RSSAmigurumi Tutorial 1
This tutorial is for all of you knitters who wish to learn how to make amigurumis. In the first part of this tutorial I’ll go over the basic crochet techniques you need to master. I know most people are visual learners, so I’m using a lot of videos (they may take some time to load).
Step 1: How to hold your yarn (make a chain too)
If you are a thrower (hold your yarn in your right hand), you’ll have to learn to hold your yarn on the left. It will feel awkward, but with time it will become easier. The following video shows you how to hold your yarn and make a chain. This is how I hold the yarn and hook, but you need to find what feels natural to you.
Step 2: Single crochet, increasing and decreasing
Most amigurumis are done in spirals of single crochets. You must to master this basic stitch. I recommend practicing it by going back a forward before you start doing spirals. First do a chain, and then do some rows of single crochets. One of may favorite amigurumi patterns requires to start from a chain, so it’s not a bad idea to learn how to do it.
In order to give shape to your creations you need to increase and decrease. Here’s how to increase:
And here is how to decrease:
Another way to decrease is to skip a stitch, but I find that that leaves a gap.
Setp 3: Single Crochet in Spirals to make a ball
There are two ways in which you can crochet in the round. One is by making a loop with a chain of 2 or 4 stitches, the other is with an adjustable ring. Start with the chain method, and once you are comfortable single crocheting in the round, try to move on to the adjustable ring (it makes a much neater project).
In the following video you can see how to make a circle, starting with a chain of 2. Notice how at the end you have small hole in the center.
The magic ring technique lets you make an initial ring that you can tighten so there is no hole in the center. Just make sure you don’t make the stitches in the ring too tight.
In part 2 of this tutorial I’ll teach you how to read amigurumi patterns. In the mean time, make some single crochet dish cloths.
Go to Amigurumi Tutorial 2, Amigurumi Tutorial 3
did this the last time in school… i’ll try it tommorrow! thx for the tutorial
Comment by Florian — March 22, 2008 @ 5:56 pm
You make me want to try crocheting (for the second time). Well done!
Comment by misstea — March 23, 2008 @ 7:58 pm
I love you!!!
I wanted for so long to learn how to do amigurumis, but with just knowing how to chain, well, it is not enough.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Comment by Delia — March 24, 2008 @ 8:53 pm
this is an absolutely fantastic site - you taught me to crochet and having it specifically for amiguri has been a godsend! saved alot of surfing!
Comment by dee — April 29, 2008 @ 4:41 am
Thank you thank you thank you thank you! The videos are awesome. I’m so grateful for your time in putting it all together!
Comment by Mallika — May 7, 2008 @ 4:57 am
[...] to begin when it comes to crochet? Make sure to check out Hook and Needles excellent beginner tutorial on making [...]
Pingback by Amigurumi vegetables | Crafterbation — May 13, 2008 @ 3:15 am
[...] Amigurumi Tutorial 1 (learn how to crochet) | Hook and Needles: Knitting and Crochet Blog (cool stuf… Hmmm, doubt I’ll get the time for this but here’s hoping (tags: knitting crafts) [...]
Pingback by links for 2008-05-29 « Tim’s Zen Blog of Sparseness — May 28, 2008 @ 11:35 pm
Thank you so much! I learned I was decreasing all wrong! Thanks for your help!
Comment by Anna — June 22, 2008 @ 10:25 am
Love your videos, they are so helpful. I’m an amateur at crocheting and I’ve only made a scarf before using the increasing method. I actually don’t know how to read patterns yet so I’ll be following along on your site. Thanks so much for putting all this up.
Comment by Karen — July 6, 2008 @ 1:56 am
Your videos are terrific! The instructions that I read made no sense until I saw your fingers in action, now all is clear and I am starting on my first ami tonight! Thanks!
Comment by Patty — July 8, 2008 @ 7:33 pm
[...] to crochet, so hopefully we’ll see something soon. Fo-kasu linked me this awesome tutorial on how to crochet Amigurumi, but if you’re not interested in making Amigurumi, you’re crazy and it’s a good [...]
Pingback by I promised these… « love machine — July 12, 2008 @ 1:38 am
[...] materiale da spulciare, e per chi vuole cimentarsi esistono numerosi tutorials. Ad esempio qui e qui (sono in [...]
Pingback by Gli Amigurumi di Rita « Il Blog della Simo — July 13, 2008 @ 10:23 am
[...] http://www.hookandneedles.com/2008/03/22/amigurumi-tutorial-1/ [...]
Pingback by Pattern time!! « gnat on the windshield — July 15, 2008 @ 12:17 pm
Oh my gosh…thank you SO much! I have NEVER been able to understand how to increase and decrease by reading tutorials and now…I completly get it! Thank you so so soooo much!
Comment by Elissa — July 15, 2008 @ 6:40 pm