So Sweet Amigurumi Snail

One of the things I love about Amigurumi crochet is the

quick results! I never have time to get bored with the project I'm working on before it's finished! The minute I finish a project I take pictures of it, admire it for a few minutes, then immediately start on the next one. There is just so much satisfaction to be gained from successfully completing a project and having it come out beautiful.

I finished my snail last night and I'm so happy with it! I'm already thinking about doing another one and trying to figure out what colors to use on the next one.

I gave her blue eyes, just because I've always used black and I was curious what it would look like with the blue. I like it! I also made little 'humps' where her antennae would be. It just kinda looked bare on her head. I was very glad I did. All I did was just whip stitch over and over in the same spot until a little 'hump' formed. I love the way that turned out...much more smooth and neat than french knots. My french knots NEVER turn out.

So Small and So Sweet!

I've had very positive responses to her so I think I'll make several more for the craft fair.

I finally broke down and bought the pattern for the "Adorable Pink Fawn" I've been eyeing for weeks! She's just so cute I couldn't resist any longer. I am also planning to make one (or several!) with colors to look like Rudolph for Christmas.

I started on the fawn this morning and she's coming along well and has to be one of the cutest things I've ever seen!

Thanks for visiting and until next time....happy hooking!

Amigurumi Babies!!

There's no place like home! For the past week I've been out of town caring for my mother and while I loved spending the time with her, I sure am glad to be home. Mom is very old fashioned. I mean really old fashioned. She doesn't own a microwave....much less a computer so I've been MIA from internet land for a whole week!! I was starting to go thru withdrawals. Lol. I logged on from my cell phone, but it's just not the same. However, not being able to be online 24/7 was good for my craft fair preparations. I got several Amigurumi babies done. Mom went nuts over the Ami's, as did everyone I showed them to. I always got the same reaction when I said I was doing "amigurumi crochet". They'd say, "you're doing WHAT??" When I pulled them out of my bag and showed them off the reaction was also always the same.....they loved them. I saw these yarn babies online the night before I left and I fell in love and bought and downloaded the pattern to take with me.

This was my first completed baby, who is now living with my Mom. Mom was mesmerized and fascinated by the whole process. From the time it only had a faceless head and a limbless little body, until I put the finishing touches on it!! Sooooo, I gave it to her and she was so thrilled. She named the baby "Angel" and took it everywhere with her. It did my heart so much good to make her that happy. She's been thru alot since my Dad died last year. They had been married 58 years, so as you can imagine, Mom is lost without him. Any happiness I can bring her warms my heart.

Next I made my Snow Baby.I made her just a little different, partly on purpose and partly accidental. First, her head is way too small. Their heads are suppose to be disproportionately large, and this one wasn't!!

I was low on polyfill and even tho I stuffed and stuffed and thought it was full enough, I know I could've stuffed more. I had no idea it would make that much difference. But I was still happy with the outcome so I left it alone. I also gave her longer ears, and a little "tie" for her hoodie.

Next I made a hot pink one. (After a quick trip to the local Walmart for polyfill.) This one I made a little bigger, just for experiment's sake. All I did was use a larger hook! I think these babies are precious and I know I'll be making many more of them before the craft fair.

I made a baby harp seal for my snow baby's pet. This was my first venture at "free handed" amigurumi. I didn't have a pattern for this one, but I had seen a picture of one, so I "eyeballed" it, so to speak.

I had to pull it out here and there and start over to get the shape right, but when all was said and done I was quite pleased with the finished product.

If you're interested in making one you can order the pattern here:

or get a free one (it's a little different, but could be "tweeked") here:

I'm thinking once I learn the different body "shapes" it would be easy to design my own little ami's by mixing and matching from free patterns, the head from one pattern, the body from another pattern, etc.

I'm currently working on this little snail. I got the pattern from "Knotty's Amigurumi Blog". I love this blog by the way! I should finish her tonight!

http://amigurumibyknotty.blogspot.com/2009/04/free-snail-pattern.html

That's all for now.

