I would love a talking head video where you talk about the ups and downs of designing! Or maybe a video where you pick a group of crochet animal and talk through your favourite crochet details! Youre smart and talented, I wish you all the best with managing your symptoms so you can crochet to your heart's content
Idea for talking head video: yarn reviews as it pertains to amigurumi. There are tons of yarn reviews out there but not many that pertain specifically to amigurumi
Designing my own amigurumi looked so terrifying at first, but then I ran into several patterns that were... not that good, let's say. I had to fix those patterns myself to make them work and then the step to making my own was suddenly a lot smaller.
Something I once heard stuck with me and I think it applies here. "If you want to be great at anything, you have to be willing to be bad at it many times first." Thanks for your continued encouragement as we go get through our bad-at-it times!
You forgot to mention the random body parts and unfinished pieces that may end up EVERYWHERE 😂. Designing amigurumi/trying to make different ideas work out is my favorite thing to do. Lately I've been losing my mind experimenting with flat pieces. I went back to basics and followed a pattern. That helped to give my brain a break and to see a new way of accomplishing what I'm trying to do. You're spot on! I hope your pain can be resolved or alleviated in a significant way 🖤
Thanks for sharing this. I still remember the day someone said, if you can crochet or knit a square then you can also make a tube. For some reason, it had never occurred to me to manipulate or play with the shaped I could already make. Seems a simple idea, but some of us have to directed more than others. 🙃
My favorite thing to tell people is if they can make a magic ring that's step 1, easy. Then you make circles, tubes, and balls for basic amigirumi. That comes from this channel and complicated knots, yall make it so easy sounding! I actually began crocheting in 6th grade way back in 2009 and have been self taught. Took me about 5 years to make my first blanket but hey that's fine with me.
Maybe you could explain how you write out your plans/designs, or rate your previous projects, yarn recommendations, tools of the trade... I mean, just chatting is fun too
I like this suggestion - for note taking I never remember my shorthand and sometimes try something out to see if it works before I write it down, but then I forget what I did. I suck at notes and need a coach!
Maybe things like a little less basic shapes for amigurumi.... like how to make a bend in a limb or neck, how to make various limbs/wings/fins... (not exact but the formulas thereof), basics on how to make an open mouth, etc I want to try make a hyena but the hump at the base of the neck seems daunting as much as its probably simple with the right formula
That's how I'd like to approach it - start basic with beginner friendly shaping techniques, then cover intermediate techniques like short rows and then some more advanced stuff. And then I'd like to further divide the series up by body parts, so cover Eye's, Mouths, Limbs etc. I haven't got all the details ironed out just yet, but this will be the general formula.
I love how much crochet became popular over the years. I have been crocheting 10+ years now and only started because I was bored on a night shift hotel job. But once covid hit and everyone started to learn, my dear lord the creativity. I love that people are keeping art in this world. ❤
You've got oodles of knowledge that you can offer us! This video is just one example. As someone who also deals with chronic illness I get the mind willing/body weak issue. You can only do what you can do and sometimes you gotta get creative and find different ways to deal. You've got this! :-) To be honest, you're cool enough to read yarn labels and many of us would watch. LOL
I started crocheting in 2013 when I wanted to make a rainbow ripple blanket for my baby 😊 rediscovered the art to make adorable amigurumi! I would be interested in a vlog from yourself,if you run short on ideas!
The tips are super useful as someone who observes how amigurumi are designed and how certain things like increasing and decreasing can adjust and create different shapes. As for how I got into crochet, I was a teen when I got curious and started and have been on and off for over 10 years now. Though the past handful of years have made me experimenting and trying to make new things like cardigans, plooshies, and clothing instead of just basic granny squares.
Hi! I do enjoy the videos even without crochet! Here are some ideas! A video about how your crochet journey started. About your other craft. A formal introduction of your pets. A video with someone who know nothing about crochet and they have to make something following your instructions. A Q&A
I love this! And I highly agree. A big part of the designing process is just try, re-try and re-try again. I've designed a few amigurumi and had a lot of fun with it!
