Crocheted amigurumi doll; almost complete

This past December, I relearned crochet…

It seems as if it was harder for me to relearn crochet, than it was to learn to knit when I was eight-years old… It took me a while to manage to have even crochet stitches, but I didn’t give up, I kept moving. During the process of relearning crochet, I refused to touch knitting for about five months. I found it helpful to do this, since I wasn’t automatically running back to my (knitting) comfort zone when I encountered a new technique. I kept practicing until I got it right. I follow that motto with everything…

Using my own amigurumi pattern

If you look at my crocheted amigurumi Coraline post, you might notice that these crocheted dolls are similar, but not the same. With this crocheted amigurumi doll, I didn’t follow another designers pattern. This doll isn’t as slender as Coraline. Also, the head, torso, and limbs were created differently… I modeled this amigurumi doll after a plastic doll I had when I was a child. If I dig around, I might find it in my daughter’s doll collection.

Since I’ve always enjoyed creating my own designs, so I had fun playing with this crocheted amigurumi doll project. I still have a lot to improve, but I’m pleased with the direction of my crocheted amigurumi dolls. Eventually I’ll write a pattern, and perhaps put out a call for pattern testers, before I present the crocheted doll pattern as a downloadable file. I definitely won’t be calling it a Coraline doll pattern.

Fun with Hair rooting

I’m really having fun crocheting this doll for my daughter’s best friend. Her friend, birthday girl from yesterday, was really drawn to my daughter’s crocheted Coraline doll. The last time she was over for a play date, my daughter said she held her Coraline almost the entire time of the play date. My daughter went on to say, that she politely asked her if she could have Coraline. Just as politely my daughter said, No! Her friend really loved the rooted hair, it’s a technique I’ve used for over twenty years.

With my daughter’s doll, it took over two hours to complete the hair rooting. I did a lot, and tried to make it as natural as possible. Hair rooting is nothing new, people have been using it on cloth dolls for years. It looks similar to the hair rooting you see on dolls not made from cloth.

I must say, it felt great that she liked something I made enough to have one of her own, and so I knew I’d eventually make her a doll. After all, she’s fiber worthy! I’ve made her items before, and she has taken care of them.

Ideas abound while playing with fiber…

I started crocheting this amigurumi doll on Friday, the day before the party. And you know what? She would have been ready in time to wrap her up and sent with the other gifts… But, as with any of my projects, I had additional ideas, so this wasn’t included with those gifts. I’ll be knitting her a pair of boots, a raincoat, and the pants will be knitted too… I have an idea for a different type of messenger bag, and so I’ll be sketching out a few designs, after I return from  our Lutheran church today.

And this is why I rarely make items for anyone at the last minute! Because while making an item, I do get inspired. Regardless of what fiber art I’m working with, I always want to add a “little something else”.

Breaking into my Caron Simply soft stash

You can see in the above picture, that I broke into my Caron Simply Soft stash to make this crocheted amigurumi. Almost three months ago, I found peach and oatmeal colored Caron Simply soft yarn on sale for $2.00 apiece, and while initially I was conservative with my purchase, I went back and bought them out. I’m so glad I did, these have come in handy for my amigurumi projects. When I make items for kids, those that are sensitive to animal fibers, or people that I know don’t want to be bothered with special care instructions, I always chose yarn that you can simply toss into the washer/dryer.

My daughter’s friend will receive this gift from us sometime this week. We’ll include a nice note to accompany her, wrap her up nicely, and mail her off… even though she lives about twenty minutes away from us. My daughter loves receiving items in the mail, and I assume her best friend might like it also.