AMIGURUMI help - beginner

[All things sweet]

can anyone point me in the direction of an small and easy tutorial for a beginner.. i know the basics and how to crochet in the rounds but am really struggling to read patters because i am kind of a visual person where i need pics as i go along... :think:think

 

it will be hugs all around if someone can help. i really want to learn how to make these but need to know how to undersand patterns!!

 

please dont make me beg!

[rascalsmom]

I think you are reading it wrong.

 

Are you sure it isnt saying for that row....

 

(2 sc in first sc, sc in next 2 sc) repeat around... That would give you the count of 28

 

Break that row down.....

 

You will sc twice in the first sc, and single sc in each of the next 2 sc.

You continuing doing this around the entire row. Your stitch count will go from 21 stitches, to 28 stitches.

Can I ask what pattern you are working on??

 

I am trying to make "Aiko the Amigurumi Bunny" by Katrine Wogoman at katcrochet.com. Here is what the pattern says:

1. 7 sc in the 2nd ch from hook (7) got it

2. 2 sc in each sc around (14) I'm OK with this, too.

3. 2 sc in the first sc, 1 sc in the next sc around (21) [i am OK up to this point]

4. [This is where I start to get confused:] 2 sc in the first sc, 2 sc in the next sc around (28). [To me, this means 2 sc in each sc, for a total of 42, not 28! The next round doesn't make sense to me, either:]

5. 2 sc in the first sc, 3 sc in the next sc around (35) [i read this as 2-3-2-3-2-3-etc, which would add up to way more than 35!]

Any insight you can offer is very welcome! This just seems like a very poorly written pattern, IMHO. Or is it just me??

[susy12]

No problem Kimela! my pleasure!

 

I'm looking forward to seeing your finished Amis here, soon!

[Kimela]

Suzy12 thank you for your instructions. It makes eveything so much clearer. I have just started making amis. I found one that had a chart and I found it pretty easy to do.

[newthingcrochet]

I would never write my patterns this way...WAY to confusing!

I would read the patterns the same way you did.... 2 sc in each sc around.

 

Not all patterns are written like this....none of mine are..and I have tons of patterns for toys that I have designed.

 

Actually, I have never seen any patterns written like that.

 

I agree!

[Heatherkmnw]

Hi, I'm in exactly the same boat I have started and stopped so many projects b/c that stitch count make NO sense to me.I started a baby dress 2nites agao I have ripped it back out about 10 times ruing the yarn in the process.I didn't think I was this stupid .I just can't figure it out.I wass going to ask the very same question this morning b/c the dress pattern states the same thing and you get double the number of stitches by doing what it says.Plus my work keeps curling up (bad) and I could't figure out why.

I think I get what you saying so I will try this and see if I can finally make something!!!

But if they don't want you to crochet in every stitch why don't they just say that to begin with????????

I'M SO CONFUSED!!!!!

[KristieMN]

So it's safe to assume that the ami patterns are simply written differently than other crochet patterns?

In other words, if it says "2 sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc around" what it really means is "*2 sc in first sc, sc in each of next two sc, repeat from * around"?

 

I would never write my patterns this way...WAY to confusing!

I would read the patterns the same way you did.... 2 sc in each sc around.

 

Not all patterns are written like this....none of mine are..and I have tons of patterns for toys that I have designed.

 

Actually, I have never seen any patterns written like that.

[susy12]

I would assume that you are used to following patterns in text form. I am not into patterns that are purely words. I like patterns that are diagrammed. that is why Japanese edition pattern books are the best for me. it has words, pix and diagrams.

 

 

*edit:

Why is that? I'll make a wild guess. Amigurumi originated in Japan. their (and Chinese) math in the old days (and some even now) use Abacus. If I am not mistaken, Japan is also the seat of Modern Math. You know the sets, union, etc. Hence, patterns of amigurumi are written in sets.

[rascalsmom]

OK, I will try and look at it that way. I just need to accept that it's written differently, I guess!

 

But why is that?

[susy12]

Yes, I would say so. I had the same problem as yours on my first attempts on this ami patterns. it really is confusing at times. but when I concentrated on the number of stitches at the end of every round, I decided to write it down and do my own thing. that solved my problem! I was able to make several amis.

