Angel Demon Luvs Creating

allaboutami:

A year ago I did a series of blog posts showing some simple ways to crochet cell phone cozies.  Cozies made using Tutorial #1 had crocheted edges while Tutorial #2 showed the “sock method”.  Tutorial #3 involved the use of fabric lining- the pink cozy with wooden button (the one I actually made for myself) was made using this method.  Back then I made it to fit my future iPhone which I did not get until several months later.  I love having a handmade cozy to protect my iPhone in my purse.  It’s fun popping it in and out too :)

Let’s take a look at some cell phone cozies that people have made for their own cell phones!

Audrey of Audrey’s Corner from Germany made three cell phone cozies using my tutorials!  She used the crocheted edges method and made some for her friends as well.  I love how she used a different yarn colour for crocheting the edges.  It gives the cell phone cozies a nice two-toned colour variation!

Audrey added a dainty flower to the bottom of this delicate cozy…

And she added a cute cherry button in the corner of this cozy which she made for herself!

Kai Yee of Alberta, Canada learned to crochet recently and has become a big supporter of my blog :)  She started by making cell phone cozies and has now learned how to read amigurumi patterns and make some beautiful amigurumi!  I love this bright green she used and how she added a cute giraffe and elephant on the bottom.  She used the sock method described in Tutorial #2.  It’s wonderful how so many young people are taking up this awesome hobby :)

Tiffany made a front flap and crocheted button for her cozy using the sock method!  The stitches in Tiffany’s cell phone cozy have a different look because she crocheted in the front loops only.  You can see the lines on the flap since the back loops are not crocheted in.  There are many variations you can do with these cell phone cozies!

Rahmeh of Exceptionally Ordinary of Jordan also made a cell phone cozy with a front flap and crocheted button using the sock method.  It’s nice having that extra protection of the front flap so you really know your cell phone won’t accidentaly pop out!

Kristi is a friend of mine who was interested in learning how to crochet.  I sent her some youtube videos and had her over a couple of times to give advice or answer any questions she had.  Kristi totally blew me away as she picked up crocheting so quickly and really took off with it.  She’s made some awesome creations, from adorable hats and baby bear suits to amigurumi food.  I absolutely love the cell phone cozy she made below.  The fuscia pink and lime green work so nicely together, and the added wristlet is a great way to carry this cozy around.  The little green heart is so adorable.  Learn how to crochet a heart here.

Kristi made these two as well: she used a technique called the “reverse single crochet” or “crab stitch” to do the unique top edging on the cell phone cozy on the left.  It gives a kind of roped effect.  See Planet June’s tutorial on how to do it here.

Brittany of Georgia, USA was a newcomer to crochet and she tweeted me this photo of her first cell phone cozy!  I think her cozy looks so mod with the colours and pink button in the corner. Brittany followed my third tutorial and used a beautiful pink lining to contrast the bright green.  Wonderful job, Brittany!

Babby tweeted me a photo of the cell phone cozy she made for her mom’s birthday!  She also used the fabric lining method and said her mom loved it!

Višnja of Serbia used a flower lining for her cell phone cozy and an animal-print button to pop against the pinkness!  You can get so creative choosing different colours, fun buttons and unique fabric- it’s neat seeing it all come together!

Amanda of Wisconsin was new to amigurumi and crochet when she stumbled upon my blog.  She sent me many photos of her work as she has grown to love her new hobby.  I included her “Sweetheart Bunny” in my last Crochet Corner post.  Here, you can see her yellow cell phone cozy.  Sometimes it’s hard to add charms to phone nowadays, but you can add charms to your cozies as Amanda has done!

Frau Shizzle tried crocheting again for the first time since elementary school to make these cozies.  She made one using fabric lining and one using the sock method- she says she likes the sock method most.  I love her colour choices as the taupe yarn, greenish button and beautiful lining work so well together in her first cozy.  The striped earth tones of her sock cozy look wonderful together as well!  I love them both :)

Lastly, here’s a great way to “amigurumi-fy” your cell phone cozy!  Studio Ami took inspiration from my tutorials and made this ADORABLE cell phone cozy based on the cat from Kiki’s Delivery Service.  The front flap serves as the face with the large round eyes and cute nose.  She also added triangles on the top of the flap for the ears.  How creative!

