How to crochet a smaller amigurumi!

December 27, 2011

The easiest way to make a smaller amigurumi is to use thinner yarn and a smaller hook. You can even use embroidery thread!

But if you want to use regular yarn, there’s still a way to do it!

You’ll need to do some figuring on your own, but altering existing patterns is the first step to designing your own… so give it a try!

As an example, I’m going to talk about how to make any size Mike the Microbe, from my book Crocheted Softies. Feel free to try it out with any pattern!

Identify the parts of the Pattern

Have a good look at your pattern, and try to identify big chunks of the pattern.

When you have a look at the small microbe’s pattern, you’ll notice that rounds 1-9 are increase rounds (rounds where you add stitches), followed by 7 plain rounds (where no increasing or decreasing occurs) and 8 decrease rounds (rounds where you decrease stitches).

Start crocheting… with fewer rounds!

Mike the Microbe is adorable as is… but how do you make him smaller? Crochet fewer of all kinds of rounds!

I crocheted one baby microbe by crocheting 5 increase rounds, 3 plain rounds and then 5 decrease rounds to finish.

After the end of 5 increase rounds, I had 30 stitches… so when it was time to decrease, I started at round in the decrease instructions that had 30 stitches. Who knew so many instructions were built into the pattern?

Make features smaller, too!

Follow a similar logic for making smaller features… working fewer increase and plain rounds. Above, I decided to omit the buggy eyes- they were too hard to make smaller!

I also made a microbe adding the eyes that were in the pattern without modification- notice that they’re proportionally bigger on the body… but I think that’s cute, too!

So tiny and so cute!

Try it on everything!

Once you’ve tried ‘shrinking’ a simple pattern like a microbe, it’s time to this trick with other amigurumi! I crocheted a tiny version of Nelson the Owl by crocheting 5 increase rounds and 5 plain rounds instead of the 10 called for in the pattern.

I worked fewer increase rounds on the wings and eye circles… and it’s important to keep in mind that it’s okay if the smaller version doesn’t look exactly like the bigger version. As long as it’s cute, you’re doing great!

Hope you give ‘shrinking’ some amigurumi patterns a try!

Here are handy links to all the posts about crocheting stuffed animals in different sizes. . .

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

Move on to the lessons for crocheting more advanced shapes.

Happy stitching!

How to Clean Amigurumi

November 15, 2011

Happy Tip Tuesday! I get asked pretty often, ‘how do you wash your amigurumi, especially if you use non-machine washable yarn?’ Well, that’s today’s topic!

I crocheted two owls that I used as cake toppers. Even though the icing was pretty hardened, one owl inevitably ended up with icing on his owl-butt. Ooops.

Even though this owl is crocheted with a hand-wash-only yarn… there’s no problem! Almost all messes can be ‘spot cleaned’ using water and a cloth (that is, unless you drop an amigurumi in a mud puddle… then he may need an all-over wash). I just dip a washcloth in a little bit of water:

And dab at the spot:

… until it’s clean!

Hooray!

Now, what if your amigurumi is really dirty? Here are a couple of suggestions:

  • Try using a little bit of soap in your water for smaller (but hard to get out) spots
  • Soak your amigurumi in a sink of water and wool-wash (like Eucalan). Gently squeeze all of the water out, and let dry completely.
  • Animals made from non-machine-washable yarns can be machine washed without felting completely. The stuffing keeps the yarn from felting as much as loose fabric would. Of course, you may see some felting (due to agitation and hot water), but not as much as you may expect. Try machine washing on delicate with cold water… your amigurumi will come out clean as a whistle!

Here are handy links to all the crochet troubleshooting posts. . .

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

Happy stitching!

How to embroider a smile on your amigurumi!

October 4, 2011

About a week ago, Tiffany wrote on the FreshStitches Facebook wall, and asked if I could post about how to embroider a smile on amigurumi. Sure thing!

If you’re shaky on doing embroidery, check out my video on embroidering amigurumi. That’ll help you with the basic technique. And now, I’ll show you how to get a nice, even smile!

