…
dear friend Phoebe got me hooked on free form crochet in the last few weeks. She came up with miniature tulips pattern she found at Russian sites.Here is the link to free, freeform crochet tulips Irris made on her blog.
As I started helping her translating the pattern and getting to understand what is there to be done and how…I started to work on tulip petals and my first free form crochet element.
When I discover something new like this, and this free form crochet was absolutely new for me, I go liiiiiittle crazy, and my curiosity and hunger to learn and discover more takes over.
So I went to Russian site and searched for designer who made these little tulips, hoping I will find more elements and more patterns and instructions that will help me understand this free form crochet better. And I did found Iriss and her shop!
Link to Iriss shop and her patterns you can find here. There I bought several of her patterns (I love to read patterns, practice on things I haven’t done before and this way learn something new). My first bought pattern from Iriss was Master Class, as they call photo tutorial with detailed explanations, on all the free form elements she uses in her creations (You should see her Teddy bear covered in freeform).
Dear friends…I felt like a little child with huge candy when I saw all those photos of elements, stitches used and possibilities there are when crocheting freeform.
I am not an experienced crocheter. I know basic stitches, the rest I have to look for and/or follow the pattern, but to create freeform, I always thought one really has to be master.
It doesn’t have to be this way!
As in everything you need to know and understand basics. Once that is set, then one can start creating freeform elements and play with the yarn.
I will not talk about these free from basics.I don;t know them and haven’t learned them yet in order to teach you or explain anything special
Based on my experience and with help of Iriss and her mini tulip pattern, I will show you what you can make in freeform, and from there, same as me, you can explore and search, learn more.
In order to bring all this closer, I asked Iriss for permission to translate and post her freeform petal pattern in English, to show you how to make your Cropatched Hearts. I translated just the petal used in this pattern, for this post. Iriss did give me permission to translate the tulip as well, and we can do that if you are interested in making one. I will gladly translate the whole tulip pattern for you too. Let me know!
Cropatched hearts are lovely! Not that you will make someone special happy and show how much you love him/her/them…but you will learn some of free form crochet, you will use yarn scraps that are hiding some dark corners far away from sight, and will train your creative part of brain while making them and thinking which way to go next, which stitches or color to use….
So let us start with Cropatching hearts!
To start making them we will need some yarn left overs and scraps. I collected some I had in special “not enough to make anything” box, added some skeins of colors I though would be nice to add….
Then we’ll need some heart base.
You can make amigurumi heart, or you can crochet two flat pieces in order to join them and make puffy one, in order to create nice hanging hearts. Or…if you like, you can go flat, one heart shape as base, freeform elements on top (this would make nice broch).
I have prepared both heart patterns.
Amigurumi heart
Make lobes (x2)
R1: sc6 in magic ring
R2: inc x6 (12 sts)
R3: (inc, sc) x6 (18 sts)
R4: sc18
tie off on 1st lobe. On second one continue crocheting the heart.
R5: Bring the first heart lobe and slip stitch to one of the stitche on R4. ch1, sc17, sl st to starting stitch of the first lobe, ch1, sc18 (35 sts and 1 chain st)
R6 skip sl st and make first sc to chain stitch maid previous round, sc next 17 sts. skip 1 st and sl st, sc next 18 sts (36 sts)
R7: sc36
R8: sc7, dec, sc17, dec, sc8 (34 sts)
R9: sc6, dec x2, sc13, dec x2, sc7 (30 sts)
R10: sc5, dec x2, sc11, dec x2, sc6
R11: sc4, dec x2, sc9, dec x2, sc5
R12: sc3, dec x2, sc7, dec x2, sc4
R13: sc2, dec x2, sc5, dec x2, sc3
at this point you can start to stuff your heart. continue stuffing till the last round if you can. Try to shape nice looking heart.
R14: sc1, dec x2, sc3, dec x2, sc2
R15: dec x2, sc1, dec x2, sc1
tie off, sew the last round closed and hide end. Or leave longer end and after sewing/closing last round bring it up in the middle of lobes and create string to hang your heart later.
