Saturday, August 12, 2023

Funny Amigurumi – A Crochet Craft Pattern Book Review


16 Creatures & Their Accessories to Crochet by Emilie Penou


Amigurumi is the Japanese craft of crocheting small stuffed animals and toys.


Images of stuffed animal crochet patterns


Funny Amigurumi Craft Book


Funny Amigurumi Craft Book Cover

This crochet craft book has 16 quirky creatures to create.  Each one has a cute accessory.


These characters are portable, collectible and very giftable.  They average about 4.5 inches tall, depending upon the yarn and the size crochet hook you choose to use. The author recommends a cotton yarn that is a sock/super fine weight 1 yarn used with a D hook  I prefer to work in a worsted weight 4 acrylic yarn and almost always use an F hook.

Therefore, my version of the hedgehog, for instance, turned out to be 8 inches tall, about twice what the pattern in the book states. Crochet crafters will understand what I mean by preference. :)


The List of Characters in Funny Amigurumi include:


  1. Mini Bunny and Carrot
  2. Mini Bug and Aphid
  3. Mini Tiger and Bow tie
  4. Mini Fox and Mask
  5. Mini Chicken and Cape
  6. Dragon and Surfboard
  7. Unicorn and Cloud
  8. Owl and Witch Hat
  9. Reindeer and Scarf
  10. Frog and Crown
  11. Hedgehog and Hairbrush
  12. Donkey and Hat
  13. Wolf and Broccoli
  14. Penguin and Floatie
  15. Sheep and Fox Blankie
  16. Squid and Book


These patterns are fairly quick to crochet and most are good for beginners with easy-to-follow instructions. Most can be made in a day or a weekend. They are small enough to be portable for creating on the go! 


Several of the characters/animals in this book are done in a similar style, with the body being sort of pear-shaped, such as the wolf and the unicorn. 


There are several pages of crochet lessons at the beginning of the book. I found the lessons well worth reading and very helpful. In fact, I learned something I'd never known, even after crocheting for over 40 years.


I also really liked the fact that the individual patterns each give you specific instructions on exactly where to place the arms, legs, ears and features. Having followed many a pattern over the years, I have to tell you that having the pattern author tell you to, for instance, insert the eyes between row 18 and 19, with 15 stitches in between is invaluable. Many times I have had to look at a picture and try and figure out how many rows down the eyes or ears are placed, which naturally can be time-consuming and frustrating. 


My Recent Creations from Funny Amigurumi


Plush crocheted Hedgehog looking at the pattern in the craft book
I loved the Hedgehog, one of my favorite animals to crochet.  I got a big kick out of the Hedgehog accessory. He comes with a hairbrush, which makes sense as he will need one to comb out his 'quills'.  


The quills are easy to make, but are a bit time-consuming as you cut strands of yarn, then insert the hook under a stitch, grab the middle of the yarn with the hook and pull it through the stitch. Then you grab the two tail strands of yarn and pull them through the loop on the hook. In my version, it took over 100 strands to create the quill look I wanted across the head and all the way down the back. Turned out really cute, though. :)


Plush toy wolf and pattern book
The Wolf was fun to make and turned out so nice. The picture in the pattern book looks like he is done in tan, but the pattern calls for gray yarn, which is what I used, since wolves are normally gray in color. The nose on the pattern appears to be embroidered in black yarn, but I have always had problems getting the embroidery to come out neatly when working on a yarn piece. Therefore, this time I came up with another idea. I simply crocheted a 6 stitch circle and sewed it onto the tip of the nose. Came out very neat, instead of the sloppy look my embroidery always gives me. LOL. 


Plush white rabbit with carrot. Crochet pattern in Funny Amigurimi craft book.
The Bunny was such a delightful plush toy to create. He reminds me of the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland


And I love the crochet carrot they included in the bunny rabbit pattern.


Such a cute accessory for a plush bunny! 




Summary


Funny Amigurumi Craft Book Front & Back

So, if you are looking for a cute collection of 'funny' and fun creatures to crochet, Funny Amigurumi is a good book to have in your craft library. 


Quick Links to More Craft Book Reviews:



Note:

Crocheted Bunny, hedgehog, wolf in a photo collage

If you liked the crafty critters I have featured here, but do not crochet, the Hedgehog, the Wolf, and the Bunny & his carrot shown in this review are currently available for purchase in my Etsy Store, Coastal Crochet Crafts. More will be along soon as I am busy with my crochet hook! 


*Review of the Crochet Craft Book Funny Amigurumi was written by

~Wednesday Elf


For More Reviews in the world of crafts, check out
ReviewThisCrafts.com 
 






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


8 comments:

  1. These look wonderful @Pat Austin, you are so talented!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What an awesome crochet book and I love your animals! I have to agree with Olivia, you are talented and your work is always so beautiful. I wondered, on the hedgehog quills, would that be like latch hook to add them? That is what your description sounded like to me. I love that the patterns are easy enough for beginners. Such a cute creation would make anyone want to crochet!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Sylvestermouse, the technique for adding the quills on the hedgehog is very similar to the latch hook method. I used my crochet hook, not a latch hook, but it works the same. :)

      Delete
  3. This looks like such a delightful way for a beginner-level crocheter to create something more fun than the usual scarf, potholder or beanie. I love the projects you made from this book and your helpful tips. The fact that each animal gets a suitable accessory is really charming. Thanks so much for the recommendation!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Margaret. I had fun not only reviewing this fun craft book, but creating the cute animals from the patterns.

      Delete
  4. You're so talented! These are super cute, and so well done - My personal fave is the bunny rabbit with the carrot - precious!! It must be quite relaxing to delve into a project like this - the book sounds like a must for those who want to tackle this awesome hobbie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Barbara. I love to crochet and it is such fun to find cute patterns from talented creators.

      Delete

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