Planning the smile

So, we begin with a blank canvas (in this case, an amigurumi head):

Now, here’s the real trick: I use locking stitch markers to plan out the shape of my smile! Here, I put one marker in each of the upper corners of the smile, and one at the bottom. You can use more if you feel like you need a bit more guidance while embroidering.

Embroidering
Now, with the smile all planned, you can begin embroidering! First, thread your tapestry needle with the yarn you want to embroider with:

… and get started! If you want to see how to embroider in more detail, check out my video on embroidering amigurumi.

And, you’re done!
Since you used the locking stitch markers as your guide, you have a nice, even smile!

Just remove the markers… isn’t it lovely?

Hope you enjoyed this Tip Tuesday… and that it’ll inspire you to dress up your amigurumi with pretty smiles!

Here are handy links to all the posts about faces and details. . .

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

Move on to the lessons about eyes.

Happy stitching!

Crocheting baby-safe eyes for amigurumi

September 20, 2011

Larger-sized amigurumi make lovely presents for babies… but you’ve got to make sure they’re safe for the little ones! Today, I’m going to give you the pattern for crocheting baby-safe eyes (to replace the plastic eyes often called for in patterns), and show you a technique for attaching the eyes so you’ll end up with an awesome plushie!

crochet owl

Pattern for Baby-safe Crocheted Eyes

Even though the plastic eyes used in amigurumi are often called ‘safety eyes’, they’re not approved for use by children under 3. So, whenever I’m making a toy for a baby, I crochet the eyes. Here’s the pattern:

With black yarn (in weight and hook called for in the remainder of the pattern), ch 2.
Round 1: sc 6 times into 2nd ch from hook. (6)
Round 2 (optional): Sc twice into each st. (12)
Fasten off with a long tail.

That’s it! Easy!

Attaching Crocheted Eyes

When you are attaching limbs, I recommend that you use a whipstitch to attach the piece to the loops on the fabric. However, because the eyes are so tiny, this technique makes the eyes stick out a bit:

 

 

This is the first baby-safe toy I crocheted… see how his eyes are a little buggy?

 

To get the eyes to lay flat, you’ll want to stitch all the way through the fabric that you are attaching to. Let’s look at an example of attaching baby-safe eyes to an owl.

To begin, I thread my tapestry needle with the tail of the yarn, as usual. Then, I stick my tapestry needle through the eye, then all the way through the head of the owl (going all the way to the wrong side of the owl head):

attaching a baby safe eye in amigurumi

Then, to complete a second stitch, I stick the needle back up through the next stitch- through the owl head and through the eye:

crocheting a baby safe eye on amigurumi

This is attaching the eye using a running stitch, and pulls the edges of the eye much closer to the head than with a whipstitch. Isn’t the final result pretty?

amigurumi crochet owl

Ideas for Variations

You don’t just have to crochet a black eye… you can be creative! Try:

  • Embroidering a french knot with a scrap of white in the center for a pupil
  • Crocheting a second round of white, so that the black is the pupil
  • Use a funky color!

Hope this tip helps you create a fabulous baby-safe toy! So, next time you have a baby shower to go to… think ‘stuffed animal’!

New, Super-Easy Magic Ring!

August 23, 2011
NEW! Super Easy Magic Ring for Starting Amigurumi - a video tutorial from Shiny Happy World and FreshStitches

Update! If you want the easiest method for starting your amigurumi (easier than any version of the Magic Ring) try a sloppy slip knot. I started using it a few years ago and I’ll never go back to a Magic Ring.

Has the magic ring method for beginning to crochet in the round gotten you all tied up in knots? No worries! I’m going to show you a new and super-easy method for getting an adjustable (magic) ring to begin crocheting your amigurumi. First, I’ll show you in photos, but scroll down if you’d rather just watch the video!

In this technique, you begin by making a slip knot, then creating the adjustable loop. With this method, there are less loops flying around, so it’s more accessible to beginners. Who knows, it may become your favorite!

Step one: make a slip knot
Start off by getting the hook and yarn called for in your pattern.

Then, make a slip knot with about 6 inches remaining at the tail, and insert the hook into the slip knot.