It’s so validating to watch this video and hear all sorts of things my mind had naturally been doing! I’ve free handed/designed a couple of my own pieces and it’s getting easier each time!
Ideas for the not crocheting videos: Maybe a video of all the amigurumi you have in your house? what are your favorites and what was the challenge of each piece? Maybe you have patterns or books you would recommend? Maybe a video about other creators that inspire you or other media that inspire you?
Fab video as always! Thank you for all of the tips 🥰 I have a few ideas that might be helpful, they may also be repeats of things others have said so sorry if that’s the case! • How to write a pattern (to share with others) • Crochet pet peeves • Favourite patterns you’ve ever used • S-F ranking of yarns • Yarn favourites/dislikes • A video answering questions from people • A full video of the hook up • Completed projects tier list (S-F type thing) If I think of anything else I’ll come back but that’s what I have for now 😅 Sorry you’ve not been feeling good, hope the new things are only temporary! Xx
I am very excited for this amigurumi series!! I cant picture things in my head, so id love to see how you work out your patterns. Good luck with everything ❤
I got into crochet during COVID but more due to my brother dying from COVID. We did everything together like playing games and going on trips together. After he was gone, I had no one to do anything with and I don't really have friends. I tried crochet, got confused, tried knitting and got confused with that, too, tried loom knitting for a bit and understood that a lot better but got irritated because it was so slow, then tried crochet again and found I liked it better once I figured out what I was doing.
I'm so sorry for your loss and I'm glad you've found a hobby you enjoy. I know for me personally, crochet has been a huge help to my mental health when dealing with grief/depression. If you are looking for a bit of community, you're always welcome to join the discord, we chat about all sorts things like gaming, health stuff (and of course crochet). So if you're up for it, we'd love to have you.
i really enjoyed this "talking head" style video! personally i tend to watch your vids/crochet vids in general while i'm working on a crochet project of my own, so it's nice to be able to have a more audio based video where it doesn't matter if i glance away for a few seconds at a time. i would like to just hear more about your thought process in designing your own pieces, or hear about creators that inspire you, idk just crochet adjacent topics for me to vibe with while i'm crocheting lol
You have no idea how badly I wanted you to make this series lol. I'm pretty sure i manifested it 😂 I have even taken a skillshare class on it but I think your last step was most pointed for me lol. I just need to do it 😊😅 would love any insight you have on shaping weirder or more unique shapes!
You could cover some fiber arts drama. Those types of videos are pretty popular and I don’t think people who like that get tired of hearing other people’s takes. Adjacent to that could videos on rating the yarns you like. Hooks and Heelers did some yarn tier lists that were entertaining to watch, and you could make vague comments about yarns you feel strongly about and then do a more in depth video on those. For example a yarns you put in S tier, make a video about why you love them and all the ways they work for you. A top 5 yarns if you will. Similarly for F tier yarns a top 5 worst yarns video. You could also cover any craft companies shady practices, I know I’m waiting for someone to come out with a video about Joann’s abysmal cancellation and return policy for ordering online.
Great advice about designing .I have been crocheting for 50+ years and when I want to make something or my grandchild asks me to make a dinasoar or unicorn I just start making it ,sometimes it works right away and sometimes I have to try a few times. Most of my life crocheting there wasn't many designs availible in stuffed toys so I made them up. Just think positive and have fun! I hope you feel better soon, I have a very bad neck and back and deal with arm pain and have to take periodical breaks from crocheting too.
