BLOG: Crochet

Options for single crocheting in a chain

December 18, 2012

“Sc in each ch” is an instruction you’ll often see in a written pattern.

But exactly how do you crochet into a chain? It’s a great question, because there are actually two different options for crocheting into your chain stitches. I’ll show you both options and compare the finished look!

Meet your chain

When you crochet your chain (also called a ‘foundation chain’), it should look like this:

Yarn: Ella Rae Classic Wool, color #70

Hook: Knitter’s Pride Dreamz, size H (5.0mm)

It should look like a bunch of ‘V’s, laying on their side.

Does your chain not look like this? Let’s troubleshoot:

Look at the back… you might just be looking at the wrong side!
Is your chain forming a ringlet curl? That’s normal! Mine is just flat because I’m pulling on it. The ringlet will come out once you continue crocheting.
Is your chain zig-zag-y? This typically happens when you pause in between your chains, which allows the chain to twist slightly.

Okay… let’s do our first row!

Option 1: Crochet through the back loop only

Remember how we talked about those ‘V’s? The first option is to crochet only through the top half of the ‘V’ (also called the ‘back loop’):

When you’ve completed single crocheting, your piece will look like this:

Option 2: Crochet through both loops

The second option is to insert your hook under the entire ‘V’ (also called crocheting through ‘both loops’):

When you’ve completed single crocheting, your piece will look like this:

Comparing the two methods

Let’s look at the two options side by side:

As you can see, crocheting through both loops creates more of a ‘bump’, while crocheting through both loops is straighter along the bottom edge.

There’s no right way! And once you know the two options, you’ll be able to pick the one that best suits your project!

7 tips for planning travel knitting & crochet projects

December 17, 2012

The holidays are a typical time for traveling. And of course, you don’t want to set out without a project… but picking the right project for your travels can be tricky. In this blog post, I’ll give you some tips for picking the right project for you, and I’ll give you a peek at the travel knitting projects I’m planning!

Tips for picking the right project, and preparations

Think about your travel itinerary. Are you going to spend most of your time chatting with family or are you going to be alone on a plane? Thinking about your situation will help you decide whether you want a mindless project or one that can hold your interest.
Keep size in mind. Especially if you’re traveling by plane, luggage weight & space is important. Choose your travel knitting project accordingly. I tend to pack a shawl, since one skein of fingering weight yarn is fairly compact.
Keep notions to a minimum. If possible, you’d like a project that only requires one needle size, to keep your supplies to a minimum. If you require a large number of needles, consider a compact set, like an interchangeable set.
Do gauge swatches and investigate techniques in advance. This is an extension of the previous point: you want to keep your pack small. So, go ahead and do your gauge swatch so you know what needle you need. Also, look up any tricky stitches and print your pattern in advance, so you’re ready to roll!
Think about your seating situation. Have you ever lost a double point needle under an airplane seat? Or do you get carsick reading a pattern in the car? These things matter! Plan accordingly.
Investigate yarn shops in advance. Is there a yarn shop where you’re going? Jot down the address even if you’re not planning on a visit. You’ll never know when you’ll need more yarn!
Bring a back-up project. I can never decide on just one project. It’s easy to get bored or get stuck. Bring a backup just in case.

My travel projects

Tomorrow, I’m departing for Australia, which involves a 2 hour drive to the airport, a 6 hour domestic flight, a 5 hour layover and a 14 hour flight over the Pacific. Talk about needing a travel knitting project, huh?

My first project is Spectra by Stephen West. It’s been in my faves forever, and I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve selected my two skeins of yarn:

I’ve even done a swatch! The pattern calls for two fingering-weight yarns. The multi-color yarn I’ve chosen is listed as a worsted, but it looks quite thin to me. Fortunately, a swatch reveals that the two will play together nicely:

My second project is the There and Back Again Socks, a lovely pattern given to me by my friend Hollie. I’ve picked two close-in-color yarns:

Socks are a great portable project, and the color changes will keep the pattern exciting.