Flat heart
For this one I used free pattern I found online. Liked this one the best. You can try with any heart pattern you have. Heart coaster pattern, or applique….
Pattern is made by www.tejiendoperu.com, but I couldn’t find the online link. If you can, please let me know and will add it to the photo. Thank you! They deserve to be credited for such an awesome heart pattern! I added the link to their St. Valentine page and few other free heart patterns.
And here are my hearts made using this chart. Both will be the base for my Cropatched Hearts later. For each one I made two hearts and crocheted around sided to connect them. Stuffed them as well (white one is badly stuffed, but I will “hide” it with crocheted patches later).
Now will give you the pattern which gave me this whole idea on making cropatched hearts. Writing it before proceeding with how I created my hearts, to make it easier for you to follow my steps later.
Translating this pattern I didn’t use any abbreviation terms. Tried to translate it in more descriptive way. Stitches I didn’t know what are called in English (such as front post cluster stitch), I described even more. For any additional help and clarifications, please feel free to ask.
Here is the petal pattern, translated from original Russian pattern made by Iriss.
Photo of Iriss’s little tulips and petals:
Freeform petal pattern
Working in spiral so don’t feel confused when you see stitches worked one over another in the same round (this will happen in R1 when creating spiral shell shape)
R1: sc6 in magic ring, work in back loops from this part; hdc2 in each of the next 4 stitches, dc2 in each of next 5 stitches R2: 5 popcorn stitches in each of the next 5 stitches, continue with making 11 bullion stitches R3: this round is about making tunisian stitches over popcorns made R2. Simply try to loop each of the popcorns and ch stitches to form the base of the first row for tunisian stitch. Some of you will loop more, some, less. Try to come up with 9-11 loops on your hook. Make tunisian stitch for several rows, or that any that you find nice looking and shaping your freeform nicely.
When making petal in Iriss pattern, this tunisian part will form the length of your petal. I used this stitch to cover one side of pink heart (you can see in the photos). R4: single crochet the right side of tunisian piece made, towards the top and down the left side. Without turning, stitch same round using reverse or crab stitch (this time going from left to right). R5: ch, turn, having your hook ready to work over bullion stitches made in R2. (dc1, ch1) x11 (dc on each of bullion stitch) R6: ch1, turn, stitch that is used here I call cluster, but I might be wrong. Will try to explain how it is made. Yarn over and work the stitch as you would front post dc. Pool out the loop, yarn over and draw the yarn through 2 loops. Now yarn over again, draw the hook same way, as making front post dc, pool out the loop. Yarn over and draw the yarn through 2 loops. Repeat this 3-5 times, or as many needed to cover dc you are “hugging” or making these fpdc on. Once all front post dc are done, you will end up with 4, 5 or 6 loops on the hook (depending if you worked 3,4 or 5 hugging stitches). To finish this stitch, yarn over and draw the yarn through all loops. Sc to chain stitch made in between dcs previous round, ch1, and repeat this front post hugging cluster 10 more times (or on top of each dc stitch made R5). R7: using slip stitches or chains, try to reach the spiral and stitch reverse or crab stitch on front loops left R1.
That will make your first freeform element finished.
Make different size elements, use different colors when working different stitches. If you can’t make heart shape in one piece, make small parts and patch them together on top of you 3D or flat heart.
Possibilities are endless!
Now I can explain how I’ve made my cropatched hearts!
Will start with this one as it uses almost all elements of Iriss’s petal pattern.
I started with light blue, or the spiral (hard to see covered with reverse stitch in white), changed color to light yellow and made 5 popcorns following the pattern again.
Next were eleven bullion stitches in pink. Each bullion has 8 wraps. I am not very good in making bullions, but are worth trying. On this one, I could’t do single one at once, so ended with placing wraps from hook to thread with fingers, one by one. Still think they are beautiful. They bring something so unique and special look to freeform elements.
After bullions, I followed the pattern again, changed color to green and made tunisian part.