"look at this. It's just a tube!" Lol isn't that what those popular squishmallows are? And they're still cute. ♥️ Hope your symptoms don't discourage you. You're awesome and I enjoy your videos. Take care. ❤
Thank you for making this video. I have been crocheting off and on since I was a young one (my momma taught me when I was younger). I started out with the granny squares and my brain couldn't wrap around it. Took me 2+ years to make a blanket just working when I had the drive working off of what felt right to do to make it the right size (no pattern). Picked up an amigurumi book because "cute creatures I can make" and then I found the yarn that I wanted to use for my first make, black nightmare yarn. But I loved it so much that in 7 months I made 6 creatures and currently working on my 7th. I've been watching some shows and see things that I would love to make in yarn but have been too terrified to try and make one without a pattern but I also want to have that pride of making something and showing it to friends and saying "That came from my brain". TLDR; Flat piece confuse brain. Made stuffed and now electric jell-o (brain) wants to make one without book. Thank you for boosting my courage in taking something like this on. You are an inspiration.
Having a go with making several different patterns first before doing your own will ground you in multiple techniques, especially bending. Such things made me confident enough to do my own niche interest project. I've done a basic one for myself, then added another feature for a prezzie for a friend. My fave bits of my own pattern are 1/ it has back legs with a classic slight bend in & I captured that perfectly, 2/ the head & body are a single piece, with clear cheek, neck, shoulder, waist, & hip sections, 3/ the wings (optional part) look authentic, & 4/ when all the pieces are sewn together at the end (head/body, hair, legs, optional wings, ears), & the face & other details are embroidered in, the end result looks pretty convincing regarding what I intended. My friend loves her prezzie!!! And I have only one thing to perfect before I have the entire thing customisable!!! (another optional part)
Thank you so much for this series! Can't wait for more :) I'd love a look at sort of the "rules" of crochet - MR + 6sc, increasing 6 each time and then decreasing the same will give a sphere. want an oval? throw in a sc only row in between inc/dec! want to make a "cave" or "bump"? make the increases or decreases focused in that area! that's all I know for now, would love to learn more :)
First up, you are plenty interesting enough to vlog. In terms of instructional/crochet less video ideas, describing or showing on previous amigurumi how the different stitches change the look of things would be helpful. I would love to see your amigurumi collection and have you walk us through how the same or similar techniques show up differently based on what was used, such as plain or variegated yarns, mohair or fuzzy yarns, acrylic vs other types. How does your notebook look? Do you save swatches for reference or yarn tags when you may not get that yarn again? There is so much that I would love to see based on your old work like how you showed the spider legs etc. also, just seeing your collection. Rate 1 to 10 best to least favorite of different collections of patterns on your channel (top domesticated, cryptids, bugs, birds, etc.). As someone without the scope of time to view your entire content line, I love seeing what you have so I can go search out that video. I was dying to see what the mouthy fish(?) You were holding was and intently curious about the white on him. To keep people coming back you could also do i-spy sorts of things with a repeated amigurumi in the video somewhere during only a certain clip and ask us to call out when we saw it and where. Fun things like that can make vlogs more engaging for me. Anyway, love ya! You made amigurumi obtainable for me through seeing your videos so even if you cut back on how many videos you post or change the content, I'm here for the long haul.
Thanks for the great ideas (I might already have an amigurumi tour vid in the works 🤔) and I really love the i-spy one. As for my coelacanth (fish) friend, I used acrylis paint for the spots!
You really putting it ( starting to design ours own patterns...) in such a simplement way, that even if 1 or 2 others youtubers already try to do the same content before, NOW , I really think I CAN do it!!!! Let's GO!!!!!😄👍
I can't think of anything with no crochet, but maybe you could do something with -less- crochet? Like texture samples or 3 ways to do a leg, or something like that where you're not doing an entire piece complete with stuffing, sewing, and layering, but instead you add to a "dictionary" of parts or techniques. A different idea that would take a lot of co-ordination and scheduling would be some kind of collaboration, where someone could send in their own design and have you help solve issues or help explain why something went horribly wrong or even geek out over how cool it is or interesting things they've done. It sounds very tricky to manage, but might work as an extension to your hook-up segment.