Thanks for visiting, and ....

So just what IS "Amigurumi" Crochet anyway??

Welcome to my very first Blog! Why am I so nervous?? Well let me briefly introduce myself. I'm a mom, a grandmom and a recently "displaced" worker. Having been laid off from my job of 9 years only 2 weeks ago I've been forced into what I now have decided to call my "vacation". Hey, might as well make the most of it right? And it sounds so much better than being "unemployed". I haven't been "unemployed" for any length of time since I was 15 years old. So here I am. 49 years old, recently seperated from my husband of 26 years, and raising my 3 year old grandson, who has lately been my main motivation for anything and everything I do!! I've been doing alot of worrying and contemplating lately. Where do I go from here? I've tossed around all the ideas of taking advantage of my meager severance time and going back to school, doing some babysitting out of my home, calling everyone I know to put the word out that I'm looking for work and all the various "work from home" ideas. What I came up with is basically...nothing. I'm just more confused than I was before. So I called an old dear friend to cry on her shoulder, which she obliged and then proceeded to tell me about how busy she is getting ready for a craft show here in our town in October 2009. She has done these craft shows before and makes a nice little chunk of change to supplement her retirement income. "You should whip up some of your beautiful crochet and attend the craft fair with me this year! We could get a booth together even."


Now that was something to think about. I love to crochet. I taught myself when I was 14 years old and have been happily addicted ever since! I've crocheted everything from afghans, to potholders to sweaters & scarves. I love to create!! To me there is such a wonderful sense of accomplishment and pride to take a piece of string and turn it into something beautiful! "Okay" I told my friend. "That sounds fun and it will get me out of the house if nothing else." I might even make a little extra money if I'm lucky. I've got a little time before my severance pay runs out in 5 months so why not? The more I thought about it, the more I liked this idea of attending a craft show with my very own "products" made with my own two hands! My family and friends always say I should sell some of my crocheted work because I am so "talented". But I've never had the time or the energy to make a substantial amount of pieces....until now.

So, first things first, I thought. "What should I make?" Afghans, baby blankets and the like would take too long. I need to make something that's beautiful and can be done relatively quickly if I'm going to be ready by October! Then it hit me. I've seen pictures in crochet magazines and on crochet websites of these little tiny dolls, animals, bugs and just about everything you could imagine....even vegetables and food!



I have often thought of trying it for gift giving or toys for my grandson. That might be something I can do quickly enough to have a respectable "inventory" for my first craft fair. So I jumped on the computer and started searching for patterns of these tiny little creatures. I was astonished at how many there were and just how popular this delightful art form called "Amigurumi" Japanese crochet is.

Ami-gu-what???

What does that mean? I did a new search under "amigurumi" and much to my delight I found hundreds upon hundreds of pictures and free patterns. The definition of "Amigurumi" is as follows: the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures. The word is derived from a combination of the Japanese words ami, meaning crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll. Amigurumi are typically cute little animals ( bunnies, cats, dogs, turtles, bears, squirrels and so on), but can include artistic renderings, and inanimate objects endowed with anthropomorphic features.


Ah, I see. Well that looks fun, and easy even! I'll give it a try. My first pattern was a cute little Lady Bug I found here:
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80016AD.html

Isn't she just toooo cute???!!! ♥♥♥♥

I grabbed hook and yarn and finished "Lorelai" in an afternoon! I was hooked. It was fun, easy and quick. And best of all adorable and sure to be a popular bazaar item. I couldn't wait to start my next project.

The blog was an after thought. I thought it might be fun to document this "journey" I'm about to begin from start to..well, wherever it leads!
I welcome any ideas or feedback and meeting some new friends along the way would be nice too!

Here's a link to a free pattern for some super cute turtles that would be good for anyone just beginning amigurumi crochet.
http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=40998



It's less challenging than the lady bug (all those spots and legs!!!!) Try it out and let me know what you think!

Until next time.......happy hooking!!

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