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amigurumi and stitches not adding up


amanda2017

Question

I started my first amigurumi project yesterday (2nd crochet project ever) and I can not for the life of me end up with the right amount of stitches. Every row I do I am either 2 or 3 stitches off and I can't figure out why. I won't know if I am losing count, or what but I had a friend come help me yesterday and she explained the pattern to me, so I know i am following it correctly but I can't seem to get the right amount of stitches whenever I finish a row. For those of you who do amigurumi often, do you just add the missing stitches when you are off? How often are you missing stitches? 

Also, with amigurumi or crocheting in the round, do you need to slipstitch at the end of every row, or only when there is a gap to fill between rows?

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Hi Amanda!

 

I love doing amigurumi! It's much easier for us to help you, if we can see what you're making. Do you have a link to where you got the pattern? If not, any information, like the name of the pattern, name of the book/magazine, magazine date, designer's name, etc. that helps us find it, would help. Although you can't tell us the entire instructions, you can type the round(s) where you're having trouble and the round before where you're losing count. Sometimes a pattern's count is off, if it wasn't tested.

 

The thing about doing amigurumi is that you have to follow the pattern exactly. If you just stick in extra stitches or skip some, it won't look right. It's easy to lose count, because it's done in a spiral. By spiral, I mean that at the end of each round, you keep going, instead of joining with a slip stitch and chaining up to start a new round. The best thing you can do is mark the beginning of each round. At the end of EVERY round, count your stitches for that round.

 

I use a running stitch marker. Here's how ...

  • Get a piece of scrap yarn in a contrasting color. It should be at least a little longer than the height of what you're making. At most it shouldn't be any longer than a foot, or it'll become difficult to manage.
  • At the beginning of round 2, lay the scrap yarn across where you're going to do your first round 2 stitch. A short tail should be facing you and the longer tail away from you.
  • Capture the scrap yarn under your first round 2 stitch.
  • Before you start round 3, flip the long tail towards you. Capture it under your first round 3 stitch.
  • Before you start round 4, flip the long tail away from you. Capture it under your first round 4 stitch.
  • Keep flipping it back and forth under the first stitch of every round until you're done.
  • Pull it out when you're done.
Note: The running stitch marker will spiral slightly to the right (if you're right-handed.) This is normal, because stitches slant naturally. If the marker doesn't spiral slightly or looks jagged, your count is off. Rip out your stitches, until it's a smooth spiral again.

 

Make sure you count your stitches at the end of EVERY round!!!

 

One advantage of the running stitch marker is that it is easy to count your rounds. When the long tail is away from you, you're starting an even round and vice-versa. The loop of the scrap yarn that you see spiraling up covers an odd round. I also use a counter. If you don't have one, keep count on paper by the old method of |||| then a line through to indicate 5 rounds done.

 

ETA: A slip stitch is a stitch. You can't just add one, just like you can't just add an SC. As I said earlier, to get an amigurumi project to look like the pattern's picture, you have to follow the pattern exactly. When you're doing other things, like a dishcloth or afghan, it doesn't matter much if you fudge a stitch here and there. When you're doing amigurumi every stitch matters.

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You're welcome!

 

I remember seeing the doll when you posted about substituting yarn.  It looks like you found the yarn.  Yea!

 

This time I looked at all of the comments.  They are there for all of the designer's Etsy patterns.  There were a few about this doll and they were all positive.  Several indicated that it was a well written, easy to follow pattern.  None said that counts in the pattern were off.  That's the good news.

 

The not so good news is that it is an "easy" pattern and you're at a "beginner" level.  Patterns are typically beginner, easy, intermediate or difficult.  This is to let people know what skill level they should be at before attempting the pattern.  That doesn't mean you can't do it.  You can!!!  It just means that you will probably struggle with it a little more.  Persistence and patience are the key.  You might do a lot of ripping out stitches.  That's okay.  If something is worth doing, it's worth doing right.  The main thing is to not give up.  Doing patterns at a higher skill level is how you get to the next level.  However, if it frustrates you too much, try doing a beginner spiral pattern first, like a bowl or a can cozy.  That will give you practice at the spiral.  Then go back to the doll.

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Yes I did!! It cost me a fortune, but I hope it's worth it :) I'm pretty determined to finish this little doll, I started from the beginning using the tips you gave and so far it's going WAY better! I'll have to post a picture once I get the head done and get her eyes on. Any tips on how to sew the eyelashes, eyebrows and smile on? Also, the pattern just says, "I sew the nose on" but doesn't say anything about how to MAKE the nose.  :reyes

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Yea!  I'm so glad it's going better!!

 

Here are some links of tips that I've used ...

 

http://www.thefriendlyredfox.com/2016/09/best-amigurumi-tips-and-tricks-for-doll.html

https://www.planetjune.com/blog/amigurumi-faces-secure-stitching/

 

I don't know how big the doll is, but a french knot would make a cute, small nose...

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I don't know how big the doll is, but a french knot would make a cute, small nose...

 

The doll will be about 12 inches tall. The french knot looks awesome, I wonder if you can just keep adding more in one spot to make a larger nose?

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Re: French knot, on a tiny doll might work but your 12" doll is sort of big for that.  If you tried the nose with multiple strands, it might work size-wise but French knots aren't a nice smooth button nose like the photo. What I'd try is : chain 2, put several (maybe 4-6?) SC into the second chain from the hook and connect the last sc to the first one, finish off.   You could also try a taller stitch.  I can tell the nose in the photo was made this way in general, just can't see it well enough to count the stitches or see which stitch was used.  Leave long ends to sew the nose on.

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Is the doll big? You may want to try to do a magic ring, a first row with 4 stitches and maybe a second row increasing 2 to make it a total of 6? Or increase each to end up with 8? You may want to experiment, depending on how pointy or round you want the nose. Leave a tail and use that to attach the nose. From what I see, I'm pretty sure the nose is crochetted too. You may also want to send a message to the designer and ask for instructions for the nose, especially if you payed for the pattern.

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