Amigurumi Tutorials Archives - Sueños Blanditos

Posted on 12 June, 202312 June, 2023 by Gretel Crespo — Leave a comment

Designing an amigurumi (Part I): Pale pink rose

The month of June begins and my garden is filled with my favorite roses, pale pink in color and an unmistakable aroma that takes me back to childhood. It would be fun to crochet one, but how?

Designing an amigurumi: Part I

Once I am sure about what I want to design, I need to have a visual model, drawing, photo or even the object itself. In this case, a rose.

It must be clear that our model must be just that, a reference to follow, but not something fixed that limits us. In my opinion, if amigurumis have something, it is that we can give wings to our imagination and capture our own tastes in them, without distorting the object they reflect.

If I’m strict, this time it’s not an amigurumi itself, I’ll explain why: I wanted to do it in a different way, without fiber fill but with volume, using the basic crochet stitches, without changing color and except for a small part, crochet in rows.

But let’s start at the beginning:

Materials:

Very light pink and olive green yarns.
2 mm crochet hook.
Yarn needle.
Scissors.
Paper and pen.

Start with the main part, the body of the rose with the petals.

I want to work straight, in rows, but to give shape and volume to my rose I need the fabric to be crocheted to roll around itself.

I really admire the work of other colleagues, but one cannot limit oneself to seeing other amigurumi crocheters. There are true artisan artists whose techniques are worthy of admiration and, why not, extrapolated to our field.

I remember seeing some molds for making fondant roses to decorate cakes in a well-known online store. With them an elongated piece was formed with waves on the sides that had to be folded and wrap. It was different from what I had seen in crochet and it was worth trying.

I start the pattern:

PALE PINK ROSE AMIGURUMI PATTERN

PETALS

With very light Pink yarn

The first row will determine the width of the flower, while the total number of rows will determine its height. A 60 sc piece, in addition to having the size I need, makes things easier when dividing the petals, as there are both 30 and 60 even numbers and divisible by 3.

1. Ch 31 and work 30 sc in the chains.

2. I Continue working in the beginning chains, but in the other side another 30 sc to have a 60 sc piece in all (60).

I already have the piece, but it needs to be wider.

3. I Place the round marker to work 1 sc in each st (60).

4. 1 sc in each st (60).

5. It’s time to start crocheting the petals:

The shape of the rose determines the size of the petals. When having to roll it, they have to go from smaller to larger size, since their position will be from the inside to the outside. To separate the petals from each other I use the slip stitch and to gain height and size of the petals I work several stitches into one and use more stitches from the piece to crochet each petal.

1) 1 double crochet, 1 slip stitch in the next stitch.

2) 2 double crochet in the next stitch, 1 slip stitch in the next.

3) 3 double crochet in the next stitch, 1 slip stitch in the next.

So far I have occupied 6 sc of the 30 that form half of the piece.

4) 1 double crochet in the next stitch, 2 double crochet in the next stitch, 1 double crochet in the next stitch, 1 slip stitch in the next stitch.

5) 2 double crochet in the next one, 3 double crochet in the next stitch, 2 double crochet in the next one, 1 slip stitch in the next stitch.

6) 3 double crochet in the next one, 3 double crochet in the next stitch, 3 double crochet in the next one, 1 slip stitch in the next stitch.

With these three petals I have occupied 12 more sc, so I have crocheted 18 sc in all. I have 12 sc left to crochet over.

The simplest thing is to make 2 final petals of the same size, each occupying 6 sc.

7) 1 double crochet in the next stitch, 2 double crochet in the next stitch, 3 double crochet in the next stitch, 3 double crochet in the next stitch, 2 double crochet in the next stitch, 1 slip stitch in the next stitch.

8) 1 double crochet in the next stitch, 2 double crochet in the next stitch, 3 double crochet in the next stitch, 3 double crochet in the next stitch, 2 double crochet in the next stitch, 1 slip stitch in the next stitch.

I have already crocheted over the 30 sc that form half of the piece.

Now I have to work over the other half following the same pattern, but in reverse, that is, when I have to roll the piece, I must start with this last petal up to the first.

Once the 8 petals are completed, I fasten off leaving a long thread to be able to sew the rose when giving it shape.

For that, I fold the piece in half and roll it.

Once it’s the shape I like, I pin it in place. I sew along the back, holding the loops carefully so they don’t separate, but leaving the petals loose.

Once the flower is finished, it is time to complete it with some leaves.

I want to cover the back of the rose, but since I don’t use fiberfill, a flat circular piece is best. Around it I will crochet the leaves. Again I am going to use even numbers divisible by 3. In this case starting with a 6 sc magic ring.