I've had so much doubt and fear regarding creating my own patterns in the past. However, just the other day I was trying to make a gift for a 3 year old's bday party next week, and I couldn't find any patterns I really liked for what I wanted to make. Leigh, I literally made it up! It looks so good!! I just used what knowledge I had already, and some reference photos (it was a hard hat with dog ears from paw patrol) and did the damn thing! I am pretty impressed with it, although it isn't perfect, and then you posted this that just solidified the fact... I CAN do this! I can't wait for your series, and thank you for the encouragement ❤❤❤ I hope you start feeling better soon so you can get back to crocheting...
Congratulations on making your first amigurumi!! That's so awesome! I made a paw patrol dog myself a while back and the hat/ears combo is no joke. Tackling it as your first project is incredible and I'm sure kiddo will love it 💙
@SkeinSpider thank you so much! I hope he does, it was a labor of love! 😆 watching your channel and @complicatedknots have both been really inspiring, you ladies make it look SO easy!
Talking head video: ask people to leave questions in the comments of your videos, and on those weeks where the body is saying, 'nope,' you could pull those out and try answering ttem. And as someone with chronic shoulder and wrist pain, yes please don't push yourself when it flairs up. Crochet is not a 'no pain, no gain' activity. 💜
Adore your vids as always! Had an idea since you had mentioned you're looking for non-crochet video ideas when you're unable to craft: tips for relaxing and keeping calm with chronic pain/illness. Not craft related, but definitely good for the chronically ill in your community! I know I personally struggle a lot with feeling safe and relaxed when I'm actively in a health flare, if you had any tips or advice from your experience I know I for one would love to watch!
What a great video, its wonderful to give other crocheters advice and encouragement to start their own projects. Always wanted to learn to crochet, as beloved grandmother used to make lace mats for family members, even when she was nearly blind. At least I started 20 odd yrs after her passing in 2019, so just before covid shut down the world. Start amergrumi last Yr and loved it. This Yr want to make a few other peices but have a few projects I'd like to finish first. Like yourself, I suffer from constant joint pain and other stuff, so totally understand I should pace myself, but it's not in my nature to be slowed down, and fight a constant battle with myself. Think you ought to think about writing a book on this though, as your advise is so wise and helpful. Take care 🙂 💕
Yesss this is the video I need right now!! I recently made my first original pattern and I really like how it turned out, but one thing I struggled with was turning a 2 dimensional drawing into something 3 dimensional, and trying to figure out how to achieve the look of a certain shape, so maybe a video talking about shape building from plan sketches or something? Don’t know if that makes any sense but hope you get what I mean!😂
I thoroughly enjoy these types of videos. I only got into crochet at the end of last year but yourself and complicatedknots convinced me I could do it and I have improved so much in just a few months. When you're feeling up to it I'd love a little continuation of the basic shapes instructions you started giving here!
My first amigurumi was the Bluey demo you did on your channel. Great video! It was nice to have my hand held for my first one by being able to watch you do it, and now I feel like I can make any amigurumi. I’m making a complicated dragon now :)
The first amigurumi I made was a combination of 3 different patterns because I couldn't find a pattern I liked, but also I had never made amigurumi before. All these years later, I can crochet by patterns or I can design my own, but I am awful at writing instructions. So after I have made something, I can't make it again!😂 Maybe instead of a vlog (though I actually like vlogs) Maybe do live video make alongs. There is a lady I follow in the U.S., she is not a professional youtuber. Her channel is very small. But she a lot of interaction on her channel because every week she goes live on Sundays and she only has (I think) 2 moderators. It seems to be fine We only had one bloke come and disturb the peace before 😅 But it's just an idea.
