All About Ami
a blog about my love of ami-gurumi & crochet
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We set up our Christmas tree a couple days ago, and as a final touch, we hung our Teddy Ornaments that we made last year! I can’t believe it’s been one whole year since we designed, created and blogged about these three cuties, and it amazes me how popular they’ve become! This year is extra special since it is Myla’s first Christmas :) She watched with great interest as we were setting up the tree!
I thought I would do a round-up of some beautiful crocheted Christmas ornaments that I found in case you want to add some more crafty and crocheted goodness to your tree! The free patterns are available for all of these ornaments (click through the links to access them!)!
Row 1: Teddies by me, Snowflowers by The Purl Bee, Christmas Trees by Annemaries Haakblog
Row 2: Scalloped Circle by Craft Snob, Baby Owls by A Morning Cup of Jo Creations, Sock Monkey by Linda Cyr
Row 3: Snowmen by Audra Brown, Snowflake by The New Crochet, Angels by Roswitha Mueller
I think the baby owls are absolutely adorable! I’ve always greatly admired my friend Josephine Wu’s work as she is a very talented amigurumi designer. If you haven’t seen her work already, go check out her blog “A Morning Cup of Jo Creations”. I also think the “Scalloped Circle” would make a lovely frame for a picture or for another ornament as well- could you see a little snowman or angel in that circle?
Will you be making any of these ornaments to add to your tree in the last days before Christmas?
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I still very vividly remember back in March 2011 when I received an e-mail from a blog reader named Kay. I had just started my blog two months prior in January and not very many people knew about my work. Kay said that she had found my Valentine Teddy pattern and had made her very own! This was the very first time someone had sent me pictures of their work using my pattern, and I was so incredibly excited. I had spent hours writing up my patterns (there were only two at the time) and figuring out my designs, so to know that someone was using it somewhere in the world was incredibly special! You can see Kay’s Valentine Teddy here.
Kay started her own blog called “I’m Hooked” and I loved perusing it as she posted adorable pics of her popsicle keychains, mini wallets/pouches, and all the lovely items she made for her baby girl (what a shoe collection!). What really caught my eye was her cute amigurumi penguin pattern that she had translated HERE. It was my first time crocheting with two colours at the same time, and I absolutely loved how this cutie turned out! You can read Penguin’s step-by-step blog post here. I think this little penguin would make an adorable Christmas ornament, don’t you?
Kay and I kept in touch, and I am so thankful for her love, support and prayers for our family. We are now both moms to beautiful baby girls! She even sent us a package full of goodies for baby Myla- this really brightened up my day and lifted my spirits as the first few weeks coming home from the hospital were challenging at times. Her thoughtfulness and generosity blew me away!
As we were messaging each other, Kay revealed how she had started her blog when she was pregnant and a bit lonesome. Kay wrote,
“It was your pattern that got people to even look at my page and from there I gained an audience that was interested in my work and most importantly, me. And even though I no longer blog, I will be forever grateful of the amigurumi bear pattern that changed my life. So, thank you!”
This brought me to tears, knowing how much of an impact my blog could have on someone. I’ve received at least a half dozen e-mails from people all stating that they’ve been inspired to start their own blogs after seeing “All About Ami”, and I’m always so overjoyed to hear this. God has given me this platform to express and share my creativity and love of crochet with others, and I am so happy to hear that it has impacted others in such a positive way!
Even though Kay no longer blogs, she too has found a way to do what she loves and share it with others through her Etsy store called “Mikaylove” that she has just launched. Mikaylove is derived from her daughter’s name “Mikayla”, and as a stay at home mom, Kay was inspired by her love for her baby girl to create a handcrafted jewelry line that would appeal and be affordable to all audiences. Kay sent me some of her pieces and I immediately fell in love with their elegant and classy designs. I liked them so much that I ordered some more for myself and my family!
Kay sent me the “Cross Weave Bracelet in Peach” (LOVE this) and the “Double Wrap Bracelet in Maroon” (maroon/burgundy or ‘oxblood’ is such a trendy colour right now for the fall!).
Kay’s classic designs go well with any outfit and you can definitely dress them up or dress them down! I looove stacking bracelets to add interest to my outfits….can you ever have enough bracelets?
I ordered the stunning “Mikaylove Original Design Necklace in Turquoise & Grey” for myself since I love the colour combo and bib necklaces are so popular right now! Isn’t it gorgeous?