Step two: make a loop
With that 6 inches you left in in the tail, make a loop, as pictured:

Step three: crochet into the loop
Pretend that GIANT loop is just one crochet stitch. Crochet into it six times (or do however many stitches called for in your pattern). To single crochet one stitch into the loop: insert your hook into the loop, wrap your yarn over the hook and pull through the loop, then wrap your yarn over your hook again and pull through the two loops on your hook! Repeat this until you’ve crocheted all of your stitches! Your piece will look like this:

Step four: pull, and you’re done!
To close up the hole, pull on the tail!

You’re done! Hooray!

If that went by too fast, have a look at the video I recorded of the technique:

I hope you found today’s post useful for demystifying the magic ring!

If not – seriously – just use the sloppy slip knot. 🙂

Here are handy links to all the posts about working the first round of your crochet pattern. . .

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

Move on to the lessons for round two and beyond of your pattern.

Happy stitching!

Different ways to space crochet increases!

July 19, 2011

Happy Tip Tuesday, everyone!

I’m going to chat about a topic that’s very important to amigurumi-making: increases. Why is it so important? Because almost every amigurumi requires that you increase! Today, I’m going to compare two popular ways to position your increases, so when you’re crocheting, you can pick the way you like best!

For this blog post, I’m going to assume that we are crocheting a piece in the round, using the spiral method- that’s going around and around without turning (if you don’t know what I mean, fear not! I’ll talk about the different ways to crochet in the round another day!). To increase, you simply crochet twice in the same stitch… but there’s more to it than that!

There are two basic ways to space your increases: spiral increases and evenly spaced increases. They give slightly different looks, and different folks prefer different techniques.

Spiral increases


One way to increase is the ‘spiral increase’ method, where you position the increases at the same spot in every round. Instructions for this type of increase typically look something like:

…
Round 4: [sc twice in next st, sc in next 2 sts] 6 times (24)
Round 5: [sc twice in next st, sc in next 3 sts] 6 times (30)
and so on…

In this technique, the increases occur evenly spaced from each other, and at the same spot every round, so you can see a spiral shape occurring (see the arrow in the photo above) with the increases.

Advantages to the Spiral increase technique

  • The instructions for doing this technique are easy to write/read
  • Because you are increasing at the same spot every round, you can eventually learn to increase without counting (yay!)

Disadvantages to the Spiral increase technique

  • Only works well if you are making a simple circle (and not a more complicated shape)
  • Some people don’t like the look that the spiral makes

Even increases


A second way to increase is to position the increases at random (but evenly distributed) around the round. Instructions for this type of increase typically look something like:

…
Increase 6 sts in each round for the next 4 rounds.

In this technique, the increases don’t occur in the same spot every round, so they become a less pronounced part of the design. Notice how this increase results in a more circular shape, as compared to the spiral increases, which make a hexagonal shape.

Advantages to the Spiral increase technique

  • The instructions for doing this technique can be very condensed
  • Because you only need to make sure to increase 6 times per round, counting isn’t very necessary
  • Some people find the roundness more aesthetically pleasing

Disadvantages to the Spiral increase technique

  • It can be difficult to make sure the increases are randomly distributed
  • Although the instructions are short and condensed, they can be tricky to spell out, and can be tricky for beginners

What will you choose?

It’s a personal choice that’s up to you! I’m a spiral-increase kind of girl… what kind of increaser are you?

Best,
Stacey

How to Remove Safety Craft Eyes

May 17, 2011

I recommend using safety craft eyes (the ones with little ridges on the post) for my amigurumi because they’re difficult to remove (meaning they’ll withstand the pulling and prodding of small children). The downside, however, is that they’re difficult to remove – especially when you make a mistake in positioning them.

The best defense, obviously, is to be sure you like them before putting them in (check out my tips on positioning eyes for help!), but we all make mistakes. Ashley recently asked how to remove a pair of eyes… so Ashley, this post is for you!


First, you’ll need your toolbox… here, you’ll see my amigurumi owl head (with eyes that I needed to remove because I didn’t like where I positioned his orange eye-circles) and a pair of pliers.

