Crochet Amigurumi Patterns Knotmonsters Potted Plant

If you have never crocheted before, NO PROBLEM. Everyone has to start somewhere. When I first started, it took me a week just to figure out how to make a ball. It took even longer to get my fingers and hands used to holding a crochet hook.

Crocheting can be frustrating at first but like with all things new, your body will develop muscle memory and over time, you will find that it will get easier. Always remember that nothing is hard, only new.

There is no right way or wrong

way to crochet. Whatever works for you, your body, and your ability is the right way. Some people will hold a crochet hook like a pen, I prefer to hold it like a knife, with my index finger along the length of the hook. This is purely personal preference. Crochet is an art form and like all art forms, is open to personal interpretation.

Crochet patterns function as guidelines only, and I encourage you to bring your own artistic flair to each pattern. Do not be afraid to use different hooks or types of yarn. Experiment by changing the colors. Add accessories, modify the body shape, and bring your own individual spice to each pattern.

Sometimes it will work; most of the time, it will not, and that is perfectly fine because in the end, you will end up with something that is yours. Something that you created. Your own little knotmonster.

HOOK, YARN, AND SINKER

Crocheting requires two fundamental things: a hook and yarn. Hook sizes are measured in millimeters and are also given a corresponding letter. For example, a 3.75mm hook is called an “F” hook and a 4mm hook is called a “G” hook. For amigurumi, I like to use a 3.75mm or a 4mm hook with medium weight yarn.

The smaller the hook, the tighter the stitches will be; the bigger the hook, the looser the stitches will be. The yarn is complementary to the hook. A thinner yarn will require a smaller hook, and a thicker yarn will require a larger one. Let’s talk about what else you will need.

To start, you will need:

• Hook [3.75mm (F) or 4mm (G)]
• Yarn (medium weight)
• Scissors
• Stitch marker (eg. scrap yarn, paper clip)
• Safety eyes (8-14 mm)
• Yarn needle #16 with blunt tip
• Stuffing material
• Pen/paper

HOW TO CROCHET

When you start a new pattern, the technique of crocheting will be noted as either completed in the straight or the round. Straight crocheting is completed in rows by going to the end of a row and turning around, creating a square-like pattern. Round crocheting is completed in rounds and, starting at the center, is done in spirals creating a circular pattern. Typically, a chain is used to start a straight crochet while a magic ring is used to start a round crochet. Exceptions to this are when an oval shape is desired. In this situation, you may form a chain and then, instead of turning at the end of the row, continuing onwards to the opposite side of the chain, thus creating an oval.

Patterns are written in different ways around the world. For example, in a UK pattern, a double crochet can mean a single crochet in a US pattern. For the sake of simplicity, all my patterns are based in US format and I have done my best to make them as simple and easy to read as possible. Each row/round is delineated 8 by “R1, R2, R3, etc.” When crocheting in the straight, at the end of each row, chain 1, turn the piece and start on the next row in the second chain from your hook. This step is necessary to create height in the piece.

When crocheting in the round, one round means that you have crocheted completely around and have returned to the first stitch that you placed from the previous round. No chain/turning is necessary when crocheting in the round using any of my patterns because we will be working in a spiral motion. At the end of each row/round you will see a (#). This number represents how many stitches you should end up with when you finish the row/round.

Let’s do an example: “R3: (SC, inc) x 6 (18)”

This means that we are on round number three, and we will do a single crochet and then an increase; and then repeat that five more times. At the end of our round, we will end up with eighteen total stitches.

Difficulty is rated by easy, medium, or advanced, based on the number of unique stitch techniques in each pattern

While standard crochet will work just fine for amigurumi patterns, I use cross stitching for all my amigurumi. Cross stitching tightens up the stitches and helps prevent the stuffing from showing and the stitches from stretching. It also makes a neat grid-like texture. Therefore, the following tutorials are for cross stitching and not standard crochet. If you are familiar with crocheting and notice that these instructions are backwards by yarning over instead of under, it is because of cross 9 stitching. The patterns will look perfectly adorable if you decide to not use cross stitching.

Slipknot 

A slip knot allows you to tighten the knot with the loose yarn end. To create a slipknot, pull a loop made of the loose yarn end through the top of the first loop and tighten the knot. Pull on the loose yarn end to tighten the loop.

Chain (ch) 

Start with your hook around a slipknot. Yarn over (yarn is over the hook) and pull through. You have made one chain or “ch 1.” To create multiple chains, continue yarning over until desired chain # is met.

Slip Stitch (sl)

Enter next stitch with hook. Yarn under (yarn is under the hook – note this is for cross stitch) and pull through both loops. When you get to future rows, for sl, SC, DC, and TC, be sure to insert your hook under both loops when you start

Single Crochet (SC

Enter next stitch with hook. Yarn under (yarn is under the hook – note this is for cross stitch) and pull through first loop. Yarn over, pull through both loops.

Half Double Crochet (HDC)

Yarn over, enter next stitch with hook. Yarn under (yarn is under the hook – note this is for cross stitch) and pull through all three loops.

Double Crochet (DC) 

Yarn over, enter next stitch with hook. Yarn under (yarn is under the hook – note this is for cross stitch) and pull through first two loops. Yarn over and pull through last two loops.

Triple Crochet (TC) 

Yarn over twice, enter next stitch with hook. Yarn under (yarn is under the hook – note this is for cross stitch) and pull through first two loops. Yarn over and pull through next two loops. Yarn over and pull through last two loops.

Increase (inc) 

Single crochet twice in the same stitch.

Invisible Decrease (dec)

While not completely invisible and the name may suggest, the goal of an invisible decrease is to reduce the number of stitches in a row while creating minimal seams. This is done by inserting the hook into the next stitch. Then insert the hook into the following stitch. These stitches will be the front loops facing you on subsequent rows. Yarn under (note this is for cross stitch) and pull through first two loops. Then yarn over and pull through both loops

Magic Ring

Position fingers and yarn as shown in (1), grab yarn from underneath loose end (2), twist (3), yarn over (4), pull through (5). You will not have a slipknot on a loop, so if you pull on the loose end the loop will close. Single crochet six times into the ring (9) and tighten up the loop (10). This will create a magic ring 6 (MR 6) which is the most common start to most amigurumi.

Front loops only (FLO) & Back loops only (BLO)

When a pattern calls for FLO or BLO, this means that you will be doing the next row in the back or the front loops only. If the next row does not indicate FLO/BLO, then switch back to normal crochet under both loops. Back and front is relative to you, so if the loop is facing you then that is the front loop and vice versa.

Switching colors

To change colors, when you reach the next row, draw up the new color through both loops and then single crochet into the next stitch. Tie both loose ends together in the back of the project

Puff Stitch

 Oval Shape

Attaching two feet together

 

Tying off

When you reach the end of your project. To tie off, slip stitch into the next stitch, then chain one. Pull the yarn all the way through, leaving a long end for sewing and cut the yarn where the red arrow is. Thread the yarn through a #16 yarn needle and weave it through several nearby stitches. Do this in three separate directions and then pass the yarn through the project and cut the yarn to hide the loose end