I also ordered the “Double Wrap Bracelet in Mint Green” since I love this colour. I think peach and mint green go so well together!
The little “Mikaylove” tag of authenticity on each piece is very cute too :)
I think that all of the Mikaylove pieces are affordable, with prices comparable to those found in retail chain stores, except these pieces are all handmade! I am all for supporting handmade artisans and moms who are working from home. Kay has many different pieces available in a vast array of colours (see pic below for more of her designs). Please check out her store HERE to see her collections! You can also find Mikaylove on tumblr HERE and on instagram (@Mikayloveinc).
Kay has been generous enough to offer THREE GIVEAWAYS for my readers! In order to enter, please visit the Mikaylove Etsy store HERE and select your FAVOURITE PIECE. There are three ways to enter (one winner will receive their selected favourite piece from each of the following groups):
(1) Blog comments: Leave a comment on this blog post, stating your favourite piece (e.g. “I love the Cross Weave Bracelet in Cream”). One comment per person please.
(2) Facebook: Leave a comment on the Facebook link to this post stating your favourite piece (click HERE to access the “All About Ami” Facebook page). Like and Share the post (be sure to change the share settings to “Public” so I can see it) for additional entries.
(3) Tumblr: “Like” this post and reply with what your favourite piece is. Reblog this post for an additional entry (only once please). Tumblr winner must be a follower of BOTH “All About Ami” and “MIKAYLOVEINC” on tumblr HERE.
You may enter all three ways! If you are under 18, please ask your parents’ permission before entering. The contest is open worldwide and will run until Wednesday, December 5 at 9 PM, MST. Winners will be announced on Friday, December 7.
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About one year ago, I made this Scarecrow for CRAFT since they asked if I could design an amigurumi for Halloween. I can’t believe another year has come and gone, and it’s already October with Halloween fast approaching! You can read about how we made him and see many step-by-step pictures in this blog post here and get the free pattern HERE. I thought I would show you some Scarecrows that have been made all around the world and remind you of this pattern in case you would like to make one this month too!
Rima from Syria was a beginner in crochet but that didn’t stop her from tackling amigurumi projects! Rima excitedly sent me pictures of all her amigurumi creations, including the whole P.J. Teddy Family, a Spring Bunny, a Valentine Teddy and this Scarecrow :) All of the details look fabulous, from the dainty little daisy to the cute little patch. The flecks of gold in the green and brown yarn she used give this Scarecrow an interesting texture!
Almudena from Spain made her own Scarecrow and used different colours of yarn for his straw hair to add dimension! It looks like he’s running towards someone to give them a great big hug :) Almudena said that she really likes the hat and will use my pattern again to make it for another doll!
Nishant is a 15-year-old avid reader of my blog from India who loves to both knit and crochet amigurumi. It’s exciting how crafting and crocheting is becoming more popular with younger people, and with males too! I know the vast majority of my readers are female, so it’s nice to hear that guys are taking an interest in amigurumi and crocheting as well :) Nishant’s scarecrow looks so friendly with his big eyes and sweet smile! Great job with the hat too, Nishant!
Tiffany from Texas recently made her own Scarecrow, and he proudly sits ontop of her bookshelf! She is thinking of names for her little buddy, and one possibility might be “Patch”- I love hearing about the creative names that people give to their amigurumi to really make them their own! Glad you could make him in time for Halloween, Tiffany :)
Amy of “Creatively Inclined” from the United Kingdom named her Scarecrow “Tim”! Looks like Tim is getting into some trouble while attempting to crochet himself a friend ;) Love the creative posing, Amy!
Thank you for showing me pictures of your work, everyone :) It still boggles my mind that people are reading my blog and following patterns that I’ve written from places as far away as Syria, Spain, India and the United Kingdom! Everybody’s Scarecrows are very unique and cute, and it’s neat to see how people can interpret the same pattern very differently! I love seeing your work, so please keep sending me pictures through e-mail (all_about_ami@hotmail.com), twitter or facebook! If you would like to make your own not-so-scary Scarecrow this fall, check out the step-by-step blog post HERE and the free pattern HERE!
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Last week I blogged about an adorable Jumpin’ Jellyfish that I made for a girl moving overseas with her family (see the blog post here and this hilarious gif file that a reader made for me here). As her older sister flipped through Ana Paula Rimoli’s book “Amigurumi Toy Box”, she told me that she loved the hot dog the most because she loved food! Given how there were plenty of animals in the book, such as pigs, bears, ducks, tigers and frogs, I thought it was so cute and funny how she chose the hot dog as her very favourite!