If you’re new to crochet, these cell phone cozies are a great beginner project since you do not need to know how to read patterns.  They are very practical and functional, and they also make great gifts for friends!  These would also make great last-minute Mother’s Day gifts too :)  Check out all three of my tutorials here to see the different methods and to learn how to make one for yourself!  Keep sending me photos of your work through my facebook page, twitter or e-mail!  Thanks, everyone :)

allaboutami:

I have been receiving some e-mails recently from people asking how to read amigurumi patterns.  I always assumed it was straight forward enough, but I often forget what it was like when I first started crocheting.  Trying to interpret patterns can seem like trying to understand a foreign language with all the symbols and abbreviations!  And so, I thought I would take the time to explicitly and clearly describe how to read amigurumi crochet patterns as I find it very exciting that people are getting inspired to learn how to crochet after seeing my amigurumi.  I want to make the learning process as easy as possible so everyone can make their own stuffies!

Please reference my “Amigurumi for Beginners” blog post to see videos on how to do the basic stitches as well as materials you will need to make your own amigurumi.  Here is a chart showing common abbreviations that you will find in some of my crochet patterns (see more extensive list here):

Next, I will go through one of my patterns (e.g. Teddy Ornaments) and explain what the instructions mean, row by row. 

Translation: Work six single crochets in a magic ring.  The “R” stands for “Round” because we are crocheting in the round in a continuous spiral (could also be denoted by “Rnd”).  The “R” could also stand for “Row” (when working in rows, you usually turn your work at the end of each row and work back across the top of the previous row for a square or rectangle).  The number in brackets at the end shows you how many stitches you should have completed during that round.  I always count how many stitches I’ve completed to double-check my work compared to the pattern to ensure I haven’t skipped a stitch or accidentally done one too many.  [Note: in my earlier patterns, Round 1 often looked like this: “R1: Ch 2, 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6 sts)”- this is interchangeable with the R1 above as I was not using the Magic Circle back then.]  See how to do the Magic Circle here.

[Note: Please IGNORE the number of stitches in each round and the number of rounds in these photos as they are not accurate.  I will be using the pictures for reference to show how many single crochets should be worked into each stitch.]

Translation: Work two single crochets in each single crochet around.  Since you are crocheting two stitches in each stitch around, you are doubling the stitch count (from 6 to 12) so that your circle expands outwards.  Patterns that say “inc in next st all round” mean the same thing.   

Translation: Work one single crochet in the next stitch.  Then work two single crochets in the following stitch.  Repeat the pattern in asterisks 6 times. 

Translation: Work two single crochets in the next two stitches (one in each).  Then work two single crochets in the following stitch.  Repeat the pattern in asterisks 6 times. 

Translation: Work three single crochets in the next three stitches (one in each).  Then work two single crochets in the following stitch.  Repeat the pattern in asterisks 6 times. 

You keep following this general pattern for the rest of the rows as your ball expands outwards (e.g. Rows 6-8 in the Teddy Ornaments pattern), doing one single crochet in each stitch and then doing two single crochets in the next stitch every once in a while.  Eventually, the ball will need to keep its shape for the middle part without expanding or decreasing, and it will look like this in the pattern:

Translation: Work one single crochet in each stitch all around.  As you can see, there is no increasing or decreasing and no asterisks.

You keep doing one single crochet in each stitch all around for a number of rows (R9-20 in the Teddy Ornaments pattern), maintaining the same number of stitches in each row until it is time to decrease and close up our ball (in this case, 48 stitches).

Translation: Work six single crochets in the next six stitches (one in each).  Then decrease over the next two stitches.  Repeat the pattern in asterisks 6 times.  I highly recommend doing the “Invisible Decrease” to ensure that there are no holes or bumps in your amigurumi.  Check out my blog post here to see how to do “The Invisible Decrease”.

Translation: Work five single crochets in the next five stitches (one in each).  Then decrease over the next two stitches.  Repeat the pattern in asterisks 6 times. 

You keep decreasing the number of stitches row by row by doing a number of single crochets, and then doing an invisible decrease every so often.  Eventually, your ball will close up.  Along the way, you will add safety eyes, perhaps embroider a nose or a mouth, and add stuffing.

I hope you found this blog post helpful!  Please feel free to add any suggestions and tips, and do pass this post along to your friends who are just learning how to crochet or wanting to make amigurumi!  I’ve linked this post to my “Amigurumi for Beginners” post here, and I’ve also updated it by adding some resources that can help you learn how to attach and sew your amigurumi parts together since I’ve received some questions about it.   Don’t hesitate to e-mail me or leave a comment if you have any further questions.  I’m so happy that people have been inspired to try my patterns after seeing my designs, and I hope that this will be a helpful resource for you all!  Happy crocheting :)

allaboutami:

Let me give you the background story of how Snuggles the Penguin came to be!  Back when we were researching cute images of dragons for Chinese New Year, we immediately fell in love with this adorable drawing:

I couldn’t find the source of this image, but I went ahead and crocheted my amigurumi Dragon based on it.

