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.
Crocheting is not a craft that is native to Japan. Samurai learned how to knit in order to make socks with toes that allowed them a better freedom of movement. Because the Japanese people did not have patterns for knitting or crocheting that came down from generation to generation they began to make their own thing. Charts to make the cute little animals where developed using Japanese calligraphy. Some of these charts are works of art themselves.
The little stuffed animals made an appearance in the fifties when the Japanese culture was moving toward everything being cute. Hello Kitty the large headed white cat with pink dress and bow became popular at that time. In the sixties the rural agricultural way of life for many Japanese changed and families moved into the cities and became workaholics. Hello Kitty and other cute little animal icons where created in a mass market in order to pacify people that were literally working themselves to death. The cute little amigurumi animals could be made quickly with out much fuss and helped satisfy the creative element in life and the cuteness that many people wanted to have in their lives. These little animals were made and given something akin to greeting cards to people that needed a boost in life.
The crochet hook used to make the animals is smaller than normal with the size of yarn being used. You start crocheting and keep going in a big spiral pattern that is never stopped until you are done and that means the first stitch in each row must be marked in order to see where you are in the pattern. The Japanese charts were only ideas. No animal is the same and it is acceptable to change the pattern to make your own creation.
If you feel that you may not be able to read a chart there are patterns made with the directions written out. Stitches are very simple using only a single crochet and chain. You either decrease or increase rows in order to make the shape of the animal.
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. - 31807
Crocheting is not a craft that is native to Japan. Samurai learned how to knit in order to make socks with toes that allowed them a better freedom of movement. Because the Japanese people did not have patterns for knitting or crocheting that came down from generation to generation they began to make their own thing. Charts to make the cute little animals where developed using Japanese calligraphy. Some of these charts are works of art themselves.
The little stuffed animals made an appearance in the fifties when the Japanese culture was moving toward everything being cute. Hello Kitty the large headed white cat with pink dress and bow became popular at that time. In the sixties the rural agricultural way of life for many Japanese changed and families moved into the cities and became workaholics. Hello Kitty and other cute little animal icons where created in a mass market in order to pacify people that were literally working themselves to death. The cute little amigurumi animals could be made quickly with out much fuss and helped satisfy the creative element in life and the cuteness that many people wanted to have in their lives. These little animals were made and given something akin to greeting cards to people that needed a boost in life.
The crochet hook used to make the animals is smaller than normal with the size of yarn being used. You start crocheting and keep going in a big spiral pattern that is never stopped until you are done and that means the first stitch in each row must be marked in order to see where you are in the pattern. The Japanese charts were only ideas. No animal is the same and it is acceptable to change the pattern to make your own creation.
If you feel that you may not be able to read a chart there are patterns made with the directions written out. Stitches are very simple using only a single crochet and chain. You either decrease or increase rows in order to make the shape of the animal.
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. - 31807
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