27 September, 2012

Crocheted spring bunny

My crochet obsession continues - though at the moment I'm working on next month's homework for the Monday Modern quilt group. One of my ambitions when I started crochet was to be able to make amigurumi. Everyone assured me that they were actually quite easy, so I got a book out from the library called Amigurumi for Dummies and tried to make a hamster. I tried starting about 8 times and none of them worked. Either the stitches got so tight as I went around that I literally couldn't get the hook into them, or the yarn fuzzed up so much I couldn't see what I was doing. Talk about demoralising - I couldn't even master a pattern from a book for dummies! Then I saw the start of Helen's little Spring Bunny and was so impressed with how she was going on her first attempt I thought it might be a good pattern to start with. Plus I've had it Pinned for quite awhile now, and it's always good to make things from Pinterest occasionally just to legitimise all the time I spend on there (though not so much these days I have to say). And I can report that yes it's a great beginner pattern and I have succeeded and I feel inordinately proud of myself! I haven't put the felt on the feet yet, but I'm half-inclined not to, I'll see what Hazel thinks.

Spring bunny

I think the success is down to the pattern and the wool/hook combination. Helen was using a slightly felted 8ply by Harmony, and my bunny is done in a similar, though slightly thicker 8ply called Aspire by Naturally. It's 70% wool and 30% alpaca and gorgeously soft. I used a 3.5 hook. The first few rounds of the head were a bit dodgy as I was trying to figure out how to use a row marker, but once I got that down it went pretty well. The only problem I had was the fact that if I get even slightly distracted I can't remember if I'm on the SC or the SC2tog and have to pull out a few stitches to figure it out (or a whole row!). I also mastered the invisible decrease which isn't nearly as hard as it looks in the diagrams. Always nice when that happens :) Now I can try a few larger items. Mat and Hazel have already put in orders but I'll see what takes my fancy I think!

11 comments:

  1. You're so clever! Crochet freaks me out, just can't get it happening in my head- so i think the success of the pattern was partly you as well! That is THE sweetest lil' bunny!

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  2. I love how you turn your attention to something new and create great things out of a new found skill. love Bunny, it's a beauty.

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  3. Soooooo cute! Well done!

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  4. Thank you! I totally know how you feel about crochet, I feel exactly the same about knitting!

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  5. I have an 'app' on my iPhone for helping me with crochet 'lingo'
    That's about all it helps me with LOL
    Your bunny is GORGEOUS!

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  6. That bunny makes me want to take up crochet. It's the cutest thing ever - I want one!

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  7. Go you! that is a gorgeous little bunny! Before you know it you'll have a whole zoo!

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  8. That is adorable! thanks for the link too.. I would love to give this a try, especially as I am still a beginner :P

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