I happily began working on this hot dog since I had never crocheted anything before quite like it! We began working on the sausage and stuffed him along the way. Look at that adorable little smile and mustard cheeks :)
The sausage was very quick to whip up!
Then we worked on the buns, consisting of the bottom part and the top part. Both parts are crocheted in an oval shape as you crochet around a series of chain stitches. Here are the bottoms of the buns!
And here are the tops of the buns!
I then sewed the top of the bun onto the bottom of the bun, ensuring I didn’t stuff it too firmly as the bun would puff out too much…
Both halves of the bun complete!
Now to sew them together along the inner edges…
Attached and ready for the sausage to be placed inside!
Have you ever seen such a happy hot dog before?
Hot dogs are definitely a summer staple food!
It’d be hard eating something so cute though…
I think someone’s trying to escape being eaten….
And here’s a pic showing the relative size of this amigurumi hot dog! Pretty true-to-life I think :)
This hot dog was fun to crochet since, just as the jellyfish, I did not have to attach any ears, legs, arms or tails! The assembly was quick and easy and unlike anything I had ever worked on before. Ana Paula Rimoli also includes a pattern to make a cute ketchup and mustard bottle to go with this hot dog (see set here). I know the Jellyfish and Hot Dog will be dearly loved as they travel overseas with these two adorable sisters. Enjoy them, girls!
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As you know, I love gifting amigurumi I have crocheted with love to children we know. I made the P.J. Teddies for a pair of sisters, and Hedgehog & Elephant Ballerina for another pair of sisters who were moving overseas. This month, a family dear to us will be moving overseas as well. Their two girls came over a couple weeks ago and were flipping through my “Amigurumi Toy Box: Cute Crocheted Friends” by Ana Paula Rimoli. The younger sister’s eyes widened with delight as she saw a picture of a cute pink jellyfish amongst other sea friends on a particular page. The older sister found something that she really liked as well (I’ll keep that a surprise for a future blog post). I had been wanting to crochet them something as a farewell gift, and I was happy to put this book that I had purchased last summer to use again. Making amigurumi is much quicker when you’re following patterns rather than experimenting and designing them!
I wanted to make a bright, fun jellyfish, so I decided to use this beautiful lemongrass-coloured yarn I had used on my slippers (see picture here). I started off by crocheting the head/body…
You need to crochet in the back loops only for a particular row so that it is easier to crochet the “wavy, skirt-looking thing” onto it later. I love how Ana Paula Rimoli included this when she was planning as it indeed does make it easier to attach!
Head/body is stuffed and ready to go! Safety eyes have been attached and cute smile has been embroidered :)
Next up I went around and crocheted this “wavy, skirt-looking thing” onto the head/body. It gives a delightful scalloped edge. This jellyfish looks like a sunflower from the bottom!
Here is a view of the scalloped edging from the top:
Then I crocheted three inner tentacles and six outer tentacles. I love how twirly and curly the outer tentacles are!
Jellyfish after attaching the three inner tentacles:
I then attached the six outer tentacles, spacing them evenly around the inner tentacles.
Ta-da! And here is Jellyfish with all the tentacles attached!
The tentacles give Jellyfish so much texture! Jellyfish is itching to put those tentacles to good use…
And so, next we have a series of six pictures showing our amigurumi Jumpin’ Jellyfish!
Ryan and I had fun taking these shots! We attached a very thin white thread to Jellyfish and then I had to carefully lower and raise him without letting him turn and rotate too much! This proved to be difficult sometimes as Jellyfish liked to spin around and around. I love the first picture with Jellyfish all scrunched up! [UPDATE: A very kind reader named Debbie has made a gif file of my Jumpin’ Jellyfish! See this cutie in action HERE! Thanks, Debbie!]
I really enjoyed making this project as it was very different from all the other amigurumi I had previously crocheted. Instead of attaching ears, arms and legs, it was neat attaching tentacles! The younger sister absolutely loved him when she took him out of the bag as she let out an extremely cute giggle and smiled from ear to ear. I think Jellyfish will make a great companion for her overseas!