As I worked tunisian rows, I kept on checking to see how they’ll fit the side. Wanted them this long so I can cover entire half of the heart. When I finished green part, I single crocheted left side of it, in order to reach the middle or center of piece.
There changed color to orange and made R5 & R6 from the pattern (hugging clusters), but to keep and create heart shape, I had to made them less number that from what the pattern calls. This again I kept on testing and trying, placing my work on heart shape base and measuring.Instead of making 11 of them I ended up making just 4 hugging clusters.
Then the purple! This part you wont find in the pattern. I needed something that will create me fan looking shape. I needed these two rows that will form and shape my upper heart part (lobes).
Used stitches there were on orange part, aproximately counted how many I might need for this fan looking shape and used stitches; started from lowest possible or slip stitch, then used single crochet, half double and double crochet. two of each. To return to beginning of row I used reverse stitch in front loops only. Then repeated 2sl st, 2sc, 2hdc, 2dc in back loops and closed again with reverse stitch (front loops). This way I got my lobe done. you can tie off here.
Attached yellow in the center of the piece. Here I Improvised. Did see this stitch being used in freeform, but haven’t practiced it nor done it before.
I worked on single crocheted side of tunisian part (green part) of this element.
Chained 2 skipped 2 and in 3rd st I made 5 double crochet stitches. Chained 1, turned and made those hugging clusters over these dc stitches. If you start from the middle as I did, they will face wrong side front, but as you can see, they look charming like this.
After you make your hugging clusters add light blue and make tunisian over clusters. Each row they will decrease on the end what will shape your bottom of the heart. To connect them to purple part, simply slip stitch and return to making new row of tunisian.
It is freeform, so improvise 😀
Use the light blue to single crochet all around your freeform heart to make it easier to sew and attach to your base heart later.
In my work I made patches on front side of the heart. Back I left clean and clear. You can make patches for both sides. Try and see which you like better.
Hope the petal pattern and this little explanation on how I made my cropatch will help yu get started.
Once you start moving, you will see, it is not so difficult, and it is a lot of fun. Here are few more photos of work in progress I have, to give you ideas.
Use different yearn weight to achieve different sizes of shapes. Experiment with the hooks. As I mentioned earlier, if making heart in one piece is to difficult, cut it and make small pieces instead and then sew them all together later. That is why we call this CroPatched Hearts! But most of all, try to relax and have fun creating something unique and special for someone you love!
Hope you enjoyed, and like me, learned something new. I always feel so happy when I can share something new I learned.
Big thank to Phoebe who found mini tulip pattern that make me start exploring this wonderful field of freeform crochet and in same time making me meet wonderful designer Iriss and her shop. And off course, huge thank to Irina (Iriss) who made mini tulips in free form and this beautiful petal pattern, granted me permission to translate and share it here with all of you.
And THANKS to all of you for staying with me and reading this loooong post!
As in my previous post was announced, this year will start school (on Facebook) where I will try to teach all attendees on everything necessary to make their own amigurumi and write the pattern. In the group we will talk and practice more on how to make a doll but these lessons, that I will regularly post here on the blog, can be implemented in any toy you wish to create on your own.
My class is starting next week. I am sorry I can’t invite all of you to join, but you have to understand that I physically can’t follow you all (even though I would love to be a super woman with super powers 😀 ). Students will have practical work to do which I have to follow by making samples after them, in order to guide and help them best I can. Right now there are 100 of them who joined and even that is way above what I can physically take.
In the future there will me more of such classes, which you will be able to attend and ask whatever you might need help with.
Everyone who knows how to make single crochet, increasing or decreasing stitch can make amigurumi toy!
There is a lot things to explain. I will take my time to describe and bring it to you in the most simple possible way in order to make you understand how all this works.
It is not just knowing the shapes. All of you know how to make a cylinder or round shape, but for many it is still taboo when it comes on taking the hook and starting to make something from scratch.
Once you understand and become familiar with what happens if you start with certain number of stitches in the magic ring and what you are doing with increasing/decreasing during your work, or why sometimes patterns start with chain….. then you will be able to start your work and direct it in the way you imagined and make doll you wish.