LEAVES

With olive green yarn

1. I Work 6 sc in magic ring.

2. Inc in every st (12).

3. “1 sc, inc”, repeat (18).

These 18 sc are enough to cover the back.

It is time to start crocheting the leaves. The idea is to do it in rows in one time. For this, I’ll use a combination of chains and sc around the main 18 sc piece. The number of chains will determine the length of the leaves and the stitches that occupy in the piece their total number. Each one will occupy 1 sc, so this time it will be the separation stitches between them that will determine the number of leaves. Being 18 sc the total stitches to crochet the leaves, the easiest thing is to make 6 leaves occupying 3 sc each, that is, 1 sc for the leaf and 2 sc separating them.

4. 1 sc, ch 7, 6 sc in the chains, 1 slip stitch over the origin point of the chains. “3 sc on the base piece, ch 7, 6 sc in the chains, 1 slip stitch over the origin point of the chains” 5 times, 2 sc.

I have already part of the 6 leaves.

The leaves need to be shaped by incorporating some detail such as irregular edges. For this I am going to continue working around the piece, bordering the leaves adding something as simple as some chains.

5. 1 sc, I work in the side of the chains: “1 slip st + ch 2 + 1 slip st, 1 slip st in the next chain” 3 times. I Continue crocheting in the other side of the leaf following the same pattern. 3 sc on the base piece to work on the next leaf following the same pattern. I Repeat until completing the 6 leaves and the round.

I fasten off leaving a long thread of wool to sew the piece on the back of the rose. Place the magic ring outside.

And the Rose is finished! Do you like it?

But this is the first version of the pattern and there are things to review and even modify. For example, adding height to the final petals, a touch of color to the initial ones. Maybe I should place the leaves in a way that is not so symmetrical, or modifying their size. Designing a pattern means giving it many turns, correcting, rectifying, even after finishing it.

I hope you like both the pattern and the tutorial Designing an amigurumi (Part I) and find it useful.

See you in the next one!

Posted on 16 May, 202316 May, 2023 by Gretel Crespo — Leave a comment

Several ways to decrease

Do you know there are several ways to decrease?

One of the things that anyone who wants to crochet amigurumis must master with skill is making increases and decreases.

Today I am going to talk about the latter and the importance of doing them correctly.

In a previous post I have already told you about the decrease rounds, which are those in which we remove stitches crocheting sequences with decreases. In this way we reduce the width of our piece, modify its shape or even finish it.

Let’s see what are the different ways to decrease:

Skip a Point:

It is the basic method, but not recommended if what you want is a good aesthetic result.

Consists in:

Crochet the stitch over the second of the 2 stitches in which you must decrease, leaving the first one unworked. In theory you make a decrease, so you reduce the number of stitches. In practice, you leave holes in the fabric and a untidy look to the piece. Using it when working in the round is not a good idea, so its only use would be at the beginning of a row when we work straight.

The Traditional Method:

It is the simplest and the most used by beginners.

Consists in:

1. Insert the hook, which already has a loop on it, in the first stitch where you must decrease. Take the thread, and return. Now you have 2 loops on the hook.

2. Then introduce the hook in the next stitch and do the same. You already have 3 loops on the hook.

3. To finish the decrease take the thread and go through the 3 loops in one go.

If you realize, in steps 1 and 2 it is about starting to work the first part of 1 single crochet without actually finishing it, while in step number 3 you complete it.

In this way you join the 2 points, leaving only one.

Although this method is better than the previous one, the fabric is not clean, leaving small bumps or even holes in it.

The Invisible Decrease

It is the method used by more experienced crocheters looking for a neat and tidy appearance in their amigurumis.

To execute it, you must first look at the points. They have 2 parts, one in front and one in back.

When crocheting, you normally take the entire stitch with the hook, that is, the 2 parts, but sometimes you must take only one. This is what you will do in the invisible decrease.

Consists in:

1. Insert the hook only in front loop of the first stitch in which you must decrease.

2. Insert the hook in front loop of the second stitch.

3. Take the thread and cross those 2 parts.

4. To finish, with 2 loops on the hook, take the thread and complete the single crochet.

In this way you go from having 2 points to only 1, but unlike the previous method, the aesthetic result is much better. The fabric is even, without lumps or holes.

On the other hand, inside the piece you can see the back loops of the stitches that you have left unworked, something that you must take into account if you leave that part visible.

It’s not that difficult, is it? Do you dare to practice crocheting any of my patterns?

If so, send me the photo for everyone to see in the Gallery!