For these projects, I’ll bring along a size 6 24″ circular and a size 1 9″ circular. (I love 9″ circular needles so much that I wrote a whole post about them here.) Not too much needle baggage!

Plus, if I run low on projects, I can pick up a new skein of sock yarn and either knit another shawl or pair of socks!

What are your travel tips?

Do you have any tried-and-true travel planning tips to share? I’d love to hear them!

Tips for Teaching Kids to Crochet

December 13, 2012

It’s a question I get asked quite often: “Is my child ready to learn to crochet?”

Of course, children develop skills at different ages, so you’ll need to pay attention to your child’s skill set, instead of waiting for them to ‘hit the perfect age’.

Today, I’ll chat about some tips for teaching children to crochet, what to expect from different age groups and profile an adorable young crocheter, Laurel!

What to expect from different age groups

In general, if your child can sit for a short period of time and manipulate a pencil, then they’re ready to learn to crochet. I’ve been crocheting since I was about 5 or 6.

It’s important to keep in mind that children at different ages will learn crocheting differently. Here’s a bit about what to expect from different age groups.

Age 4-8 years old

Children at this age are still mastering their fine motor skills and can’t confidently learn instructions by reading a book. They’ll learn best from hands-on teaching (i.e. you sit next to them, show them steps and guide their hands if needed).

It’s very typical for children at this age to spend a considerable amount of time chaining before moving on to stitches like single crochet, and that’s fine! Chaining is a perfect way to practice manipulating the hook. It’s important not to push children onto skills before they are ready, as this can lead to frustration.

Age 9-12 years old

Children at this age have quite good fine motor skills, and may be ready to learn semi-independently. It’s a great age for children to attend a crochet class, learn from an online video (see Laurel’s story, below!), or venture into learning from books. Learning to crochet solely from written instructions can be difficult for any age group (even adults!), so even if your child is a keen reader, expect to invest some one-on-one crochet time to demonstrate the basics.

It’s Laurel! Read her story, below.Children at this age are often excited to make a finished product, so they’re less likely to spend oodles of time chaining. Don’t worry if they want to move straight to an advanced stitch: they’ll naturally feel excitement about learning a new skill. It’s important to emphasize that crochet takes practice, and that stitches won’t look perfect immediately.

Age 13+

Children of this age can’t drive and don’t pay taxes… but in the crochet world, they’re basically adults. They often take adult crochet classes (since they don’t have the attention difficulties or fine motor troubles of younger children) and are happy to learn unsupervised.

As is true of dealing with teenagers in any domain, the most helpful thing you can do is provide help if they need it, check in on their progress and show enthusiasm for their work.

Tips for teaching children to crochet

While there’s no curriculum that will work for everyone, there are a few basic tips that will help you teach your little one to crochet.

Pick a suitable yarn and hook. Aim for a smooth, plain yarn. Avoid novelty yarns like thick & thin and eyelash. Even though they look fun, they’re difficult to learn on.
Let the child pick their yarn (within reason, see above point). Children will be more excited to learn when they’re excited about their project, so let them pick out their favorite color!
Allow children to move at their own pace. It’s most important that the child likes crocheting, because that’s the only way they’ll keep going! So, if it’s fun for them to make a really long chain, let them! They’ll move on to a new skill when they feel like it!
Be positive. No matter how old you are, your first projects might look crooked and wonky. As the adult, be encouraging and marvel over the skills that have been acquired. Practice will make perfect!

Meet Laurel

As a teacher on Craftsy, I get the honor of ‘meeting’ oodles of fabulous students in my courses.

One of the students in my Amigurumi Woodland Animals class (a course designed for beginners) is Laurel, who’s just 11 years old!

Laurel’s mom is Joanna Johnson, a knitwear designer and author of a fabulous series of children’s books.

Laurel and Joanna obviously know a thing or two about successfully teaching/learning to crochet… and they were sweet enough to stop by for a chat!

Stacey: Do you have any advice for parents to encourage their children’s crafting?

