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Amigurumi 101: Part 1 – Never Give Up

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This is the first post in a four part series all for the amigurumi newbie! Part one of Amigurumi 101 focuses on the most essential skill any beginner must have and that is perseverance. The following three weeks will describe and demonstrate the fundamental techniques that you will need to master and become a confident toy maker!

Amigurumi alligator, pig, fox, and puffin.
Amigurumi 101: Part 1 – Perseverance

Amigurumi 101: Part 1- Perseverance

While it is best for someone to have some basic crochet experience before attempting amigurumi, don’t let that stop you from trying!

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I am a serial “giver-upper”, also known as a quitter. I have dropped out of almost everything I have ever attempted. Violin, Girl Scouts, gymnastics, and hair braiding are just a select few. Clearly perseverance wasn’t my strong suit. Whenever the going got tough, I just gave up! Thank goodness that is all in the past and I finally learned how to persevere.

Amigurumi 101 – It’s a Skill not a Talent

First of all, amigurumi is a learned skill, not a talent. You read that right. I often have folks comment that they could never crochet toys. While I do admit it takes a great deal of time to become proficient at making amigurumi, it is a skill almost anyone can achieve. Yes, I do agree it comes more easily to some. But the biggest predictor of success is simply the desire to learn.

For instance, maybe you’re looking at photos of the animals I, or many others make and you’re thinking, “That’s easy for you to say!” But hear me out! It took hours upon hours of practice to make my amigurumi look the way they do now. Yes, I’m proud of them. I’m proud because it took a lot of hard work to be able to make them. I’m proud because I made umpteen million mistakes but the point is I kept trying. Humor me and let me show you how I started!

First Project

About a year after I began crocheting, I began making baby clothes. Why? I have no idea. I had no babies and had no intentions of selling the clothes. The sweet tiny sweaters and crocheted dresses were just so addictive. I began watching a lot of YouTube tutorials from the wonderful Wooly Wonders Crochet. I was beginning to get the hang of basic garment construction when I happened to notice a tutorial for a stuffed bunny, an adorable, chubby bunny that is! I worked and worked on this little bunny and was so pleased with myself when I finished. I knew he was wonky. It was obvious he had some issues, but I was in love.

Wooly Wonders Crochet Pattern
Wooly Wonders Crochet Pattern

Amigurumi Patterns

Soon after, I began looking for more amigurumi tutorials and patterns. I came across the Animal Friends of Pica Pau book and I bought it instantly. I had never read an amigurumi pattern before but I was so enchanted by the cover and knew this was what I wanted to spend time doing. I began by reading the book like a novel. Beginning with page one, I read all the way until I reached the pattern section. I felt like I had a solid grasp on the construction. Naively, I dove headfirst into the Victor Frog pattern. I quickly became discouraged and wanted to quit.

Arguing with Myself

But something was different that day. I calmed myself down and had a little conversation with myself that went something like this:

Me: I can’t do this! I quit!

Self: So you’re just going to give up again?

Me: Of course I’m going to give up! This is ridiculously difficult.

Self: Is it really that difficult or are you just not willing to work that hard? You must not really want to make that adorable frog.

Me: Well that’s not fair.

Self: Other people can make amigurumi, why can’t you?

Me: Ummmm, it must be harder for me.

Self: Is it harder or is it that you just don’t want to work for it?

Boom. Did you hear that sound? That was the mic dropping! Lol! That last question literally changed not only how I saw making amigurumi but how I saw myself. Most of my life I had put minimal effort into hobbies and then became discouraged when I couldn’t do them. I decided then and there that this time was going to be different.

Want to learn how to read a crochet pattern? Please visit my blog post: How to Read a Crochet Pattern

Second Project

I went back to Victor Frog with a completely different attitude. No longer was I huffing, puffing, and uttering curse words under my breath! I decided to take the slow and steady approach. Calmly and carefully I read over the pattern. I took each step as it came and worked at it until it was right. When I hit a stumbling block I would research YouTube and blogs to figure out what I was doing wrong. Within a week I had completed my goal and had a frog to prove it. He wasn’t perfect but I couldn’t have been more excited.

Amigurumi frog with hand on his hip.

Third Project

Next, once I had gained a bit of confidence I decided to tackle Harry Wolf. He was a much more difficult pattern but his adorable face and ears motivated me to push through. I didn’t yet own safety eyes so I just used buttons. My stitches were uneven and my color changes were sloppy. Also I had no idea that you weren’t supposed to stuff the ears! Harry Wolf turned out to be completely weird and adorable, and I wanted to continue to improve my skills. Each mistake taught me something valuable. Therefore with each project I learned skills that helped me progress to be able to make the next toy even better!

Amigurumi Wolf.
Harry Wolf – Animal Friends of Pica Pau

From that point forward I began crocheting toys with the sole purpose of improving my technique. I wanted my stitches to be more even, I wanted my embroidery to be more uniform, and I wanted my sewing to be neater. I frogged sections that looked bad. Improving my technique became the motivating factor when choosing patterns.

Amigurumi Wolf closeup.
Button eyes, stuffed ears, and sloppy color changes! Oh my!