Do a livestream! Then you can bounce off us and hopefully get ideas for tons of future content. Yes you are interesting enough for a vlog! Hope your new body weirdness can be helped soon. I too have a body that doesn’t play nicely with my mind and soooo many projects that haven’t been finished as a result. Which gives me an idea… Sewing is my nemesis, could you do a session on how to neatly, invisibly, perfectly join bits (limbs, ears, noses) to bodies without accidentally creating a lopsided mutant? (I love my twisted bear but it wasn’t what I was going for.)
I actually borrowed the idea of using popcorn stitches as feet or hands from you and made some minis of my own! I like to take elements from my favorite designers but then make them my own in my own unique way Edit: you should update us on your wips! It's been a bit and I'm curious what you've finished/frogged. It even shows us how much your yarn stash has shrunk (or grown lol)
I'm currently crocheting my first ever jumper, and when buying yarn for it, i wished there were a simple estimation thingy out there, that were like "yeah, so if you're using regularly thick yarn, you'll need about this many skeins for this type of piece" etc. Like, yes there are a ton of helpful stuff out there, but I don't understand half of the things mentioned in them. I know that how much yarn it'll take to make something varies hugely depending on yarn weight, hook size, stitch type etc, but it would be nice, for a first time maker, to have an *over simplified* chart out there. If that's something you think you could make into a video, I'd love to watch it! Ps. For me, specifically, I'd love if someone could just break down a project for me. Like "to crochet a long sleeve, in a supermarket thick yarn, it takes about 2 skeins, under these circumstances" and "you'll need about this much yarn left, to sew it all together at the end". Just the fact that my experimentation with this project have lead me to understand that it takes about 3 skeins to crochet a back piece of the specific pattern I'm doing, will help me immensely for future projects. Oh, and if it wasn't clear, ofc I'm someone who rather makes up my own pattern, than to follow a ready to go pattern out there.
I totally agree with you! As someone who is still pretty new at crocheting clothes, I'm terrible at judging how much yarn I'll need. Hopefully, as I continue to experiment and make clothes, I'll get a better understanding and then I'd be happy to make a video like the one you suggested.
Don’t know if it’ll help but I tend to swatch using the same amount of yarn (approx a metre but do it by weight so you don’t have to unravel your whole ball or skein!) then you can weigh the swatch and divide the ball/skein weight by that number to guesstimate how much crochet at that stitch size you’ll be able to get out of one. (I hate maths but it’s not too hard with a little scale and a calculator x)
@@clarewillison9379that's nice, but you're also assuming I have yarns of similar weights/lengths as the one I planned to buy for the project. Personally I come from a background of having done some crochet back in my youth and the only yarns I own are mostly kept from back then, with no tags or anything. And honestly, I didn't see the point of making swatches until midway though this first project.
I'd totally watch you vlog. :) So I thought it was ironic that what you were explaining that you were trying to do was basically following the idea of 'Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime'... while holding a fish. I think some content about your favorite things would be interesting. For example, who you buy your amigurumi eyes from, your favorite yarn, favorite fellow content creators, etc...
I loved this video. Today, I made an alien monster out of chenille red wool. Started off with a devil pattern from a book, but the pattern was very weird and wouldn't work for me, so i made my alien monster up. I love him. Xx
as a non crocheting videos or like you call it talking head videos maybe a "what are the essentials to begin crochet?" a "gift guide for beginners " (I know it's not Xmas but for birthday and stuff) an " I want to try to make this piece of clothing " an "online shopping for yarn" if you shop online of course a "what my family asked me to make them since I started crochet" IDK if you made a video like this but maybe talking a bit more about your chronic pain journey if you want to . also when you will put all the videos of the series in a playlist maybe add the ones you made about the different shapes . hope you will feel better really soon
I know you have done a video about crocheting with chronic pain but would love more of them. I deal with chronic pain and chronic illness and I am a caregiver so I run out of spoons. Would love some tips on how to make the most of the spoons I have.