Joanna (the Mom): Children, from a very young age, will take an interest in what interests you if only you allow them to. When Laurel was just 3, I gave her a small scrap of muslin stretched over a little embroidery hoop and a needle and red thread. While I sat and quilted, she sat and “scribbled” in stitches, which was really cute. As she got older, she tried her hand at a few different crafts, and it became apparent that although knitting is my favorite hobby, it isn’t hers. She was really interested in weaving, beading, and crochet, which I know little about, so I looked for resources for her to explore her own passions. It is important to let them explore different mediums, and to understand that what they love may not be what you love!

Stacey: How did you decide that you wanted to begin crocheting?

Laurel (11 years old): I knew a little bit about crochet and I wanted to expand my knowledge of crochet. Something I like about crocheting is that it is fun. It’s not always easy, but it’s really fun to finish something that you make.

Stacey: Was any part of the process difficult/frustrating?

Laurel: The first time I made the bluebird I had trouble getting started on the very first round, but then I figured out what I was doing I found crochet to be a good way to pass the time.

Stacey: Do you have any advice for other kids who are just starting to learn a craft?

Laurel: Just don’t panic if you make a mistake! If you get tired or frustrated just take a break and, for example, read a book. Then when you are ready, continue or replay the lesson to see it again.

And look at Laurel’s fabulous creations! Rock on!

Thank you so much, Joanna and Laurel, for giving your advice! I think they both hit the nail on the head. Parents: be supportive and encouraging. Kids: don’t panic and keep trying.

How to fix an incorrectly-attached amigurumi part

December 11, 2012

It’s inevitable. We all make mistakes. Maybe you attached a part on your amigurumi in the wrong place. Maybe you crocheted the piece in the wrong color. No problem! I’ll show you how to fix it!

In the example I’ll be showing you today, I attached an orange beak on my owl… when the customer actually wanted a yellow beak. Ooops! But as you’ll see, it’s a problem that’s not too hard to solve.

Step 1: Remove the incorrect piece

The first thing you need to do is cut off the incorrect piece:

If you’re very careful, you can cut through the attaching thread, and preserve the piece (here, a beak) for re-use. However, the most important thing is to not cut your main body (here, the head). If you cut through the stitches on the head, it will be nearly impossible to repair.

Therefore, I err on the side of caution: I would much rather cut through an important piece of my beak (and re-crochet it), than to cut a stitch on the head.

Once you’ve cut the piece, pull it off:

Ta da!

You’ll notice that a little bit of orange remains, that’s where I tied the knot to secure the beak. It’s okay that it gets left behind: it’ll be covered up by the new beak. Remember: the most important thing is to not cut through body stitches, and the risk of doing so would be too high if I tried to remove this knot.

Step 2: Attach the new piece

Attach your new piece where you’d like it to go:

When you’re finished attaching, tie a knot. It’s not possible to attach the knot on the inside (the preferred way of making sure the knot is invisible), since the piece has been stuffed, so you’ll have to do your best to make the outside knot as invisible as possible.

Now, insert your needle through the body, and pull… this will pull the tail in and help to hide the knot a bit:

And you’re finished! No one will ever know!

What does ‘amigurumi’ mean?

December 10, 2012

Today’s guest post is written by Alyssa, MonstersToyBox on Ravelry.

Alyssa is a student in Linguistics and Japanese, as well as a very talented knitter and crocheter. Who better to tell us what ‘amigurumi’ means?

What does the word ‘amigurumi’ mean?

You probably know that amigurumi are incredible cute toys made from yarn. And you probably know that amigurumi was originally Japanese.

A collection of amigurumi knit & crocheted by AlyssaBut what exactly is amigurumi? There are a couple different answers for that, and one of them is looking at what it originally meant in its native Japanese:

The first kanji (Japanese symbol of writing) is the character for “knit”; it can also mean several other things, but the knitting is what is important here.

And it is not just knitting; this character can apply to both knitting and crocheting. Japanese does not have two different words for knitting and crochet like English does. In fact, to crochet in Japanese is actually “to knit with a hook”.