Posted on 1 February, 20231 February, 2023 by Gretel Crespo — Leave a comment

How to close our amigurumis

Do you have difficulties fastening off your amigurumis? Do not miss this tutorial on How to Close our amigurumis.

Fastening off the pieces of our amigurumis correctly is an important task, not only so that the stuff does not come out due to a badly closed last round, but also so that it is aesthetically beautiful.

When we crochet our piece in rounds, with spiral rounds and beginning with the magic ring, the ideal is to try to achieve that there are no differences between the last round and the first. Closing the last round can be somewhat difficult, since we usually do not have enough space to decrease the stitches with the crochet hook.

How do we do it then?

We have to use the yarn needle, joining the remaining stitches until we completely close the piece.

Let’s see it step by step. You will see that it is very simple:

1. Once the last round is over, you must prepare to start closing. To do this, work 1 slip stitch in the next stitch and tie a knot over it. Cut the thread, leaving enough tail to sew around the last round.

2. Thread the yarn needle with the yarn and pass it through the front loop of the first 2 stitches as a decrease. To do this, take the 2 loops together and thread the needle through them. Pull the thread a little. You have already joined the first 2 stitches.

3. Continue taking the next front 2 loops at a time, passing the needle through them to join until you reach the last 2. Pass through them in the same way, but this time form a final knot. Now you have closed the last round.

4. All that remains is to fasten off losing the excess thread inside the piece. Introduce it through the center of this last round that you have just closed, go through the amigurumi and cut.

Easy, right? And the result has been perfect.

This is how I do it, and you? Tell us your method to close your amigurumis in the comments!

Posted on 17 May, 202217 May, 2022 by Gretel Crespo — Leave a comment

How to sew the arms of our amigurumis

Are you looking for your amigurumis to have a natural posture? Do you find the raised arms in the shape of a cross unsightly? Don’t miss this tutorial: Sew the arms of our amigurumis

When finishing an amigurumi it is very important that we sew the pieces correctly, because their final appearance depends on it. A poorly sewn piece can easily come off and cause problems. Similarly, a poorly placed can make it ugly and spoil its design.

Sewing the arms of an amigurumi seems simple, but many times they can be too upright, in the shape of a cross, making the design ugly.

Today I am going to show you how to sew the arms so that our amigurumi does not have a forced appearance and at the same time, its arms maintain movement.

In my designs, the arm piece is left open, that is, we do not close its last round, which helps us to sew them in a simple way. Let’s see how:

1. Put the arm in place with a pin.

2. Look at the last round of the arm as if it had 2 parts: the upper half (shoulder) and the lower half (armpit).

One trick to avoid stiffness is to not overstuff the end of the arm.

3. Sew the top half stitches to the body on the row you placed it on.

Continue sewing around the piece to finish at the bottom that you need to sew lower (2-3 rows lower).

In this way, the arm is united, but continues with the open form, which allows its mobility.

4. To finish off, insert the excess yarn from the top to lose it in the fabric. That way the arm will be a little lower.

As you can see, in a simple way you will ensure that your amigurumis retain a natural appearance and maintain the movement of their arms.

I hope you liked this tutorial about Sew the arms of our amigurumis and above all it was useful to you.

See you soon!

Posted on 22 January, 2022 by Gretel Crespo — 2 Comments

Video tutorial: How to sew the parts of an amigurumi

I am very excited to show you the video tutorial How to sew the parts of an amigurumi that our friend from Ylanas Yecla has made. You can see how to assemble the pieces of Baby Taz, your favorite character from the Baby Looney Tunes collection.

It’s great, right?

You can find the patterns of Baby Taz and his friends: Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Tweety, Sylvester, Road runner, Coyote and Daffy Duck here in our store:

Video tutorial: How to sew the parts of an amigurumi

Baby Looney Tunes

As you can see with the Baby Taz example, the patterns in the Baby Looney Tunes collection are very easy to crochet and easy to assemble.

In addition, they are perfect for the little ones, both for their size and for their design. No hard materials are used. You can crochet them simply with a hook, yarn and fiber fill. No hard parts (buttons, zippers,…). All “soft”.

Don’t forget to visit the Ylanas Yecla online store that has a lot of products so that we can crochet our favorite amigurumis and many other things at incredible prices.

Ylanas Yecla

And so you don’t miss anything, you can also follow her on Instagram @ylanas_yecla and on Facebook

I hope you like the video tutorial How to sew the parts of an amigurumi and above all that it is useful to you.

See you soon!

Posted on 22 September, 202122 September, 2021 by Gretel Crespo — Leave a comment

Morphology of a crochet hook

As you know, to crochet amigurumis the hook is of special importance, since a bad choice of the same can lead us to obtain a bad result, hinder our work or even cause injuries.

