Something Different for a Change

Hello everyone! I've been rather busy since school started back up and haven't had a lot of time to get stampin'. I thought I'd show you something quite different from stamping and cardmaking today.

Before I found PTI, I was a big crocheter. I still am, but I'd rather be stamping, because it takes so much less time. I'm not great at making scarves and what not, but I do have a knack at making soft toys (called "amigurumi"). In fact, this hobby led me to a crocheted flower tutorial on Nichole's blog, which in turn led me to PTI and got me stampin'!

I started crocheting 2 years ago. I saw this adorable bunny pattern on Etsy and just had to buy it - yes, before I even knew how to hold a crochet hook (I still can't hold it properly for that matter). So the pattern pdf came flying to my inbox and I just taught myself how to crochet a bunny using Youtube and a crochet basic instructions book. It's incredibly simple. Once you know how to make a magic ring, single crochet, increase/decrease stitches and know how to change yarn colour, you're able to make most of the basic dolls! No fancy pattern here and there. Just work away in circles ;)

So here are some stuffed toys I made over the past couple of years.

This is my very first bunny. Crochet's not quite tight enough, I've lost count of my row countless times and didn't stuff it enough. But hey, it's a bunny. What can go wrong?

   

    

 Here's the finished first bunny with some friends. I have made so many of these bunnies now, I've become very good at making them haha.

 This one's with a graduation bear I made for a friend. That grad cap was probably the trickiest part! Doesn't look it, does it?

 

  

  Next is a teddy bear. Pattern-wise, it's really not that different from the bunny.

 

A lion this time. The mane can come off, and it was so hard to figure out how to make it. I don't think I'll try making another lion in the near future.

 

 

Something more fun and quick! Donut cellphone charms! I bought lots of cellphone charms on Etsy to hook onto these and others (some shown in this post). Unfortunately they're a bit cheap and breaks off easily. I've heard from my friends that they broke off after a while :(

 

 

A donut lover! A mini elephant :)

   

 

    

It has a mini purple flower on its back too! 

  

   

This one's one of my favourite patterns. Love this bear. Takes longer to make than other ones, but the colour combination is just a charm. And the long arms and legs really look cute <3

     

 

   Mr. Snowman! This one's perfect for the coming Christmas. Except that it's the middle of Summer in New Zealand.

  

  

Another cellphone charm. This is the cutest wee poodle EVER! I gave it to my cousin, but I think it also fell off the charm... Just so you know, my hands look really big in the photo, but actually, most ten year olds have hands bigger than mine D:
  

         

 The next bear, is the first ever wee thing I made without a pattern. It's entirely original. It's not that hard really. It's just a matter of trying to get the ratios alright.

    

    

And last but not least!!! I saved one of my favs till the end. Mr & Mrs Bear were a gift for my parents' anniversary last year. I had a hard time crocheting with fluffy yarn. I swear you can't see the holes to put the needles into. I had to go with my guesstimation where each stitch should go to. lol.

    

 

 

 Hope you enjoyed this post! Something a little refreshing once in a while's not too bad huh?

 

If anyone wants to know where I got the particular patterns from, you're welcome to ask me (here or on the PTI forums!).