Understanding these basics, and with little practice, in no time you will be making your very own toys and creating your very own patterns.
Read, make notes, practice. That is the best way to learn.
Each lesson I will add as post, and will add new page you can open on it’s own and read only on these posts and Amigurumi Philosophy (as I like to call it).
You can leave your comments there and ask questions and I will do my best to reply them and help you if I can.
Even though I will try to write about all I know, there will be things I might miss. It is huge field to cover and I will work in details. Please feel free to write and ask me to explain something in your opinion I’ve missed. Lessons will be updated accordingly.
Lessons will be divided in sections.
There will be three major parts:
Understanding the basic shapes or elements based on even increases and decreases in work
Understanding advanced techniques (which includes, seamless crochet, adding different stitches to achieve texture, increasing/decreasing in order to form shapes and sculpt your work, making corners, divide rounds into two, three or more sections….)
Details: eyes, hair, clothes…..
Each part will be divided in mini lessons. For example, Part one and the basics on shapes and elements will be divided in round shapes to make you understand how to create the head (or the body), tubes, cylinders and ovals (body, legs, arms, necks and all other parts that can be created with these shapes).
Basics on increasing and decreasing and amigurumi shaping (what happens when you increase or decrease evenly every round, every second or every third round…..
Last lesson in Part one will talk about sewing parts together.
As you can see, there is no lesson on how to write the pattern. I haven’t forgotten about it, but once you understand Amigurumi Philosophy and learn these basics, writing the pattern will follow naturally. All you will need is to write down your idea and try to crochet one.
Part two is more advanced. It is not taboo, and as with basic lessons, I will break the advanced ones to easy to follow details as well.
Each sample will be photographed and pattern will be explained. This will give you opportunity, not just to see how something is done, but to try to make and learn yourself.
In my online classes I will have little tests for my students. Will try to make few for you too. Simple tests to make you practice and help you improve what you have learned.
It will be fun!
Don’t forget to come weekly and check up on new lessons!
First lesson is about round shapes. What difference does it make if you start in circle or with chain? Does it matter with how many stitches you start? Continuous rounds or rows to work with?
Hope all had wonderful Christmas and fun and fabulous New Year’s eve party 🙂
I have to say I am glad holidays and all the madness they bring are behind me and can return to everyday routine (little less crazy)!
I don’t wish to start my first post in this year with the retrospective on what I have accomplished (or failed) last year but wish to focus on year that is ahead of me and all of you who follow this blog and push me each week to work harder in order to come with something new and tempting for all to try. All I can say, last year was fun and hope this one will be even more.
This year I am starting with online classes on how to create a crochet doll or toy and write the pattern. First one I will make with my Facebook group friends and ladies that are interested and waiting patiently for the past two months (for the holiday season to be done). This first class will start in week or two. I will try to keep you updated on the progress what is done. At the end of the class or maybe better say course, will show you the patterns and dolls girls came up with.
In the last two years I have received many mails asking me what brand of yarn I use for my toys and dolls. This year with each pattern I will offer you the yarn I worked with, for sale, through Etsy store. This way anyone who is interested in working with exact type of yarn will be able to find it and buy it online.
Regarding my patterns and posts on the blog, will continue to share my work in as many details and photos as possible. With each pattern will try to show you something new you can learn and use in your future work.
I am sure it will be fun!
Let us return to the topic of this post and Koalas! This year is starting with competition. I am not very competitive person but I decided to participate. I just wish I had more time to make panda family as well (this is one of the patterns I wish to make this year).
Amigurumipatterns.net has organized competition where everyone was invited to participate. Theme was animal parents and children. For that competition I made my favorite, koala bears. Mama and shy little baby koala.
As you all know World Amigurumi Exhibition is opened! Tiny bit of that wonderful, magical atmosphere I tried to bring to you through little video I made using the photos taken by Resobox team.
Hope you will enjoy as much as I am each and every time I look at these photos.
Feel free to click on the link that will lead you directly to the slideshow.
Matilda by Araceliz Alvira
