Tips for prefect stuff animals

[LoveCrochetQueen]

Hello, 

A while back I made a teddy bear put to be honest it didn’t turn out like it was supposed too. It not hideous but it could have been better. I attached a picture below so you can see him ( the brown ugly one 😂) it’s supposed to look like the pretty pink one with the heart in the belly. I want to make the bunny (pic attached, super cute) but I want it to look pretty not like the one I made. Is there any tip or is there something I’m doing wrong. Im pretty sure it’s something I’m doing wrong I just can’t see it. I accept respectful criticism. 
 

I’ve bought the Bernat Baby Velevt (worst weight yarn), I have the hooks, the safety eyes, the stitch markers, the needle to weave in the ends ( 🥺). 

[magiccrochetfan]

For reference, here s the pattern https://www.yarnspirations.com/bernat-velvet-valentine-crochet-bear/BRC0334-012696M.html?utm_campaign=2019_01_CrochetBear&utm_medium=blog&utm_source=Influencer_RCM&utm_content=BernatVelvetValentineCrochetBearPattern

How does the height of yours compare to the pattern?  Also how does your stitch gauge compare? 

What yarn did you use for your bear?  

the overall shape of your bear looks skinnier than the pink bear, this could be due to different gauge.

i think the pink yarn is really appealing, you might like yours better if he'd been made in that same pink yarn.  

I think his eyes are very close to snout, and nose is placed high on the snout.  I think he'd look better if eyes were moved up and nose was more in middle of snout.  (I think getting the face right is really challenging, it has been for me on the very few stuffed toys I've made)

 

[Granny Square]

Welcome to the 'ville!

I think your bear would be adored by some by your favorite youngster!

That said...  I really am not a fan variegated yarn in general, just so you know where the rest of this paragraph is coming from.  But I  think here it especially takes away from the face, partly because it's difficult to see the eyes, initially I thought 2 spots of darker colored yarn were the eyes (a little higher up).  

I'm trying to decide why the placement of the muzzle of the pink bear looks a little better, both being higher up, more bear-cub like somehow.  Maybe it has to do with the arm placement as well, on the pink bear the under-muzzle part of the head visually forms the neck to my eye, and then the arms sewn directly under the head oddly look "right" because they form shoulders as well as arms.  With your bear's muzzle and arms being lower...I can't explain why, but it's somehow a little less baby-bear-like.

I feel kinda bad critique-ing your bear, but you did ask...Now looking at the bunny, notice the arms and face are placed higher up, similar to the pink bear.

 

 

[Granny Square]

Oops  Magiccrochetfan, pushing the post button at the same time again!

[LoveCrochetQueen]

Thank you so much that has help a lot. I don’t mind being critiqued as long as done respectful with I know everyone here is. I will attempt to make the bunny with the same yarn that the pattern states. I will give an update as I go🤞 Hoping it looks like a bunny. I love stuff animal but never manage to make one that look like the pattern picture. For some reason this is the hardest thing to do for me. I can make a blanket , a shirt no problem but these stuff animal or anything with eyes it comes out looking well weird and not pleasing. 
 

@magiccrochetfan I made this bear for a Christmas gift for my daughter that loves stuff animal more then me (a gift I never gave her) I used Bernat blanket yarn if I’m not mistaken. I think that’s was my first problem ( I thought that if I used the same pattern when up a crochet hook and thicker yarn it was going to be fine a cozier bear) wrong turn out looking odd. But I really want to learn so I will keep trying until I get it right. For the gauge I cant even say Because 😔I skip this part of the pattern . And thank you so much for the help. 

[LoveCrochetQueen]

Update: first 12 rounds of both bunny feet’s, feeling super excited. Hopefully everything goes uphill from here. 

[USpolishgirl]

I love making Amigurumi

When it comes to bear's they always look a lot better when they are chubby not skinny. Your bear looks a lot skinnier  than that pink bear.  If you fallowed that pattern exactly only two things could be the problem. That is: a) your gauge is not correct (your stitches are taller), that makes each part of that bear longer than it should been.  b) a lot depends on HOW you stuff your Amigurumi.  In your case it is either a)? or b)?, or little of  both.

You need to pay a lot of attention to the scale & shape of each part.  And position of each part is very important.

Granny Square is right about that variegated yarn. It is not a good idea for that project.

If you are going to use dark color of yarn, those black eyes will not show up well.  Light-bright or pastel colors always will look cuter than dark color. White color will always look cute.

Krys

[Granny Square]

Good point on dark color with those little black eyes, maybe experiment with an 'eye assembly' of a circle or oval of white felt behind the black eye.  You could cut various shapes and sizes with paper first to see if you like the look.