Thank you for this video and upcoming series. I have had a little voice in my head telling me I couldn’t create my own amigurumi patterns because Im really crap at maths and figuring out the increases and decreases to create desired shapes seemed.. well just too much to ‘brain’! Having said that I also want to learn color pooling so I better brush up on the math (or find really helpful apps!). Love your work and enjoy all of your content 😊
Don't let your maths skills stop you. I'm in the same boat, I'm truly awful at maths unfortunately, just means I've got to check my work a bit more frequently (....and maybe use a calculator).
Thank you SO MUCH for this video 😀 You actually made me want to try to make an amigurumi, and THAT is impressive, because I am all about crocheting sweaters and stuff ;-) Thanks for all your creative videos, - they are great and you are very sweet. Especially those curly hairlocks you "always" have, are really beautiful and fascinating.
Maybe you could get the patterns of new/debutant designers and give them advices. I don't know i've just thought that it could help them understand better, or feel better about their journey
Could you do reviews/opinions of different yarns to use for amigurumi? Why you'd choose each one? Cotton vs acrylic etc? It's helpful to see Australian creators do that because we have different options eg. Is it even worth thinking about using the $3 Stallion yarn from Spotlight :D
I'd love to know what you'd like to see others design, or discussing ideas for other people to design. Drawing prompts are geat for me on discord because they get me thinking in ways I might not have on my own, so a crochet design prompt would be a unique and neat way for us to interact. ^-^ I hope you have fun, whatever you do. ^-^
what about dry felting? it's really useful for eyes and smaller details like spots, i did learn to crochet during the suck years but that more because i actually had time for it then lol
I want to touch on that. Some of the other amigurumi 'categories' I want to cover are Details and Eyes so I'll probably address it in both but from a slightly different angle depending on what the felting is being used for.
Lol. I was checking out the comments to see what video ideas ppl were leaving. They’re all great ideas and so very adult. Lol I am gonna suggest an unpopular opinion or hot takes video on crochet 😂. No actual crocheting involved. Oooo and u cld put up a poll of unpopular opinions and ask us to vote on it and tell us wat the results are. 😂 I love those kinds of vids. Yes they’re silly but its always good to find out i might not be the only crocheter who hates granny squares. 🫤. Hope u r back to feeling more like urself very soon.
My favorite thing to do with designing my own amigurumi is modifying existing patterns (I'm still new to designing my own patterns) These patterns are usually only for myself so it's not a big deal if I just make tiny modifications and write the pattern down for myself. If it something I'm sharing online, I tag the creators original work and explain what I changed. In any case, all the patterns I use are free ones, and the very few patterns I have shared are also free - so in this case I think it is fine to share a modified pattern as long as credit is given and linked, and the pattern is transformative enough (Any constructive criticism is welcome❤ I would love to hear from others about what they think)
For an increase, put two single crochet (or whatever stitch you're using) in the one stitch. For a decrease, reduce two stitches down to one by using an invisible decrease or a sc2tg (single crochet two together).
How would i go about making video game character amigurumi because i want to make Final Fantasy crochet but there is hardly any patterns on the internet?
I'd start with finding a basic doll pattern and then trying to customize it from there. Maybe borrow clothing or items from other patterns if you need to and adjust them to match whatever character you're making.
@SkeinSpider Thanks that will work with the human character but what about characters like Red XIII which is more animal like if you know the character?
and if you are a beginner, looking for free patterns, beware of ai. lots and lots of scam ai generated pictures and patterns going around right now, so be wary.
I would love a talking head video where you talk about the ups and downs of designing! Or maybe a video where you pick a group of crochet animal and talk through your favourite crochet details! Youre smart and talented, I wish you all the best with managing your symptoms so you can crochet to your heart's content
Idea for talking head video: yarn reviews as it pertains to amigurumi. There are tons of yarn reviews out there but not many that pertain specifically to amigurumi
Designing my own amigurumi looked so terrifying at first, but then I ran into several patterns that were... not that good, let's say. I had to fix those patterns myself to make them work and then the step to making my own was suddenly a lot smaller.
