On AmigurumiBB’s blog! Check out these adorable Christmas ornaments! I’m SO in love with the snowmen, I NEED to find time before Christmas to make them! Free patterns! Go check them out!
Free Video Tutorial- Joining Amigurumi Pieces Using the Mattress Stitch
Hello friends! It’s been a little while! Things have been pretty busy here, we’ve been taking advantage of the heat and the sunshine and I’ve been hard at work on orders. There’s no rest for the wicked, right?
I’ve recently had a few people ask how I join the pieces of my amis once I have them all stitched up. I did a Google search to see if I could find an existing tutorial, but most of the tutorials I saw were for joining knitted panels for sweaters and afghan blocks. I may have seen a tut on joining knitted ami pieces, but since most of the people who were asking me were crocheters I wanted to find something that showed how to attach crocheted pieces.
After coming up empty handed, I decided to make a tutorial of my own.
The mattress stitch (also known as the Ladder Stitch) is a great way to attach both stuffed pieces as well as flat panels for garments and afghans. It is worked with right sides facing and every few stitches, you pull your working yarn and the stitches disappear! When you’re making amis, pieces that were worked separately look like they were worked in one piece and when you’re joining pieces that were worked flat, you end up with a nice even seam. Here’s how I attach ami pieces using the mattress stitch:
Pretty neat, right? I debuted this video in a crochet group I belong to on Facebook. A few of the ladies told me that they had been afraid of trying amigurumi because they were intimidated by the process of joining all the pieces, but that after watching this tutorial they felt they could do it! I can’t wait to see what they come up with!
If you’re interested in seeing what the rest of Fabulous Mouse looks like, you can take a look here!
Pattern Release and **SALE**
My Facebook giveaway was a success- some really great prizes were given away and we got the word out about some awesome pages. My birthday was on the 12th and I had planned to do a pattern sale in celebration of it but because there was already so much going on I decided to hold off for a little while- until things calmed down a little bit.
In waiting a little while to run the sale, I also had time to finish up a couple of patterns I’d been working on, the ones inspired by Toopy & Binoo (Fabulous Mouse and Quiet Cat, I call them). You’ve seen them before, I posted them in my “Making” Friends post, but now the patterns are finally available.
The patterns are available individually as well as in value packs (The Best Buddies Duo Pack with just Fabulous Mouse and Quiet Cat and The Fabulous Friends Combo Pack with Fabulous Mouse, Quiet Cat and Patches). There are a few dollars to be saved if they’re all purchased together but for the next few days I have all the patterns in my Ravelry and Craftsy shops on sale for 30% off during my Very Merry UN-Birthday Sale!
The Fabulous Friends Combo Pack
Hooked on Clay!
The last few evenings when my hands are sore from crocheting stuffies I’ve been playing around some more with polymer clay. It’s been a nice break for my hands and it’s a lot of fun.
For the longest time I told myself that I couldn’t use a crochet hook with a handle because I bought a foam one on a whim one time and it was awful! It covered the thumb rest and part of the throat of the hook, it made holding the hook feel awkward. It was change. And I didn’t like it.
I’ve been drooling over some of the amazing hooks put out by a couple of the pages I follow on Facebook and decided that my poor Red Heart hooks needed a facelift. I decided not to sculpt anything for them- I wanted a slim, streamline handle that I would be comfortable holding for a long period of time.
After some smooshing and mashing, wrapping and rolling, here’s what I came up with:
I think I may be “hooked” on polymer clay!
I should get close-ups of some of my favourites- I really love them and they’re actually really comfortable. The designs on some of them are really pretty and I know I’ll never be able to duplicate them, they sort of fluked into existence. Maybe with a little practice I’ll be making clay canes like a master and I’ll be able to create some really remarkable ones 🙂
On another note, I released my Shy Pig (Piglet) pattern last week and the response was astounding! In my short time as a designer who sells her patterns I’ve had the pleasure of being on Craftsy’s top 20 leaderboard a couple of times. Usually around #14 or #15 but it’s always a thrill to be up there with established designers such as Bonita Patterns and Frayed Knot.
When I released Shy Pig, he was #1 for about a day and a half! #1! It was amazing. I even took a screen shot (photos or it didn’t happen, right?)
The #1 Pig! For a day and a half!
Sure, he was on intro special while he was #1 but I’m still so proud of the achievement. When hubby came home from work that evening he insisted we order sushi in celebration (though I think he just wanted sushi 😉 ).
This Little Piggy..
Amis are your friends! At least they’re my friends. I’ve been making a LOT of amigurumi lately. My most recent guy is modeled after a certain storybook pig you might recognize. It all started when I was asked by a local photographer to make a Piglet hat and diaper cover that she could use in her newborn sessions. I poked around a little and looked at some really cute sets but (and being an indie designer myself I hate to admit this) I didn’t want to buy a pattern if I could come up with my own. I was so happy with the hat that I was inspired to create a Piglet “lovie” (a mini blanket with a head and arms). “How adorable would those cheeks be if done right?” I asked myself. SUPER ADORABLE. After I finished the lovie, I went on to write up a pattern for the rest of his body.
Pork 2 ways?
The pattern was sent off to my group of testers today and with any luck the pattern (which includes instructions to make both the lovie and the stuffie) will be up in my Ravelry and Craftsy shops around this time next week. As with any of the new patterns I release, there’ll be a chance to win a copy and I’ll have an introductory special running for a few days.
Another little friend I finished recently was Patchy Patch, the favourite stuffie of Binoo, the cat from the show Toopy & Binoo. I kinda love him too, even though we don’t often watch the show at our place.
He’s a happy little guy 🙂
If I’m not careful, I’m going to become one of those old ladies who drives around with a million stuffies in their car’s back window. You know the ones I’m talking about. 😉
Patchy Patch is now available on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/stores/the-whole-knit–caboodle
as well as in my Craftsy store: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/crocheting/toy/patchy-patch/45169
I’m also running a BOGO sale over in my Ravelry store, entere the coupon code MADBOGO to take advantage of it! Sale ends Sunday night!
The Whole Knit & Caboodle 