Edited July 21, 2020 by Granny Square

[USpolishgirl]

1 hour ago, Granny Square said:

Good point on dark color with those little black eyes, maybe experiment with an 'eye assembly' of a circle or oval of white felt behind the black eye.  You could cut various shapes and sizes with paper first to see if you like the look.

That white felt behind black eye usually  works very well to show of the eyes or make them looking nicer, bigger....  I remember I did that to my  "Easter Chocolate Bunny".  That idea might not look good when it comes to Bears.  Unless that would be a Panda Bear :). Those Panda Bears they do need a bigger oval piece of white felt. They are so cute every one loves them :). 

One more thing to remember about felt. Felt is not washable.  If that is a toy for a child that would not be a good idea.

Krys  

Edited July 21, 2020 by USpolishgirl

[Granny Square]

Other way around, you'd want a big black felt oval for panda eyes, the face is white except around the eyes https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/giant-panda

Now I had to go look at 'regular bear' eyes...real (brown) bear photos didn't really show white at all, just big black eyes, but here are some cartoon bears https://www.123rf.com/photo_93885739_stock-vector-set-of-cute-bear-face-different-emotions-in-cartoon-style-.html

[LoveCrochetQueen]

Thank you so much to everyone that has help me I my little problem. I love the tips and would definitely write them down. I currently half way in the Velvet Bunny and it lookin cute I hope I placed the feet correctly but here’s is a picture of my progress. 

[USpolishgirl]

Here is a picture of a Panda I made and give away to my friend daughter (she is on that picture). I know it dos not shows that whole Panda :(.  That was my SECOND  Amigurumi  I made. I was very proud. There is a little tiny "sliver" of white going around those small black eyes (dos not shows here on hat picture).

Krys

 

[LoveCrochetQueen]

@USpolishgirl the panda looks amazing. For ten eyes I have other safety’s eyes of different colors so hopefully they would look better this time around. It’s a work I’m progress (and in parts very frustrating) but here goes nothing 

[Granny Square]

Ah, so black eye on white (edge?) on black spot, gotcha!  Cute bear, looks like little girl loves him  

[USpolishgirl]

Thank You :).

Your Bunny legs looking great. 

Remember placement of each part of your Amigurumi is very important. If you like the picture of that pattern you need to pay special attention to that picture, use that as your guide. If you have to count the rows, do it. Do not place the snout couple rows lower or higher, same with arms/legs, ears, eyes. If you change anything your Amigurumi will look different and you might not like it.  Before sewing/attaching each part  I always pin-up every part (with sewing pins) to see if that item I am making looks OK

Krys

[USpolishgirl]

Granny Square,

Yes she LOVES Panda's. Now she keeps that Panda on a shelf in her room

I even painted 3 tiny white dots on each eye ( on that plastic part) as a reflection of light. Those eyes were looking good LOL.

Krys

Edited July 21, 2020 by USpolishgirl

[USpolishgirl]

Here are pictures of my Easter Duck's and Easter Bunnies.

Pictures of Bunnies are bad, I used my old camera. I lost my I-phone at that time :(.

Krys

 

Edited July 21, 2020 by USpolishgirl

[Granny Square]

Cute critters!

I happened to be looking at new patterns on Ravelry just now, and one was for an eye but more girl-doll than animal, which made me think there must be other eye patterns out there...here is one that could work for an animal, just another idea to consider.  Maybe make the white part round instead, and omit or reduce the thick black outline.  I'm thinking if you made a toy in worsted weight yarn, if you had scraps of eye color aran weight yarn maybe cut a yard of the eye colors and pull the plies apart (if it's 4 plies, make 2 pieces of 2 ply) for the eyes, since this calls for fingering.

[USpolishgirl]

Many different things can be done to make eyes look better.

Those eyes above they are something else...! LOL (link above). Those for sure would not work out good for crochet animals.

Krys

[Granny Square]

The center eye part would work for an animal in the right colors and the tweak I mentioned--but right, the outer 'mysterious' part would only work for panda spots!

Edit, I meant amending the pattern to something like the below, round or human eye shaped (edited out all but the black outline on the bottom sample, and rounded the shape and added a black outline on the top one so you could see the shape of the eye since the background was also white)

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by Granny Square

[bgs]

There are several good tips here.

https://www.planetjune.com/blog/tutorials/crochet-tutorials/

[USpolishgirl]

I do not like "planetjune" instructions.  It is different and some do not make much sense. Even at the end the way she secures yarn tail, that is just not right.

Krys