June Gilbank - The Complete Idiots Guide to Amigurumi

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Table of Contents

Introduction

If youve picked up this book, you probably already have some idea of what amigurumi is, but in case you dont, heres the a quick rundown: the concept of amigurumi originated in Japan, and the word amigurumi is a contraction of the Japanese words amimono (crochet or knit) and nuigurumi (stuffed toy).

Amigurumi is Japanese for crochet (or knit) stuffed toy.

To pronounce the word amigurumi, simply pronounce each syllable from the Japanese word in turn: ah-mee-goo-roo-mee. The word is a bit of a mouthful, so throughout the book, I also call them ami for short!

The original Japanese amigurumi mostly followed a certain kawaii (Japanese cute) aesthetic, with oversized heads on tiny bodies, low-set eyes, and high noses and mouths. Over the past few years, amigurumi has evolved to include crocheted animals, dolls, food, and all sorts of other objects.

More people are using the principles of amigurumi to create their own designs in their own personal styles, and I see amigurumi continuing to grow and evolve as people continue to try new techniques and create new pieces meaningful to them. I hope youll use this book as a tool to help you create any kind of amigurumi, whether you find inspiration in nature, pop culture, or simply your own imagination!

A note for knitters: you may have noticed that the Japanese word amimono does not differentiate between knit and crochet, so amigurumi may technically be knitted, but the vast majority of ami are crocheted, and crochet is generally implied when the word amigurumi is used. Knitting is a completely different craft from crochet, and teaching you to knit falls outside the bounds of this book, which covers everything you need to know to crochet all types of amigurumi.

How to Use This Book

This book is arranged so a complete beginner to crochet can start from the beginning and work his or her way through, learning new amigurumi techniques with each chapter. Ive organized this book into four parts, so you can jump in wherever you want, although Id recommend you glance through the early chapters at some point even if youve made amigurumi beforeyou might discover a tip you didnt know about!

Part 1, Amigurumi Basics, introduces you to all the basics you need to begin to crochet your first amigurumi, including tools, materials, stitches, techniques, and notes on how to follow an amigurumi pattern.

Part 2, Bringing Your Amigurumi to Life, gives you an overview of how to create your own designs, techniques that help you improve the quality and appearance of your amigurumi, and methods for making fluffy-looking amigurumi.

Part 3, Adding the Finishing Touches, delves into the details of different types of eyes and hair, and offers ideas for personalizing your amigurumi by creating other embellishments.

And finally, the last part of the book is the Patterns section. After all, no amigurumi book would be complete without some patterns to practice on! My original designs cover a range of themes and difficulties so theres something here for everyone to enjoy, from the amigurumi beginner through to the experienced crocheter.

Extras

Throughout the book, youll find sidebars that give you extra helpful information and suggestions:

DEFINITION

Confused about a term? These boxes explain the vocabulary used in this book.

ON THE HOOK

Turn to these boxes for valuable tips and advice on improving your amigurumi.

GETTING LOOPY

These boxes contain suggestions for alternate methods and asides that provide furtherand often funinformation about a topic.

KNOTS!

These boxes contain warnings to help you avoid common pitfalls and mistakes.

Acknowledgments

Firstly, Id like to give a huge thanks to my husband, Dave, for never doubting I could succeed as a designer and creative person, even when I wasnt so sure, and for always being ready to provide hugs and cups of tea.

Thanks to my family and friends, for sending love and staying in touch even though were far away.

Id like to thank all my wonderful friends in the online crafting community who have encouraged me to pursue my dreams and keep on designing amigurumi! To everyone who has read and commented on my blog, enjoyed my tutorials, bought my patterns, or e-mailed me to say helloyour support means so much to me, and I wouldnt be in the position to write this book without you.

I wish I could thank you all personally, but youd probably prefer to read about amigurumi than a book full of pages of names, so Ill just give a special thanks to Kris Thompson, Tal Taylor, Alice Merlino, Kari Kail, Jana Hunter, Eve Henley, Diane Gilleland, and Carina Envoldsen-Harris, and an extra-special thanks to Brigitte Read for introducing me to the concept of brushed crochet!

Thanks also to my editors at Alpha Books: Karyn Gerhard, Randy Ladenheim-Gil, and Christy Wagner.

Trademarks

All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be or are suspected of being trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. Alpha Books and Penguin Group (USA) Inc. cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

Part 1

Amigurumi Basics

Welcome to the world of amigurumi! Even if youve never crocheted before, never fear. In Part 1, I give you all the basics you need to know to begin to crochet your first amigurumi, from the tools and materials necessary to get started, to instructions on how to create the basic crochet stitches used in all amigurumi.

Amigurumi patterns are worked a little differently from other crochet patterns you may have used. We look at some ami-specific crochet techniques youll rarely see in any other type of crochet pattern in the following chapters. Even if youre a long-time crocheter, you may pick up some new techniques to make your ami look amazing.

By the end of Part 1, youll know everything you need to be able to understand and follow a crochet pattern. So pick out some supplies, grab your hook and yarn, and youll soon be ready to make your first amigurumi!

Chapter 1

The Hooks and Tools You Need

In This Chapter

All about the crochet hook

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