[rascalsmom]

So it's safe to assume that the ami patterns are simply written differently than other crochet patterns?

In other words, if it says "2 sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc around" what it really means is "*2 sc in first sc, sc in each of next two sc, repeat from * around"?

[susy12]

by the way, the fifth round has another 7 stitches increase.

 

35 - 28 = 7, so

 

V l l l V l l l V l l l V l l l V l l l V l l l V l l l

 

observe: top most end points are 35 and the bottom end points are 28. see the number of V's = 7.

[susy12]

"2 sc in the first sc, 2 sc in the next sc around (28)."

 

you stick to what the pattern says. if it should end with 28 stitches, so it is 28.

 

if it would be clearer to you:

 

28 sitiches (4th round)

less 21 stitches (3rd round)

equals 7

 

we divide the added 7 stitches equally among the 21 stitches of row 3 to make an even shape of our Amis.

 

hence: 2sc in one stitch, 1 sc, 1 sc, 2sc, 1sc, 1 sc...and so on and so forth till you get to the end 28th stitch (assuming you have stitch marker).

[KristieMN]

Thanks for this explanation. I started my first ami project last night, and quickly stopped because I could not understand the pattern! It was the exact same thing: in one round you ended up with 21 stitches; then the next round said just what you have written for Rnd 4...that you should end up with 28 stitches. To me it just didn't make sense. If you do "2 sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc around" that means TWO SC in EACH AND EVERY STITCH OF THE 21 STITCHES. That would make 42 scs, NOT 28 scs!! Why are these patterns written like this? Every other crochet pattern would say, "2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 2 sc, around", wouldn't it? There must be something I'm missing....

 

 

I think you are reading it wrong.

 

Are you sure it isnt saying for that row....

 

(2 sc in first sc, sc in next 2 sc) repeat around... That would give you the count of 28

 

Break that row down.....

 

You will sc twice in the first sc, and single sc in each of the next 2 sc.

You continuing doing this around the entire row. Your stitch count will go from 21 stitches, to 28 stitches.

Can I ask what pattern you are working on??

[rascalsmom]

This is what I do to make it easier for me ‘coz I am also a newbie in making Amis. I only started last February.

 

 

I always have pencil and a sheet of paper whenever I make Amigurumi. I write down sticks (it’s like when you’re tallying votes).

 

Note:

V represents increase in stitches

l represents 1 stitch

^ represents decrease in stitch

Always begin your tally with the number of your last row.

 

 

if it says:

 

row 3 “'2 sc in the first single sc, 1 sc in the next sc around (21)” - this means you should have 21 stitches in this round, right?

 

Now here’s what I will jot down on my tally sheet:

 

3rd - l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l

 

 

row 4 '2 sc in the first sc, 2 sc in the next sc around (28) – this means you should have 28 stitches in this row.

 

Now:

make 21 sticks - l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l <this is row 3 when done, mark on top of the stick the following:

 

4th V l l V l l V l l V l l V l l V l l V l l

 

Observe that the top points of the tally is 28 and the end points bellow is 21.

 

So, there goes where to make 2sc and 1 sc.

 

Let’s assume that the 5th round should end up with 21sc stitches:

 

Make 28 l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l , then mark on top of the stick the following:

 

5th ^ l l ^ l l ^ l l ^ l l ^ l l ^ l l ^ l l

 

I don’t know if you can understand me. Anyway, Amigurumi uses only three mathematical operation: Addition, Subtraction and Division.

 

Thanks for this explanation. I started my first ami project last night, and quickly stopped because I could not understand the pattern! It was the exact same thing: in one round you ended up with 21 stitches; then the next round said just what you have written for Rnd 4...that you should end up with 28 stitches. To me it just didn't make sense. If you do "2 sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc around" that means TWO SC in EACH AND EVERY STITCH OF THE 21 STITCHES. That would make 42 scs, NOT 28 scs!! Why are these patterns written like this? Every other crochet pattern would say, "2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 2 sc, around", wouldn't it? There must be something I'm missing....

