There has been a literal explosion of amigurumi crochet all over the Internet. This is an explosion of extreme cuteness because amigurumi are miniature animals or dolls that are made with yarn and stuffed. They were first made in Japan but now are made just about everywhere. Just check online craft stores and you will see all kinds of cute little animals crocheted from yarn. In Japanese ami means things made from yarn and nuigurumi is the name of a specific doll that has no arms and legs, just a large head and torso. The first amigurumi are patterned after these dolls. These are probably the easiest things to make and are appropriate for a beginner to try.
You may wonder how crochet animals came from Japan when the art of crocheting was not done prior to around the nineteen fifties. In fact, the only Japanese people that actually knew how to knit were the Samurai warriors who made their own socks with toes in order to be able to get a better range of movement. Because they did not have patterns that came from their ancestors they made up their own unique techniques. They would make charts to crochet instead of writing the method out and used symbols and calligraphy to explain what stitches to make. The charts are beautiful and can almost be framed to hang on the wall they are so beautiful.
The first time the crochet animals were made was during the fifties when Japanese culture began to have a obsession with cuteness. This is when the famous large headed white cat with a pink bow named Hello Kitty, came into being. Things changed drastically for the Japanese during the sixties when many families moved from rural areas to be in the city and work in offices. The cute characters that they loved were suddenly mass produced in order to keep the public that was turning into a work driven population happy. These small animals made people smile and gave the cuteness back to the many working themselves to death in offices. They were given as gifts so that people would smile.
To make some of these cute little animals you use a smaller crochet hook than you would normally use for the size of yarn. The whole pattern is made in a spiral that never connects which entails marking the first stitch of each row so you do not get lost in the pattern. The Japanese charts are very hard for some to read because of the characters. It should be noted that the charts are merely a suggestion of how to make the animals. It is expected that once you understand how they are made you deviate from the pattern to make your own creation.
Today you can find patterns that are written out just like regular patterns for crochet sweaters or other items. It is very easy to make because you only use a few stitches. One is a single crochet and the other is a chain. The only thing you do is either increase or decrease the amount of stitches in a row that make the animal take shape.
The best thing about making the crochet animals is that any yarn left over from a project can be used. They do not take much and certainly not an entire hank of yarn. Some put beads and sequins on their creations. They are usually stuffed with poly fiberfill but old torn stockings can also be used. Many times they are filled with pellets or dry beans to make them more of a bean bag consistency. Patterns for cupcakes, lions, kittens, birds, and human like dolls in different professions can be found on line with a simple search. If you can crochet you will have no trouble trying to make one. And if you do be careful, they get very addictive and you will not be able to stop. - 31957
You may wonder how crochet animals came from Japan when the art of crocheting was not done prior to around the nineteen fifties. In fact, the only Japanese people that actually knew how to knit were the Samurai warriors who made their own socks with toes in order to be able to get a better range of movement. Because they did not have patterns that came from their ancestors they made up their own unique techniques. They would make charts to crochet instead of writing the method out and used symbols and calligraphy to explain what stitches to make. The charts are beautiful and can almost be framed to hang on the wall they are so beautiful.
The first time the crochet animals were made was during the fifties when Japanese culture began to have a obsession with cuteness. This is when the famous large headed white cat with a pink bow named Hello Kitty, came into being. Things changed drastically for the Japanese during the sixties when many families moved from rural areas to be in the city and work in offices. The cute characters that they loved were suddenly mass produced in order to keep the public that was turning into a work driven population happy. These small animals made people smile and gave the cuteness back to the many working themselves to death in offices. They were given as gifts so that people would smile.
To make some of these cute little animals you use a smaller crochet hook than you would normally use for the size of yarn. The whole pattern is made in a spiral that never connects which entails marking the first stitch of each row so you do not get lost in the pattern. The Japanese charts are very hard for some to read because of the characters. It should be noted that the charts are merely a suggestion of how to make the animals. It is expected that once you understand how they are made you deviate from the pattern to make your own creation.
Today you can find patterns that are written out just like regular patterns for crochet sweaters or other items. It is very easy to make because you only use a few stitches. One is a single crochet and the other is a chain. The only thing you do is either increase or decrease the amount of stitches in a row that make the animal take shape.
The best thing about making the crochet animals is that any yarn left over from a project can be used. They do not take much and certainly not an entire hank of yarn. Some put beads and sequins on their creations. They are usually stuffed with poly fiberfill but old torn stockings can also be used. Many times they are filled with pellets or dry beans to make them more of a bean bag consistency. Patterns for cupcakes, lions, kittens, birds, and human like dolls in different professions can be found on line with a simple search. If you can crochet you will have no trouble trying to make one. And if you do be careful, they get very addictive and you will not be able to stop. - 31957
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