Luckily for me, an astute tumblr follower recognized the artist of the drawing and directed me to Kim Rountree of Oborocharms.  I immediately tried to contact her, letting her know that I had made an amigurumi dragon based on the baby dragon she had drawn six years ago.  Kim was very quick to get back to me, and she was incredibly gracious, stating that she absolutely loved him and my blog!  We developed a friendship from there as we checked out each other’s work: Kim is a very talented artist who makes kawaii stuffies and beautiful charms!  Check out her store here!

As we continued communicating with one another, we thought it’d be a great idea to do an art trade, particularly since both of us love everything cute and our mediums of art are so different.  I had never participated in an art trade before, but I’m so thankful that my very first one was with Kim!  And so, we sent each other some suggestions of items we wanted the other person to make.  Kim sent me three images of charms she had designed, allowing me to choose which one I wanted to make into an amigurumi.  After carefully examining and thinking about the logistics of making each one, we went with this cute penguin wrapped in a scarf:

It’s always a fun challenge turning an image/drawing into a 3-D amigurumi!  I already had white and yellow yarn at home, but we went out to find the perfect blue colour for his body and reddish-pink yarn for his scarf.  Then, we delved right into crocheting his head/body!    I crocheted around a series of chain stitches to begin with an oval shape and expanded outwards.  He kind of looks egg-shaped as he is more narrow at the top and wider at the bottom.

Before closing up his body, I crocheted this round white piece for his belly.  We attached this white part onto his body and then attached his safety eyes as we wanted them to be halfway on the blue and halfway on the white (as in the picture).  Attaching the white belly was tricky as it ruffled up along the bottom.  We ended up attaching the majority of the white belly (along sides and top), attaching the eyes, stuffing the body, closing up the body, adding some stuffing between the body and the white belly, and then attaching the rest of the bottom of the belly.

Next I crocheted a small yellow beak and attached it halfway on the blue and halfway on the white belly (just like the safety eyes).

Then we cut out two circular pieces of pink felt and added them for the cheeks!  What a sweet face :)

I loved the luxurious scarf that Kim had placed around her penguin charm, and it looked somewhat tube-like.  Thus, I decided to crochet around a ring to give a thick, sturdy scarf: it also made changing colours easier as I could hide the ends in the tube and make sure the colour changes were on the side of the scarf not showing.  I switched between red and white yarn every five rows.

We actually wrapped the scarf around Snuggles and sewed the overlapping parts together.

Then I crocheted some little wings for Snuggles the Penguin.  Rather than stuffing the wings, I flattened the pieces and sewed the open ends together.  We attached them onto the sides of his body under the striped scarf.

Here is how our Snuggles the Penguin turned out!  Do you think he looks like the charm that Oborocharms made?

Here is a side view…

Ryan got creative with the fiberfill stuffing as he photographed Snuggles in the “snow”!  As we mentioned in the sneak peek, don’t pick a snowball fight with a penguin, because you’ll lose from cuteness overload!  Haha, whenever I think of snowball fights, the scenes from “Elf” and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” always bring a smile to my face :D

It’s nice that Snuggles’ scarf is removable as he might get too hot with Spring around the corner.  And the solid scarf still holds its shape when removed!

Next up are some close-up shots of Snuggles.  I looove this next photo of Snuggles’ sweet face!

Here you can see Snuggles’ wing and how it is concave, curving upwards and out! 

Snuggles’ beak is attached halfway on the blue and halfway on the white belly!

I don’t think Snuggles appreciates having his bottom photographed like this, but we had to do it…  As mentioned above, attaching the white belly was a challenge as it curves downwards along his body.  We had to attach a flat white piece to a round body, so it definitely was not perfect.

As you can see, there is some bunching at the bottom.  Ryan ended up inserting some stuffing between the belly and the body to decrease the ruffled appearance.

Ryan also had some fun posing Snuggles creatively with his scarf!  Doesn’t he look like a sushi chef here?

And with his scarf rotated, Snuggles looks like a little rebel with his bandana…

And those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know that Snuggles is not the first penguin I’ve made!  Back in May 2011 (almost a year ago!) I made this little penguin (free pattern linked to in blog post) that required switching between black and white yarn for the face that posed an interesting challenge.  Snuggles is much bigger!

And just to give you more of an idea of Snuggles’ relative size, here’s a pic of me holding him!

It’s always a little sad parting with an amigurumi you’ve worked hard on, but I’m so happy that he’s joining Kim’s family of kawaii stuffies!

Since I had extra red yarn left, I thought it’d be special to make Kim a Knotted Headband so she could match with Snuggles!  I know it doesn’t get very cold in California, but hopefully you’ll find some occasion to wear it, Kim!