So now we have the “knitted and crocheted” part of amigurumi. However, the second kanji is a bit trickier. One of its meanings is “wrapped”. At first, it doesn’t seem to have a lot to do with toys, however, “wrapped” implies that there is something being put inside. What is put inside amigurumi? Stuffing, of course! So perhaps a better meaning for this part, at least as it applies to amigurumi, is “stuffed”, although a native Japanese speaker told me that it is not limited to just stuffing. All sorts of things could be put inside amigurumi to give them shape, rubber balls, for example. The toy part here is assumed… what other knitting or crocheting is stuffed?

Does it have to be worked in the round?

Almost all translations will say that amigurumi means “knit or crocheted stuffed toy”, however, the majority of amigurumi (and especially Japanese amigurumi) is crocheted. That doesn’t exclude knitting as a valid form of amigurumi nor does amigurumi have to be worked in a particular style. I have found that many Japanese amigurumi are worked in joined rounds, but not all amigurumi has to be worked that way, and it certainly does not make it any less of an amigurumi!

Ready to start looking for Japanese amigurumi?

In Japanese, amigurumi is rarely written using the kanji anymore. Instead, it is written using the much simpler, syllabic hiragana (a phonetic alphabet):

If you are interested in looking for amigurumi in the original Japanese, this is what you are most likely to see.

Highlight this piece of text: あみぐるみ and pop it into Google… it’s your trick to finding oodles of images and even Japanese amigurumi books. Most Japanese books are charted, so they’re accessible to you even if you don’t speak Japanese!

How to Use Poly Pellets in Amigurumi

December 4, 2012

Have you ever picked up a stuffed animal with a nice, weighty feel? Ever wondered how to achieve that feel in your handmade animals?

Use Poly Pellets!

Poly Pellets are small plastic-y beads that can be used to weight your stuffed animals. Today, I’ll tell you how to use them effectively.

How to use Poly Pellets

The trick to using Poly Pellets with a crocheted stuffed animal is to put the pellets inside a stocking or some other container. You see, the pellets are quite small:

If you simply pour the pellets into your amigurumi, then they will work their way through the stitches over time… not good! I’ve heard that there are larger pellets (that won’t come out) available in Europe, but I haven’t been able to find them on the American market.

Fortunately, it’s easy to put the pellets into a little stocking. I bought a pair of really cheap knee-high stockings (a light color is preferred if your animal is a light color), but you could also sew a little pouch if you desire. Once you have your vessel, poured the desired amount of pellets inside, and close up!

With the stocking, I tied a little knot… easy!

Now, place the bundle inside your amigurumi, and fill the remainder of your animal with stuffing, as usual!

Tips for using Poly Pellets

Use a stocking or some sort of fabric to keep the pellets contained.
Use the pellets sparingly. A fist-sized bundle is enough for an 8″ stuffed animal. Filling the entire animal with pellets will make it too heavy.
Try using pellets in the bottom of an animal, so that it will sit upright more easily. Use plain stuffing for the head.
Try using a small amount of pellets in dangling-style arms.
Remember that Poly Pellets are not recommended for use with small children.

Update – Wendi designed this free Squishy Monster pattern especially for the fun feel that poly pellets can give. Have fun with it!

Best,
Stacey

5 reasons to love your LYS

November 26, 2012

“I can order it online for cheaper”

Yup. It’s true.

In the internet age, where everything is available online for a discount, some people are wondering why it’s worth shopping at a local yarn store (LYS).

My suspicion is that many people feel this way because they haven’t yet discovered what an LYS truly offers. A good LYS is about way more than buying yarn: and once you know that, you’ll find it easy to support your favorite shop.

Why online shops can offer a discount

Don’t get me wrong: I shop online, too. Sometimes I’m looking for a yarn that my LYS doesn’t carry. Many online yarn retailers are also LYSs (like Jimmy Beans Wool and WEBS), so I’m in no way trying to convince you that online shopping is bad.

But there’s one unavoidable truth: you get what you pay for.

Why can online shops offer a discounted price on yarn? Because the costs of running an online shop are different than running a store front. An online shop has lower operating costs than a retail store, and they’re able to pass that savings onto the customer.