Want to see a side-by-side comparison of my first wolf and my third one to see the improvement practice and perseverance makes? Visit my blog post: You Can Make Amigurumi: A Tale of Two Walters.

You Can Make Amigurumi

I promise you can do this. Don’t believe me? Try it! Start with a YouTube tutorial. Work at improving your skills. Keep at it even when you feel like you aren’t making progress. Within a few months you will be able to see how far you’ve come.

Supply Recommendations

One of the best things you can do is set yourself up for success by accumulating a few supplies. Quality is much more important than any other factor, and that can come at many different price points. I have two yarns that I highly recommend and one crochet hook. You can also check out my post, Amigurumi Tool Kit, to learn more.

Berroco Vintage Worsted 5110 Fondant – this is a perfect piggy color! Berroco Vintage is my favorite yarn for amigurumi. It is a beautiful wool blend yarn that comes in many gorgeous colors. It is soft to the touch but strong for seaming, which is so important.

Paintbox Wool Mix Aran – is another wonderful yarn for making amigurumi. It comes in 59 vibrant shades.

If you decide to use a worsted or aran weight yarn you already have, wonderful! I am all about using what is in your stash. But do yourself a favor and get this crochet hook. It truly is superior to every other crochet hook I’ve tried, and I’ve tried a lot. It’s sharp pointed end makes invisible decreasing so much easier. The ergonomic handle reduces strain and stress on hands, wrists, and elbows.

Furls Odyssey Purple Crochet Hook 6″ (3.50 mm (E))

This post contains affiliates links and at no cost to you I may earn a teeny tiny commission if you choose to purchase them. Please know that I only recommend products I use and love! Thank you for supporting Le Petit Saint Crochet!

Amigurumi 101 – Homework

Finally, this week’s homework is to watch Wooly Wonder’s YouTube video, Very Easy Mouse Tutorial. Then try making this adorable little mouse or any of her beginner amigurumi tutorials! I think you’ll be surprised that you can do it! Please share your little mice with me! I would love to see your progress!

Next week’s post will be all about how to choose a written pattern and color palette! Check out part 2 : Choosing a Pattern and Color Palette!

Wolf and Bunny Amigurumi Animals
!My fist amigurumi projects!


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29 Comments

  1. Elise, my teacher and my inspiration. You not only taught me the stitches, the color changes, the weaving of end s, and all that. You taught me to stick with it, and that was just as important. I am testament to the truth that being stubborn enough to keep going will make you better. A good lesson for life, too. Listen to Elise, all you beginners. She is very wise. Thank you, my friend.

    1. Thanks for the video! I also give up on everything. I have maybe 30 or so books about cute stuff to make. But I have not made a single thing yet. Probably because I’m afraid it it wont be any good. I have so much stuff about crafts it’s just silly.
      Anyway. I need to get the “get up and go” so I can actually get something done.
      Have a great day! 🌞🌼

      1. I think once you get over the fear that it won’t be any good you can get to the fun stuff, actually making them. Maybe if you think of your projects as learning opportunities you can enjoy them more! Thanks for the comment and keep making!

      1. So wise! It truly does just take practice, patience, and perseverance! And the beauty that I’ve found is that every piece, first or last, has been loved all the same!

  2. I super duper want to do this! I am going to start! Love the idea of starting a project just for the learning experience. Relieves pressure and expectations, and I think that strategy would work with pretty much any new skill. Very wise.

    1. That is awesome, Katie!! I would love to see how it goes! Also if you have questions along the way I’m here to help! If I can’t answer something I can direct you to good resources! Thank you so much!

  3. I think you cover off a lot of important things about all hobbies! I especially like the chat you had with yourself 😊 I love your first projects, it’s easy to see why you were hooked!

  4. I love that you list perseverance as a necessary skill! Before “knowing how to crochet”!! So many people look at my knitted projects and comment on my talent, but I’m with you: these are skills anyone can learn. The only difference between me and the people who accuse me of talent is I kept trying even when I made mistakes. I kept learning.

    I can’t wait to read the rest of this series!!

  5. I’m a serial quitter too! Or at least I was, I’m a constant work in progress and that’s the first thing I’ve worked on.

    I can’t get enough of your blog!!! I’m working hard to get all my Christmas stuff done early this year so I can have a more relaxing Advent, and do something out of the ordinary. I plan on making one of your creations! Thank you!!!!

  6. I love this story and I couldn’t agree more with you! It reminds me of people who listen to a pianist give a spellbinding. performance and then wish they could play like that. Well, they could if they practice for hours a day! What you put in is what you get out. It’s always a good reminder, thank you 😊

  7. Thanks Elise. I have made a few Amigurumis now (from books, paid and free patterns). I want to start designing on my own now. I have been reading up on the anatomy of an ami pattern, but can you guide on how does one design or write up a pattern? Basically I want to understand SHAPING. e.g. How does one do Inc/ dec for a foot from a leg? or a hand from an arm… Hope I am able to articulate my question well. :/

    1. I have only designed a couple of amigurumi myself. I mainly make from other designers patterns. There’s not a lot of helpful information about designing amigurumi either, that I can find! For me it’s a process of trial and error!