This time I don’t want to talk to you about the different types of hooks, designs, materials … I will leave that for another moment.

Today we are going to start with the basics, with the parts that make it up and what each one is for.

Can you tell me how many parts a crochet hook has? And their names?

Let’s discover the Morphology of a crochet hook.

A standard hook is made up of 7 parts. Let’s see what they are:

1. Point or Head: It is the end of the hook that we insert into the fabric. We use it to hook the yarn and crochet the stitches.

In turn, it is made up of:

-Mouth: Hold the yarn when crocheting the stitches.

-Hook: Prevents the yarn from coming out of the mouth when crocheting.

2. Throat: Guide the thread into the work area.

3. Work area: It holds the loops and is very important because it determines the size of the stitches. The size of the hook tells us precisely the diameter of the work area.

4. Thumb rest: It is the flat part in which we place the thumb or another finger and thus be able to handle the hook. In this part usually appears the numbering or measurement of the hook.

5. Handle: It is the final end of the hook and is used to manage it with the palm of the hand or the other fingers, depending on the way in which we hold it.

As you can see, each part of the hook has its reason for being and knowing the morphology of a crochet hook will help us to improve our work.

Until next time!

Posted on 7 June, 20217 June, 2021 by Gretel Crespo — Leave a comment

How to know the weight of the yarn

How to know the weight of the yarn quickly and easily is an important matter for all of us who like to crochet.

As you know, one of the most important characteristics of my patterns is that the resulting amigurumis are “totally soft”. I do not use hard elements such as wires, buttons, zippers or even safety eyes. You can crochet them only with wool or yarn, a crochet hook and fiberfill.

Since these are the only materials that I use, it is essential that they be the most suitable to achieve the desired result.

There are many of you who ask me what type of yarn I use and since we are all from different places, sometimes it is difficult for me to explain and talk about centimeters, inches and categories according to their thickness.

Today I am going to talk about yarns, more specifically, how to know the weight of the yarn when you do not have any reference, for example, if you have a mysterious ball of yarn of which you have lost the label that specifies its characteristics.

But first, there are some things you should know about yarns to make it easier for you to choose the right one when crocheting your amigurumis.

Yarns are classified into several categories, but unfortunately, there is no single method to do so.

In general, there are:

• The standards of the CYC (Craft Yarn Council) that represents the most prominent members of the yarn industry in the United States.

Depending on the weight of the yarn, we can classify it into the following categories:

• The classification according to the number of plies that the yarn has. This system is the one used in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

The problem with this classification is that it does not determine the thickness of the yarn, but rather the number of strands that are twisted to form it. There is the possibility that a yarn of 5 strands (5 ply) may be thinner than a yarn of 3 (3 ply), by the mere fact that each strand is of a lesser thickness or have been spun with greater tension between them.

• Wraps per inch method (WPI)

As its name suggests, it is about classifying the yarn according to the wraps of the same that fit in an inch or what is the same, in 2.5 cm.

It is a very useful method to determine the weight of that mysterious ball of yarn without a label that you want to use, but you must bear in mind that it is not exact, since there are factors that can alter the measurement.

To use it you need:

• A rule.

• Something to wrap the yarn with uniform thickness. You can use, for example, a pencil or a pen.

It’s easy:

1. You must wrap the yarn so that each strand is next to each other, that is, they do not overlap. Do it carefully, do not tighten too much, or leave it loose, since you could vary the result too much.

2. With the ruler measure 1 inch or what is the same 2.5 cm. That is the length you should wrap.

3. When you have it, count the wraps you have made and guide yourself through this cheat sheet. Depending on the number of wraps, this will be the weight and category to which your yarn belongs.

If you have doubts, first try to do it with a yarn whose weight you know.

Let’s see some examples:

This picture shows the yarn that I normally use in my patterns. Using this method, I have made 17 WPI. That places it in category 2 Fine.

This other, on the other hand, is much thicker and for that reason I have only made 9 WPI. It belongs to category 5 Bulky.

Finally, we have a much finer yarn with which I have managed to make 28 WPI. It belongs to category 0 Lace.

As you can see, it is a very simple method, but remember that it is not exact, but only an aid that will help you guide yourself.

Until next time!

Posted on 30 September, 202030 September, 2020 by Gretel Crespo — Leave a comment

Straight edges: Importance of turning chains

Whether you are a beginner or if your level is more advanced, it is important that you have some basic crochet knowledge. This will help you easily follow a pattern or even adapt it to your needs. In today’s tutorial: Straight Edges: Importance of Turning Chains, I want to talk to you about one of the basic stitches: The chain, more specifically The Turning Chain and the importance of its correct use when making the pieces of our amigurumis straighter.

