Showing posts with label elephant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elephant. Show all posts

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Easy Crochet Critters Pattern Book Review

Easy Crochet Critters Pattern Book Cover
Vanna's Choice: "Easy Crochet Critters" is a crochet pattern booklet from Lion Brand Yarn. It is part of the Leisure Arts Little Books series.

Easy Crochet Critters has patterns for ten (10) Amigurumi designs.  I have made each of the animals in this booklet; some of them several times.


Each critter can be crocheted with 4-ply worsted weight yarn using a size G crochet hook.  


The pattern booklet lists the finished size of each animal, but this can vary depending upon the size of the crochet hook you decide to use (I often use an F hook) and whether your crochet style is looser or tighter.

Each animal is completed with fiberfill stuffing and safety craft eyes (or embroidered eyes, if desired).  Other features, such as nose and mouth are usually embroidered with a small amount of yarn.


Lion


Crochet lion looking at the pattern book he was created from
Little Amigurumi Lion

Little Lion, pictured on the cover of this booklet, is a roly-poly ball of fun with his embroidered face and crocheted mane. He hardly ever roars and is usually a quiet playmate for a child. He measures a roly-poly 4 x 4 inches when finished and stuffed. 


The lion I crocheted from this booklet I named Luke.  Luke the Amigurumi Lion makes a perfect Roly-Poly Plush Pet!  Mine measures about 5" x 5" - as tall as he is wide - and is a plump 14" in diameter. 
Toy lion in crochet
Crochet Lion on Etsy


He's perfect for fans of zoo and jungle animals and gets along well with other plush animals in the toybox! 


Giraffe



Giraffe pattern and toy giraffe looking at the book
Little Amigurumi Giraffe


This Little Amigurumi Giraffe turns out so sweet with such a cute face. I made mine in yellow with orange spots.  The pattern for little giraffe states he stands 8 inches tall.  Mine came out a bit larger with the body 5 inches long, plus his little tail, and he stands 9" tall.


A Plush Toy Giraffe in Handmade Crochet
Jellyroll Giraffe on Etsy

I named my version of this little giraffe, Jellyroll. This handmade plush toy sweet little giraffe got his name from the fact that instead of 'shoots and leaves', his favorite food is a big plump Jellyroll. 

He also loves children and would prefer to live in a child's playroom instead of outside with all those tall giraffes since he's only about 9 inches tall (if you count the horns on top of his head).




Seal



Toy seal looking at the pattern for him in the crochet pattern book
Little Amigurumi Seal
Amigurumi Seal is quick to make with the head and body crocheted in one piece, then the flippers crocheted and added after.

Since this is a plush animal, it can be made in any color you desire. 

Baby Harp Seal in crochet
Baby Harp Seal
I made this one in white to be a baby Harp Seal.  His finished size is about 7 inches from the top of his nose to the back flippers.

While Harp Seals can grow to over 5 feet long and weigh between 115 and 180 lbs.  This little crocheted replica is only 7 inches long and sits 5 inches high, weighing about 2 ounces . A much better size for a child to cuddle :)  Harp Seals have a white coat at birth to help them blend in with the ice and keep them safe.

Walrus



Crochet walrus and walrus pattern in crochet book
Little Amigurumi Walrus
 Another sea animal in plush is this little walrus.  The walrus pictured in the book was crocheted in brown yarn.  When I lived on the California Central Coast, I saw a walrus with a mottled or speckled looking coat, so I made my current crocheted walrus using a brown & tan variegated yarn to represent this speckling look. 

I named my plush toy walrus Wendy, a wonderfully winsome Walrus who will wind her way into your heart. :)

Wendy Walrus is a soft yarn toy who measures 7 inches long and about 4 inches wide (not counting her flippers). She's filled with a soft new fiberfil. Wendy Walrus would love to have a cuddle and a hug from a child who loves sea animals.



Ready-Made Crochet Critters


Ready-Made crocheted critters and the pattern book they were created from "Easy Crochet Critters"

The giraffe, lion, seal and walrus crocheted critters shown here are all handmade by me. The giraffe and lion and are currently available in my Etsy Shop Coastal Crochet Crafts. The seal and the walrus have sold, but can be recreated upon request.