Now, this part can be a little scary… you’re going to have to cut the post, above the washer. Alternatively, you can use a utility knife to cut the washer off of the post (if you’re desperate to save the eye itself), just make sure you don’t let that knife nick your fingers!


Ta da! Now you can remove the eye with ease. Yes, you lost an (amigurumi safety eye) in the process… but you saved your stuffed animal! Hooray!

Here are handy links to all the posts about amigurumi eyes. . .

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

Move on to the lessons for standing legs.

Happy stitching!

Easy Trick for Counting Rounds in Crochet!

May 10, 2011

A lot of amigurumi are made by crocheting in the round. When teaching classes, I’ve noticed that counting rounds is something that gives a lot of crocheters trouble… I mean, who wants to count every stitch? In this post, I’ll show you the shortcut that I use for counting rounds.

Let’s do a little example.

I’ve been following my pattern instructions for the first three rounds (read this post if reading patterns baffles you!), and now my pattern says:

Rounds 4-6: sc in each st (18)

How can we do this without counting?

I take a locking stitch marker (the orange thing in the photo above), and lock it onto the last stitch of the round. Then, I’m just going to keep crocheting around and around until I’m exactly 3 rounds above my marker!


Check out the photo above… and you’ll also see why I prefer crocheting through the back loops- each round leaves behind a little horizontal ridge that makes each round super-easy to count!

So, give this trick a try, and you can probably ditch your row counter!

Best,
Stacey

Help for a too-pointy amigurumi head!

April 26, 2011

It’s Tip Tuesday! Hooray! I just got an email from Pam, asking:

I’m having trouble with making the heads of any animals round, it’s always pointy on the top. Do you know how I can fix that? Thanks!

Happy to help! When there is a too-pointy top, a couple of things could be the problem.

  1. How’s your slip knot? If you’re using a standard slip knot, you could be getting a hole that makes the center puff up. I recommend using the sloppy slip knot (or magic ring, if you prefer) to get a nice center. If you’re using one of those techniques and still getting a point, make sure to pull really tightly! That solves a large number of the too-pointy problems!
  2. Is your gauge consistent? If you are a new crocheter, your gauge is probably changing as you get more experienced. If you begin your piece by crocheting loosely, and tighten up a few rounds later, then the first rounds will puff out- making a pointy top. Try starting again, and try out your new, tighter gauge at the start!
  3. Maybe there is no problem! The heads of animals don’t have to be perfectly flat… they’ll even out a lot after stuffing. Below is a photo of an amigurumi that I just crocheted:

    It may look a little pointy, but it rounded out perfectly after stuffing!

Hope that helps! Happy crocheting!

Best,
Stacey

Creating cone shapes in amigurumi

November 30, 2010

Want to learn how to make adorable crocheted stuffed animals with an easy online workshop – totally free?

Sign up for Let’s Make Amigurumi here. You’ll learn how to get started, the tools and supplies you’ll need, and how to make an easy amigurumi from start to finish using simple crochet stitches.

It’s a fun, inexpensive, and totally portable craft. You can do it!

A basic amigurumi circle is made by working an increase round (usually 6 evenly-distributed increases) every round. This standard pattern of increasing is how you get nice round shapes, such as the baby penguin’s head and body.

crocheted baby penguin

In this blog post, we’re going to show how changing the number of increase rounds can provide you with different cone shapes. Once you’ve learned how to make them, you won’t want to stop!


In sample #1, we’ve increased every other round (working the remainder of the rounds without increasing). This creates a cone with about 45 degree-angle sides. If you increase every third round (as we’ve done in sample #2), you the head of my squid and I’ve used this shape in making the hat for my gnome. Can you think of other animals that might have a cone shape in them?

There are already oodles of possibilities for what you can do with cones… but you can do even more! All of these shapes can be flattened, and used for other amigurumi parts. For example, I used a flattened elongated cone as the hat in our holiday penguin. Flattened cones can also be used as dinosaur spikes, pointy ears… and so much more!

I hope that you have fun experimenting with some fun cone shapes!