Many of you have asked me about this stitch that I use frequently in my patterns when crocheting in rows. Let’s see what it is:

A turning chain is just that, a chain that we crochet before turning and starting a new row. Its function is to provide us with a certain gap or height so that we can start crocheting at the first stitch in the row and thus keep the edge straight. Their presence does not count when determining the total count of stitches in the row, but their absence does mean the decrease of one of the points in the row: the first.

You will see it more clearly with an example:

We need to crochet a straight piece 12 sc long. For this we start with 12 chains?

If we work 12 chains, when we return crocheting sc over the chains, we will not be able to start in the first chain, there is no space to do it, so we must crochet over the second and when completing the row we will have 11 sc instead of 12.

To have the row of 12 sc, we must start with 13 chains and use the last of them to gain that space we need. This last chain will therefore be a Turning Chain.

When crochet consecutive rows, if we want to keep the edges of our piece straight, we must use the turning chain in the same way, that is, when we reach the end of the row, we make a chain that allows us to turn and start crocheting in the first sc.

Straight edges: Importance of turning chains — **Turn and start crocheting in the first single crochet**

In our example, we have used single crochets, but what if the rows we need have to be worked with other points? In these cases, we have to take into account the height of these stitches when using the turning chains to gain the necessary space and not fall short or excess.

We have already seen that 1 turning chain is used for a row crocheted with single crochets. The next stitch in height is the half double crochet. For it we will continue using 1 chain.

With the double crochet, on the other hand, it will be necessary to add a turning chain. Before turning and starting a new row, we will have to chain 2.

**Chain 2, turn and start crocheting in the third chain**

Following our example:

If we need to work a 12 double crochet piece, we will have to chain 14 and start crocheting in the third chain, using the last 2 chains as if they were the first double crochet in the row.

In the same way, when we continue crocheting rows, we must continue using 2 chains as a double crochet in the corners to keep the edges straight.

If with the double crochet we have to use 2 chains, with a treble crochet we will have to use 3 and crochet in the same way: Chain 15 to have a row of 12 treble crochet and 3 turning chains in the following rows.

**Chain 3, turn and begin in the fourth chain**

Recap:

As you can see, to get straight edges you need to take into account the importance of the turning chains.

Did you like it? It’s not difficult, is it?

Until next time! ?

Posted on 30 April, 201930 April, 2019 by Gretel Crespo — Leave a comment

How to crochet the union of the fingers of our Amigurumis

People, animals, objects… when it comes to designing an amigurumi everything is possible with a little imagination and some basic ideas.

This time I want to show you how to join several tubular pieces, such as fingers, so that you can easily start from them, giving rise to many other parts of your amigurumis.

As an example we are going to join 3 pieces, but you can join much more. Just keep in mind that it is a linear union, that is, each piece will be next to another and at the same level.

We start by crocheting each piece separately. We will make simple pieces, all 3 of the same size:

1. Work 6 sc in magic ring.
2. to 5. 1 sc in each st (6).
Crochet 2 pieces completely and fasten off, that is, cut the thread. Finish the third piece also completely, but don’t cut the thread to continue crocheting on the other two and thus be able to join them. Continue reading How to crochet the union of the fingers of our Amigurumis

Posted on 22 January, 20192 February, 2023 by Gretel Crespo — 2 Comments

How to change the size of your Amigurumis

Hello!

Many times you have found the pattern of an amigurumi that you love, that is perfect, just what you wanted, but when you see the size, it is too big or too small and it isn’t suitable… What can you do?

Don’t worry, this doesn’t have to be an unsolved problem. In a simple way you will be able to adapt the size of the amigurumi to your needs, whether you are a beginner or have a more advanced level.

We are going to see the solutions, from the simplest to the most complex. Continue reading How to change the size of your Amigurumis

Designing an amigurumi: Part I

Materials:

PALE PINK ROSE AMIGURUMI PATTERN

PETALS

5. It’s time to start crocheting the petals:

The simplest thing is to make 2 final petals of the same size, each occupying 6 sc.

I have already crocheted over the 30 sc that form half of the piece.

LEAVES

I have already part of the 6 leaves.

Skip a Point:

The Traditional Method:

The Invisible Decrease

Today I am going to show you how to sew the arms so that our amigurumi does not have a forced appearance and at the same time, its arms maintain movement.

A standard hook is made up of 7 parts. Let’s see what they are:

In general, there are:

To use it you need:

It’s easy:

Let’s see some examples:

You will see it more clearly with an example:

Following our example:

Recap:

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