Many More Plush Animals to Crochet


Image of the crochet critters from the book Easy Crochet Critters Pattern Book

In addition to the finished giraffe, lion, walrus and seal crocheted critters showing off for you here, this craft booklet also has patterns for a small elephant, an amigurumi hippo, a cute little monkey, a small alligator, a snowy owl and a plush penguin. 

 There are a total of ten (10) Amigurumi plush animal patterns available in this booklet Easy Crochet Critters!



The Easy Crochet Critters Pattern Book


Easy Crochet Critters Pattern Book back cover
Vanna's Choice: easy crochet CRITTERS

Besides the pattern instructions for all ten crocheted critters, the back of the booklet has general instructions for abbreviations used and hints and tips for finishing your creations.  Basic stitches and techniques are also included.

Published in 2009 for Lion Brand Yarn Company, this inexpensive little pattern booklet will give you many  hours of crochet pleasure and a whole menagerie of cute plush animals.

Where to Find Easy Crochet Critters:




Crochet Critters on Blogs:


Posts Featuring Some of These Crochet Critters

The little amigurumi giraffe and lion show off in my Plush Stuffed Animal Zoo blog article on my Etsy Blog Crochet Crafts and Cute Critters.

Two Seals and a WalrusTwo Seals and a Walrus
The cute amigurumi seal and his friend the plush walrus are featured in my blog post Two Seals and a Walrus ~ Plush Marine Animals in Crochet.



For more reviews of crochet crafts, check out Review This: Crafts.

 
*Easy Crochet Critters pattern booklet is Reviewed by Wednesday Elf





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.”


Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Stuffed Elephant Toy Reviewed

 For A Child Who Loves Elephants

herd of elephants
African Elephants from Pixabay.com
Today, I am reviewing a stuffed elephant toy that I want to get for my 5 year old granddaughter. This post will be more than just about a toy, though. Last spring my granddaughter and her Mom visited Disney World where she learned of the plight of our elephants. Bless her little heart she took the information quite seriously and has vowed to save the elephants! 

She is so serious about it that she wants to create a vlog to get the word out to everyone she can. When asked what her goal was she said, "I want all of the children to know about the killing of the elephants because if we don't do something my kids won't have any elephants." Did I mention that she is 5 years old? She and her Mommy figured out that with 35,000 elephants killed each year that by the time she is 19 there will be no more elephants in the wild. I know that I am her Grandmother and a little biased but I think this is pretty impressive for one so young. 

So, I am doing what I can to help her learn about elephants by giving her books and films about real elephants. I also want her to be able to cuddle with an elephant and that is why I came up with the idea to get her a stuffed one. 

I have always been fond of the Jellycat line of stuffed toys so I immediately searched for one from that company. 

I know from having purchased stuffed animals made by this UK firm before that they are made with care and are quite durable. I think she will like this one because it sort of resembles the African elephant with the large ears. He looks so sweet and soft and I am curious to hear what she names him. There is no doubt in my mind that he will have center stage on her bed!

I want to applaud Disney for educating children not just about elephants but about our environment as a whole. They do quite an impressive job as witnessed by how much they affected my granddaughter. This child has taken all of this to heart and can quote so many statistics about elephants that it would blow your mind. She can look at a picture and tell you whether the elephant is from Africa or Asia. She can tell you why elephants are so important to the eco system. Her passion for this project not only touches my soul but makes me want to help her.

I knew that poaching elephants for their tusks was a horrible problem but hadn't really given it too much thought other than to think what an awful situation. Now, that my little granddaughter has decided that she can save them; I have learned so much more. Most of the information is brought to me from the mouth of a 5 year old who has the determination of a 35 year old!

I keep thinking that on a trip where you would think that a 5 year old would come back with tales of the Princesses, the rides, and the characters of Disney that what she came away with was the desire to save the elephants. As I said, I am biased but she is one very incredible child! She is already showing us that she will be a leader of some sort. She will not just sit by and let things happen; she will be an activist when it comes to changing things for the better.

Perhaps you could help her and the elephants by teaching your children and grandchildren about elephants.



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.”


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