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Sneak peek of upcoming blog post: A Jumpin’ Jellyfish (pattern by Ana Paula Rimoli)
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I first blogged about the amigurumi Despicable Me Minion we made back in October. He certainly was a labour of love as we spent countless hours working on all his details (he’s still the largest amigurumi we’ve made to date) and writing up his complex crochet pattern. After publishing the step-by-step and pattern posts, I wondered whether anyone would try making him. I really hoped so since we had poured so much time and effort into this Minion! As the months went on, people started sending me photos of their own Minions, and I was absolutely amazed to see how wonderfully they all turned out! It made me feel good knowing that people could read and interpret my pattern so well since each and every Minion looked fabulous. Come see all the different Minions that have been created around the world :)
Catherine did an absolutely beautiful job crafting her own Minion. I love how my Minion was posed with an apple, and Catherine crocheted a delicious banana for her Minion to hold! Love the props and your fine attention to detail, Catherine :)
Laura made this Minion for her son, who absolutely loves him! What a sweet present :) I imagine Laura’s son and this Minion will go on many fun adventures together…
Tiffany’s Minion is holding a massive chocolate bar! I think he was sent on a secret mission by Gru to bring back enough chocolate for the girls :) He looks so cute just standing in the middle of the room, chilling with his chocolate bar!
Phyllis’ Minion was her first real amigurumi project! I love how she adapted my pattern to make a shorter Minion, also giving him huge googly eyes and a lopsided grin! He looks a little mischievous to me ;)
YarnAccumulator made this Minion for someone special on Valentine’s Day! She gave him a tuft of hair in the middle instead of individual hairs spread throughout the top of his head. I love seeing how people put their own touches on their amigurumi!
Donesia made this Minion for her husband, and she loves how his goggles and pants are removable! He looks very well-made, and I love how his hair flops down instead of sticking straight up. His expression is so cute as he looks super excited or amazed about something!
Tracy from the United Kingdom made this special Bob the Minion for her son as well! Looks like he’s guarding that cup of tea for her at the moment:)
GreenGrapes said it took her forever to finish this Minion, but all her time and effort were worth it! She did a wonderful job, and I’m so happy she persevered through this project to complete him :)
Camille also said it took her forever to make her Minion, but she managed to complete hers as well! Here he is enjoying some sunshine on a bench- great work, Camille!
Maria from California made a Minion for her brother, and she commented that my pattern was the best she’s ever followed. Thank you for your kind words and feedback, Maria! I love how she gave this Minion a graduation cap and diploma too (in the style of Graduation Teddy)! I’m sure her brother loved this special gift!
Bogee from the Philippines made this fabulously expressive Minion. I really love his lopsided grin and how he’s looking off to the side (the addition of the small white circles in the corner looks great!). I also really like the colours that Bogee used- the light blue contrasts nicely against the yellow, grey and black as well. Absolutely wonderful job, Bogee!
If you haven’t already seen the making of my Minion, please check out the step-by-step blog post HERE and the free pattern HERE. Thank you so much for sending me photos of all your Minions, everyone….they are slowly taking over the world! Illumination Entertainment and Universal Studios were also kind enough to send me some special one-sheets (posters) after seeing my amigurumi- you can read about it HERE.
I originally wanted to do this “Crochet Corner” post because I thought the sequel was being released today (July 3). However, upon further investigation and realizing there was no promotion happening for the movie, I realized that it was being released on July 3, 2013. Haha, I guess that means we have to wait another year before we can see the sequel! That also means there’s still one whole year to work on your own Minion in time for “Despicable Me 2” ;)
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Thank you so much for all your support and warm wishes in response to our exciting news, everyone :) Ryan and I feel incredibly blessed and loved by you all!
I wanted to share these pics I snapped on my iPhone while vacationing in Tokyo! I was excited to see these cute little amigurumi teddies holding crochet letters on the very first day while exploring Ginza! It’s such a great idea to personalize your teddies, especially for gifts. They also had crochet letters and hearts attached to scrunchies for you to wear in your hair!
The next day I found these beautiful necklaces in a jewelry store in Harajuku. I love the incorporation of crochet into jewelry by crocheting around beads and hoops to add some wonderful texture. I just might have to try this out in the future!
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The blog will be quiet for a while as we travel to Tokyo, Japan! Thank you so much to everyone who gave such thoughtful tips and recommendations for our trip! Hopefully we’ll be able to get lots of inspiration for future projects, and we can’t wait to share our adventures with you when we get back :)
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