Crochet Extra – March 2021

The store at the moment looks like chaos!  We have boxes everywhere as stock has come in to fill all the tournament packs.  We also have boxes of stock that has arrived for us to take to Craft Alive Toowoomba.  By the time you read this of course we will be unpacking from that trip, and many of you will be receiving your packs.

We’ve also got some great new products that have arrived – my favourite are the leather tags that can be easily attached and unattached to your hand crocheted items.  They are a great way to make your hard work stand out! Not to mention all the new yarn – Sierra and Brushstrokes.

I was also hoping to announce the exact dates of the Sunshine Coast Crochet Retreat – but we haven’t confirmed the details yet.  However I can tell you the two weekends we are looking at to add to your diary –  either the weekend of 27 and 28 August or 11 and 12 September.

The Crochet Guild is also madly finalising the details of their first Crochet Conference to be held in June in Maroochydore.  This looks to be a fantastic event with the guest speaker talking about Madam Weigel – the Woman who Clothed the Australasian Colonies.  Tickets for this event will go on sale this week via the Guild’s website – crochetguildau.org.au (click me).

This month our theme is amigurumi.  Many people have picked up their hooks and yarn to make beutiful amigurumi projects. So we’ve taken a good look at the patterns and yarns that exist.  You can read this in our next section.

If you have never tried amigurumi  before, join our February workshop to crochet this Laughing Kookaburra designed by PawPaws Studios.  Online Mondays 7pm – 9pm or Thursdays 9.30am – 11.30am.  Also suitable for those who just love amigurumi and like to crochet with others. 

Next month we will be learning a new technique – Waterfall Crochet.  See this and our other workshops throughout the year here

Until next time

Lynda

Theme— Amigurumi

Amigurumi (pronounced amee-goo-roo-me), refers to the art of crocheting or knitting stuffed animals, people or other 3D objects. It originated in Japan where it traditionally referred to dolls that are knitted or crocheted.

I hear many people say, when they look at these, ‘I could never do that’. But if you know how to double crochet and work in a circle, you can create beautiful amigurumi.

Adorable little dolls and tiny animals are big favourites in this trend – and you can even bring your favourite movie characters to life! Once you master the basic techniques of heads, bodies and arms, you can get really creative with what you make.

Amigurumi make for great gifts for any occasion, they can be whimsical and decorative or practical – rattles, pillows, key rings, paper weights or door stops. I recently completed this gecko as a baby gift, now adorning the side of the cot.

While any yarn can be used in making your favourite amigurumi, I find cotton gives you the best results. Cotton gives you better stitch definition, a cleaner look and generally won’t stretch. It’s also more durable.  Scheepjes Catona and Fiddlesticks Finch in particular give great results.

If you are new to amigurumi, here are a few essentials to consider:

• Have different colours of yarn available in the weight you wish to use, enabling you to be creative. The Catona 10g balls are excellent for this;
• You want to create dense fabric, so use a hook at least 1mm smaller than what you normally would to create tighter stitches. Using ergonometric hooks like the clover soft touch and amour, will ensure this is not too taxing on your hands;
• Stitch markers are super helpful for colour changes and keeping track of where you are;
• Be imaginative with your stuffing – you can purchase polyfil, buy cheap cushions and take out the stuffing, or use leftover yarns and tails from other projects. Stuff tightly as over time it compacts and softens.  If you are worried about the stuffing poking through the stitches, put it inside a piece of pantyhose.
• Use safety eyes or embroider them – sew on eyes and buttons can come off and are a danger to young ones. But before you add them mark the spots and check they are lined up – because they cannot be removed! Safety eyes come in a large range of sizes (we stock 5mm, 6mm and 10mm);
• Some elements can be fiddly so do these at a time you can concentrate on these bits.

There are so many patterns on the market and books which are featured in the next sections, along with kits we’ve created.  In the meantime, have some fun with this free pattern by Hooked by Kati – Elephants in Love

Look What We Found