Teaching crochet: Crochet & knitted amigurumi dolls. Knitted robe and shawl

This week, my biggest work in progress is teaching my daughter to crochet. I mainly knit, but I relearned crochet this past December, and I love it too.

My daughter crocheting
My daughter crocheting a square

Earlier this year, my daughter expressed interest in learning crochet. She didn’t stick with it after learning the simple chain and single crochet, and I didn’t push. She wasn’t ready and immediately went back to her comfort zone, sewing. She’s been sewing for three years; she’s nine-years old.

This time is different, she’s determined to learn crochet, and I believe her. I know my daughter well enough to know when she’s ready to master something, and so I’ll be there to gently coax her along if she gets frustrated. She told me that after she masters crochet, she wants to learn knitting.

My daughter crocheting
My daughter’s busy hands…

The crochet and knitted amigurumi dolls that I’ve made are the main reason she wants to learn. She’s seen how much fun I have turning my sketches into a lovely fiber art, and she wants design her own. She designs most of the clothing for her Monster High dolls. Occasionally, she’ll ask me to design outfits for them.

Last evening, I had her working on a simple crocheted square, and she did well. I told her initially, her crochet might not look as she’d like, and that was fine. If she persevered, crochet would become much easier, and eventually she’d be able to make whatever she likes.

Another crocheted amigurumi doll

Crochet: amigurumi doll
I need some clothes!

This past Friday, I started crocheting this amigurumi doll. I didn’t use a pattern. This doll is for my daughter’s best friend, and while we gave her some lovely presents at her Girlee Gurlz birthday party, in the back of my mind, I wanted to give her more.. so this will be an extra gift.

 

Knitted amigurumi doll
It’s time to sew everything together, embroider the face, and root the hair.

Knitted amigurumi doll

Yesterday, I finished knitting the legs for this knitted amigurumi doll, and last evening I sewed the seams. There are a few firsts going on here…. You see, it’s my first time knitting an amigurumi doll, and it’s also my first time making a non-fabric doll with seams. With crochet I’ve always made dolls in the round. With the next doll I knit, I’ll knit in the round too, with my circular needles.

Knitted robe for amigurumi doll

Knitted robe for amigurumi doll
This picture didn’t do a great job of showing that the collar is a different color, it’s dusky rose.

This is the robe I’m knitting for the knitted amigurumi doll. I’m using a seed stitch. Once this is complete I’ll add embroidery, and most likely line the robe. The book you see in the background, The Very Easy Guide to Lace Knitting has some lovely lace trim pattern and I’ll be using some of those as a gift to a friend. I know she’ll adore the hand-knitted lace trim.

Knitting: Diamonds and Pearls Shawl

Knitting; Diamonds and Pearls Shawl
I only managed a few rows of this shawl, hopefully I can complete this shawl soon.

I’m linking too…

  1. Tami Amis WIP
  2. Yarn Along
  3. Frontier Dreams

Knitting: Diamonds and Pearls shawl; work in progress

I adore shawls and wear them constantly during the cooler months. I’ve designed and sewed many of my own, but I realized that I’m lacking with crocheted or knitted shawls. It’s high time I changed that, right?

Knitting; Diamonds and Pearls Shawl
I’m halfway finished knitting the Diamonds and Pearls shawl.

This Monday, I casted on the Diamonds and Pearls shawl. It’s a simple pattern that knits up very quickly. But… between clients projects, hanging with my daughter, and other daily tasks, it hasn’t left me too much time for knitting. Yesterday, I’ve only managed to knit a few rows of the Diamond and Pearls shawl, but it’s coming along nicely. I’m over the halfway point, yeah!

With lace projects, I usually use a lighter yarn than the one used here. However, this pattern called for worsted weight yarn. Since I love the simple lacy design, I decided to cast on this project and start knitting.. I’m undecided if I’ll keep this or gift it to someone else? Decisions, decisions… Regardless of what I decide, I’ll deviate from the pattern a bit and make it longer, perhaps knit a simple crocheted flower, and I’m thinking I’ll incorporate beads into the knitted fringe.

Shelia January is the designer of Diamonds and Pearls, and can be found on Ravery. My user name on Ravelry is OpalT. The knitted shawl pattern can be found in The Book of Yarn.  Please note that this pattern is written, no charts, I prefer charts, but since I really wanted to make it. I started knitting the shawl.

Knitting: Diamonds and Pearls errata page

I usually come up with my own designs, but when following a pattern, I’ve gotten into the habit of searching for an errata page. There’s an errata page for the Diamonds and Pearls knitted shawl, and while there aren’t many errors with this pattern. If I remember it’s only two, it’s still wise to check when working with a pattern before you start the project. With this pattern, the first error is located within the first row.

I’m linking too…

  1. Tami Amis WIP
  2. Yarn Along
  3. Frontier Dreams