[susy12]

oh thank God! I have made it clear to you.

You're welcome!

[All things sweet]

Susy12! i think you have just solved my problem!! what a fantastic method!!! i think that is now going to make life so much easier! Now i just want to go home and break the patterns down!! :cheer:cheer:cheer

 

THANKS SOOOOO MUCH!

[susy12]

This is what I do to make it easier for me ‘coz I am also a newbie in making Amis. I only started last February.

 

 

I always have pencil and a sheet of paper whenever I make Amigurumi. I write down sticks (it’s like when you’re tallying votes).

 

Note:

V represents increase in stitches

l represents 1 stitch

^ represents decrease in stitch

Always begin your tally with the number of your last row.

 

 

if it says:

 

row 3 “'2 sc in the first single sc, 1 sc in the next sc around (21)” - this means you should have 21 stitches in this round, right?

 

Now here’s what I will jot down on my tally sheet:

 

3rd - l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l

 

 

row 4 '2 sc in the first sc, 2 sc in the next sc around (28) – this means you should have 28 stitches in this row.

 

Now:

make 21 sticks - l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l <this is row 3 when done, mark on top of the stick the following:

 

4th V l l V l l V l l V l l V l l V l l V l l

 

Observe that the top points of the tally is 28 and the end points bellow is 21.

 

So, there goes where to make 2sc and 1 sc.

 

Let’s assume that the 5th round should end up with 21sc stitches:

 

Make 28 l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l , then mark on top of the stick the following:

 

5th ^ l l ^ l l ^ l l ^ l l ^ l l ^ l l ^ l l

 

I don’t know if you can understand me. Anyway, Amigurumi uses only three mathematical operation: Addition, Subtraction and Division.

[bonnoptonia]

well, i've been doing fruit amigurumi coz its very simple i.e. not at all complicated. i mainly use the basic single-crochet, and go round and round, until you make a ball(with the basics, i haven't any instructions because i usually design my own patterns and know them by heart) with a satisfactory size, end it, and then decide whether its an oragne/grape/plum/nectarine according to its color.

[beth eathorne]

if you will look at your row counts each (in most cases) increase 6 more stitches per row...so it would go like this 2sc in sc(increase) 1 sc in each of the next 2..which make it go from 3 sc to 4 in the small section.

http://www.clover.co.jp/kyan/knit/amigurumi.shtml this is the link to a wonderful place that you can get a free pattern that is done in symbols and not written out...this may help you to see where the stitch inc and dec are...there is another thread for an amigurumi crochet along that also may have some great ideas for you here on the 'ville..it has people with really great ideas and i sure they would be a big help to you...this is my favorite type of crochet right now and i cant make enough of this little guys..if the symbol patterns work best for you there are alot of books from Japan that you can get that have tons of great patterns in them..

[All things sweet]

really, just step by step in more detail lol.the pattern i was trying to learn tonight was the chihuahua from katcrochet.com but i get to row 3 and it says '2 sc in the first single sc, 1 sc in the next sc around (21)' which is all good but them i get to row 4 '2 sc in the first sc, 2 sc in the next sc around (28) ' and the ways it reads to me is 2sc in each sc around... i just dont get it how i am only to end up with 28 stitches... grr.. i know it is something probably really simple but i just dont know how to read these patterns am i just really dumb and have no hope learning how to make these things lol

[miller3602]

can anyone point me in the direction of an small and easy tutorial for a beginner.. i know the basics and how to crochet in the rounds but am really struggling to read patters because i am kind of a visual person where i need pics as i go along... :think:think

 

it will be hugs all around if someone can help. i really want to learn how to make these but need to know how to undersand patterns!!

 

please dont make me beg!

What is hard for you? Inc=2 single crochet into a stitch. Dec= decreasing over to stitches. I need more of an explanation.

[anthrilliel]

Hi, here s the pattern i first made. It s really simple, easy but so so so cute and loveable you can use them just about everywhere. :cheer If you find this easy then you can make most of the things in here just as easy. They are just bigger I am sure that everyone will be glad to help you Good luck with them and i d love to see some photos