True, you may be able to buy that same yarn or book online for cheaper. But you’re missing out on all of the extra goodies that come with buying from an in-person shop.

What LYSs offer that online shops can’t

Besides the obvious plus of being able to see & touch a yarn in person (and who doesn’t want to do that?!?), there are some major benefits to shopping at a great LYS.

A good yarn store is the new town square. You know how in the old days, people used to gather in the town square to catch up on gossip and see their friends? That’s what a good yarn store is like. You can gather in a comfortable space, knit, chat with friends and get the newest yarn gossip from folks in the know.

A yarn-store owner is a curator. Have you heard of the paradox of choice? It’s the idea that selecting from 100 different yarns is daunting. A yarn store owner acts as a curator, stocking their shop with the loveliest in the land.

I can say this because I go to the annual trade show: there are a bewildering number of yarns out there! In a LYS, the owner has hand-picked a selection suited to the local market. Does the such-and-such brand have a bad rap for deteriorating in the wash? Your LYS owner knows about it and isn’t stocking that icky yarn… because they know that stocking a sub-par yarn would reflect poorly on their shop.

LYS employees are personal shoppers. How many stores can you go to where there is often an employee dedicated to helping you select the best fiber, thickness and color for the project you envision? That’s extraordinary service in most shops, but more or less standard at LYSs.

Samples. I don’t think I even need to say more! A typical LYS has samples of yarns worked up, so you can see an example of a finished product. No getting tricked by weird pooling. No getting fooled by how soft it’ll be.

Help when you need it. Don’t abuse this privilege (trust me, it just creates an awkward situation!), but most LYSs have the policy that if you bought the yarn/pattern in their shop, you can pop in for 5 minutes of free help. Most of the time, a touch of help from an expert looking at your work is enough to set you on the right path. Priceless.

What’s your stance?

Have you discovered an LYS that you love? What makes it great?

Do you have ‘a policy’ about when you shop online and when you visit a store?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

All photos in this blog post were taken in Knit New Haven, one of the shining examples of what a great yarn store should be.

Looking for a great textured stitch? Bobble stitch tutorial!

November 20, 2012

crochet alligator as sample for how to crochet bobble stitch

I adore the bobble stitch: it’s such a great texture! I developed this stitch because I wanted a puff… but the traditional ‘popcorn stitch’ (used in a lot of sweaters, hats, and afghans) leaves a hole in your work that isn’t suited for amigurumi.

crochet alligator with bobble stitch bumps on his back

The bobble stitch (bbl st) creates a puff… but by using the front loop of the previous round, creates a hole-less fabric just as plain single crochet would!

The Bobble Stitch Video

Interested? Learn how to do it!

To view the video in a larger screen, press ‘play’, then click the square icon in the lower-right-hand corner of the dialog box!

You can use this stitch in some really unexpected ways!

Of course, you can use it to give an alligator a bumpy back like you saw above. (That pattern is in the book Crocheted Softies.)

But take a look at this guinea pig.

crocheted guinea pig with bobble stitch feet

See how the feet are just itty bitty bumps? Those are bobble stitches!

(You can get that guinea pig pattern here.)

If you want smaller bumps, you might want to try a picot stitch instead. That’s what Wendi used to give Merrick Monster his warts. 🙂

There’s a video here showing how to crochet picot bumps.

What do you think? Want to give it a try?

Here are handy links to all the posts teaching more fancy crochet stitches. . .

Return to the main table of contents for Let’s Learn to Crochet Amigurumi.

Move on to the posts about working with crochet patterns.

Happy stitching!

What is an ergonomic hook? Do you need one?

November 18, 2012

Although crocheting is far safer than other hobbies (take jousting, for example), it’s not without its dangers. Depending on your crochet style, genetic disposition and lifestyle, crocheting for long stretches of time can result in wrist/hand pain. Ouch.

What is an ergonomic hook?

An ‘ergonomic’ crochet hook is a hook that is designed to alleviate pain that occurs while crocheting. Most ergonomic hooks have an enlarged handle that can be more comfortable to hold.