Ryan and I had a lot of fun turning Kim’s penguin charm into an amigurumi!  What do you think of Snuggles?  The free pattern for Snuggles will be up shortly!  I’m so excited that I got to participate in this art trade with Kim of Oborocharms, and I can’t wait to show you what she made for me!  If you follow me on facebook and twitter, you probably already know, but I will be doing a full blog post on it too.  Be sure to check out her shop as she has oodles of cute items (if you end up crocheting Snuggles, it’d be cute ordering a matching Penguin charm!).  Thanks for everything, Kim, and I hope you like your amigurumi Snuggles :)

daintyloops:

I’ve received a couple request for help on learning to crochet. I personally learned to crochet by watching videos on YouTube. I tried to learn by reading it in a book but I learn best by watching rather than reading. There are TONS of videos online to help people but I feel these are the best I’ve found. These videos cover all the basic things you need to know like holding the yarn, making the initial slip knot and the chain, and all the basic stitches. There are TONS of stitches, and combining stitches in different ways creates all the beautiful designs you see BUT you need to have all these basic stitches down first. The most important piece of advice I can give you, and the most important lesson that crocheting has taught me is this: EVEN IF YOU DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND IT AND YOU AREN’T SURE THAT YOU ARE DOING IT RIGHT, JUST KEEP GOING. Ok lets get started.

HOLDING THE YARN AND HOLDING THE HOOK:

(a) This video shows one method. I personally do not hold the yarn the way Teresa does as it gives me cramps, but everyone is different and you need to find the way that feels the most comfortable for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO10fHDdJGI

(b) I hold my yarn and hook the way that Bethintxl does. ALTHOUGH, she creates the slip knot in a really weird and (to me) unnatural way. I’m giving you this video so you see the way I feel is the best to hold the yarn and hook.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgFD4P5s-NA

MAKING A SLIP KNOT AND A CHAIN:

Everything that you do in crochet will first contain a chain (some patterns do something called ‘foundation chain’ but those are few and far between. learn the basic chain first) It is alway harder to crochet into the chain then it is to crochet any other row in your project, so don’t feel frustrated. Also if you crochet the chain too tightly your overall piece will end up curved. Most beginner crocheters crochet the chain TOO tightly. With practice you will develop the perfect tension throughout your project. You will be able to see if your chain is too tight by the second/third row. If its too tight, undo your work and redo the chain. Focus on your tension while doing the chain and actively relax your left hand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptOiDj1iIv0

JOINING CHAIN TO WORK IN THE ROUND:

A lot of times your project will require you to work in the round. Things like hats, cowls, wrist warmers, leg warmers…all these will require working in the round. You should master all the other links in this post first before doing one of these BUT I’m including this video because its VERY important when working in the round that you do not bend the chain when you are joining.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aySl-ZnnCc

SLIP STITCH:

A slip stitch is a basic stitch that is used to help you get from one location in your project to another without adding any height. It might seem a little weird at first, but once you understand what you are really trying to achieve with the slip stitch it is a lot easier.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJE1UTuUjxM

SINGLE CROCHET & TURNING YOUR WORK TO START A NEW ROW:
This is the most basic stitch in crochet. Pay special attention to where it is that you need to stick your hook in order to do the stitch correctly. The first time I tried to crochet I made an entire scarf that ended up with 5 different stitches in it because I kept realizing that I was doing the stitch wrong, lol. I call it my Frankenstein scarf. After you understand how to create this stitch correctly, everything else in crochet is just building on this stitch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hwHtyJFMf0

HALF DOUBLE CROCHET:
This is the stitch that is in the middle of a single crochet and a double crochet. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz86_EM_Zks

DOUBLE CROCHET:
This is the second most basic stitch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgA9KSJrgAc

TRIPLE CROCHET:
Again, this is just building on the other stitches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjokOSfHi-I

FRONT LOOP & BACK LOOP SINGLE CROCHET:
The videos above show you how to create the SC (single crochet), HDC (half double crochet), DC (double crochet), and TR (triple crochet) in the basic way, by going under the “V” You can create a different effect in your work by only going through the front part of the “V” (front loop) or the back of the “V”. This video only shows you this method with a SC but you can do this with any of the stitches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG0zOuSLMGE

FRONT POST & BACK POST DOUBLE CROCHET:
Same as with the front and back loop method, this is another variation to the stitches.
http://www.youtube.com/user/tjw1963#p/search/2/56eTH2LxBWw

and I can’t find it anywhere. I know I used a little of it to make two things, and now I want to really use it I don’t know where it is :(