Hook: Kollage Square Crochet HookI haven’t found much information on exactly why (medically speaking) a larger handle alleviates wrist pain while crocheting, but there is much anecdotal evidence that these types of hooks work.

There is a large variety of ergonomic hooks available on the market (check out my crochet hook review for some reviews). Some hooks simply have a thicker handle, while others have a shaped/contoured handle.

Hook: Addi Swing Crochet Hook

Is an ergonomic hook right for you?

If you’re experiencing tendonitis, arthritis or any other condition that makes crocheting painful… there’s a chance that using an ergonomic hook will provide relief.

The bad news is that there’s no sure-fire way to know which hook is right for you without just trying them out. For example, I find that the way I hold my crochet hook makes it difficult to hold the Addi Swing… but there are many other folks that swear by it.

Hook: Furls Crochet HookI personally adore my Furls crochet hook, which is handmade with the width of your palm taken as a measurement.

Another factor to consider is the shape of the actual hook. We all prefer different hook shapes, and no matter how comfortable the handle is, you’re probably not going to regularly use a hook that has a hook shape you’re not a fan of.

Hook: Chiao Goo Bamboo Crochet HookThe only way you’ll know for sure if a hook works for you is to try it out. I know… that may not have been what you wanted to hear!

Try wrist exercises!

If you’re experiencing wrist pain, it may also be worth your time to try doing wrist exercises regularly. Let’s admit it: crocheting isn’t an action that our bodies evolved to do, and it’s bound to be a little tiring. So, if you’re crocheting for hours on end, be nice to your wrists and give them regular breaks and stretches.

Be nice to your wrists

Listen to what your body is telling you. Even if you find a lovely ergonomic hook that works for you, you may not be able to crochet for long periods of time. Respect that, and break your crocheting into chunks.

In my experience, many folks with wrist pain are able to find a solution that works for them. It just may take a little trial and error!

Looking back at one of my biggest FOs: Crocheted Softies!

November 16, 2012

It’s Finished Object Friday!

As you may have surmised from this week’s Work-in-Progress post, I don’t have anything finished that I can actually show you…

But, do you know what today is? It’s the 1 year anniversary of the release of Crocheted Softies! Talk about a big FO!

So today, I’m going to take a little look back and chat about my goals and how I chose the projects for the book!

My goals for Crocheted Softies

There are quite a few books of crocheted stuffed animal patterns out on the market. When designing my book, I wanted to make sure it was special and unique, so I set a few goals. I wanted to make sure that:

the book contained patterns for large, cuddly animals suitable for children to play with (many books available focus on teeny-tiny animals)
the book included Earth-friendly yarns, since one and two-skein projects are an excellent time to experiment with new fibers!
a newbie crocheter could pick up Crocheted Softies and make an animal
a crocheter of any level could find a project that is interesting and learn something new!

Selecting the projects

To meet these goals (the last two in particular), I had to put a lot of thought into selecting projects. I thought about what sorts of skills a crocheter might want to learn (from easiest to hardest) and then designed an animal that incorporated each one of these skills. Let’s take a peek!

The basics: single crocheting, increasing & decreasing

It can be daunting to start on a big project, so the simplest project in the book is also the smallest: Kai the Kiwi.

All photos courtesy of Martingale PublishingThis adorable little guy is a great project to start on (small, simple shaping, few pieces to attach) and also gave me the opportunity to use a yarn from New Zealand (that’s where Kiwis live!): Zealana Kia Ora Rimu DK. This yarn is made from New Zealand Merino and possum. The possums in New Zealand are an invasive species, and culling them for yarn saves the kiwi’s habitats! Isn’t that so poetic?

Practice attaching pieces, without complicated stitching

Many people tell me that attaching pieces is their least favorite part of making animals… so it’s helpful to get a little practice on a cutie that doesn’t require complicated stitching.

That’s why I designed this adorable owl: the stitches aren’t any harder than is required for the kiwi… but there are more pieces, so you’ll quickly gain confidence when putting him together.

And don’t you just hate buying three skeins of yarn for one project… and then having lots of leftovers? I designed this owl so that you could make all three of the owls with only 3 skeins of yarn! By using the main color of one owl as the contrast color of another… you use up the skeins perfectly!

(I thought it was very clever…)

Changing Colors

Changing colors is a skill that you’ll need for a variety of crochet projects! And, it’s a fun way to add character, so I put quite a few ‘color-changing’ projects in the book.

Maple the Moose is a great way to ease in to changing colors: each of his limbs just require one color change (going from the black of the ‘hoof’ to the brown of his ‘leg’):

The next level up in working color changes is to execute stripes… check out Fins!

And once a crocheter has mastered those skills, they’re ready for working color changes multiple times over the entire piece, as you do for the patches of the giraffe:

By working through these patterns, a crocheter would end up with a bundle of awesome color-changing skills in their pocket! And what’s better than feeling fully confident with changing colors? It’s a boost that’ll let you tackle a whole variety of (non-stuffed animal) projects!

Shaping with slip stitches

Aside from shaping by using increases and decreases, I wanted to include a project that used slip stitches to accomplish the shaping. This technique creates the curvy body of Slithers the Snake:

Doesn’t he look fun?

Shaping with short rows

Another technique for shaping is using short rows. I designed Tuskegee the Walrus, which uses short rows to achieve the curve of his body:

Shaping with short rows allows you to create a sharper bend than is possible with slip stitch shaping. It’s also a technique that will pop up in garments such as socks and some sweaters. I thought, ‘what better way to practice than on a stuffed animal that doesn’t need to fit anyone?’!

The loop stitch

Who doesn’t want to add a little bit of texture to a crochet piece? The loop stitch is a super-fun stitch that creates a fabulous look. It can feel like a lot to learn, though, so I made sure to include a project with very little shaping, so crocheters could just practice the loop stitch:

And then, you could try your hand at the alpaca, which uses the loop stitch and shaping:

The alpacas are crocheted with 100% natural alpaca yarn… giggle!

The bobble stitch

I created (at least, I haven’t seen it anywhere else!) a bobble stitch that can be used on stuffed animals, since it doesn’t leave a hole in the fabric like many other bobble/popcorn stitches. I wanted to use this stitch, so I had to come up with an animal that would have bumpy skin…

It’s a crocodile! The perfect excuse to use those bobbles!

Joining pieces by crocheting

Another technique I knew I wanted to include was joining separate pieces by crocheting them together. This is how I designed Zork the Alien’s eyes:

My hope is that this is a technique crocheters will fall in love with, and use on their own projects and designs!

Would you feel confident?

If you mastered all of these techniques, would you feel like a more confident crocheter? More willing to tackle patterns? My hope is that you’re saying, “Yes, I would!”!

There are more patterns!

Did you know that there were supposed to be 2 more patterns in the book? But that they got cut for space reasons?

And now… (this is exciting) those missing patterns are available for free!

One of these is M. Richard the Whale:

And he’s available as a free download from Martingale. (Do you like the name? Get it? M. Richard… think about that for a minute.)

The second is Hugo the hippo, available as part of Crochet Me’s free Amigurumi ebook!

Go ahead and grab those patterns!

Join in on the Crocheted Softies fun!

I’ve had a total blast in the year following the release of Crocheted Softies. It’s been wonderful getting emails from all over the world from people who have discovered/rekindled their love of crochet with my book! One of the highlights was when I found out that Adriana crocheted all 18 projects from the book! How awesome is that?

Crocheting doesn’t have to be hard or stressful… with the right tools (and I’m hoping the super-illustration-ful introduction of my book is one of them), you can develop the skills you need to make crocheting a fun part of your life!

So, thank you, everyone for loving Crocheted Softies and filling my year with fabulous projects and comments! If you don’t have it… maybe you should put it on this year’s Christmas list!

Thanks for stopping by and reading!

If you want to see more great finished items… make sure to visit Tami’s Amis blog, the organizer of this great FO Friday theme!

I hope you have an awesome and craft-filled weekend! I’m making it a goal to put some serious thought into my holiday crafting…