I know what you mean, I remember running into that problem when I first started making amigurumi. Kind of forces you into learning lol.
Omg!!! I was chosen!!! I’m so happy right now 🥰🥰🥰
I would love a video about different textures for amigurumi and how using stitches other than basic sc changes the shape
Something I once heard stuck with me and I think it applies here. "If you want to be great at anything, you have to be willing to be bad at it many times first." Thanks for your continued encouragement as we go get through our bad-at-it times!
You forgot to mention the random body parts and unfinished pieces that may end up EVERYWHERE 😂. Designing amigurumi/trying to make different ideas work out is my favorite thing to do. Lately I've been losing my mind experimenting with flat pieces. I went back to basics and followed a pattern. That helped to give my brain a break and to see a new way of accomplishing what I'm trying to do. You're spot on! I hope your pain can be resolved or alleviated in a significant way 🖤
Thanks for sharing this. I still remember the day someone said, if you can crochet or knit a square then you can also make a tube. For some reason, it had never occurred to me to manipulate or play with the shaped I could already make. Seems a simple idea, but some of us have to directed more than others. 🙃
My favorite thing to tell people is if they can make a magic ring that's step 1, easy. Then you make circles, tubes, and balls for basic amigirumi. That comes from this channel and complicated knots, yall make it so easy sounding!
I actually began crocheting in 6th grade way back in 2009 and have been self taught. Took me about 5 years to make my first blanket but hey that's fine with me.
Maybe you could explain how you write out your plans/designs, or rate your previous projects, yarn recommendations, tools of the trade... I mean, just chatting is fun too
I like this suggestion - for note taking I never remember my shorthand and sometimes try something out to see if it works before I write it down, but then I forget what I did. I suck at notes and need a coach!
@@carolinesandford4439 maybe try an app that is talk to text? You dictate what you’re doing as you make it, and the app translates it into writing
as someone who is currently trying to design their first amigurumi, this is so desperately needed! Exactly how i needed this explained!
Good luck with your first design!
@@SkeinSpider Thanks!!!
Your the cheerleader we all needed ❤.
This was very helpful! It always seemed so difficult, but when you spell it out like this, it sounds so doable! I am looking forward to the series.
Maybe things like a little less basic shapes for amigurumi.... like how to make a bend in a limb or neck, how to make various limbs/wings/fins... (not exact but the formulas thereof), basics on how to make an open mouth, etc
I want to try make a hyena but the hump at the base of the neck seems daunting as much as its probably simple with the right formula
That's how I'd like to approach it - start basic with beginner friendly shaping techniques, then cover intermediate techniques like short rows and then some more advanced stuff. And then I'd like to further divide the series up by body parts, so cover Eye's, Mouths, Limbs etc. I haven't got all the details ironed out just yet, but this will be the general formula.
@@SkeinSpidercan't wait to see those videos.... now I'm stoked😊❤
I love how much crochet became popular over the years. I have been crocheting 10+ years now and only started because I was bored on a night shift hotel job. But once covid hit and everyone started to learn, my dear lord the creativity. I love that people are keeping art in this world. ❤
You've got oodles of knowledge that you can offer us! This video is just one example. As someone who also deals with chronic illness I get the mind willing/body weak issue. You can only do what you can do and sometimes you gotta get creative and find different ways to deal. You've got this! :-) To be honest, you're cool enough to read yarn labels and many of us would watch. LOL
For what it’s worth, I actually got very excited when I saw this video pop up in my subscriptions, talking head or no 😂
😂😂😂😂
I started crocheting in 2013 when I wanted to make a rainbow ripple blanket for my baby 😊 rediscovered the art to make adorable amigurumi!
I would be interested in a vlog from yourself,if you run short on ideas!
The tips are super useful as someone who observes how amigurumi are designed and how certain things like increasing and decreasing can adjust and create different shapes.
As for how I got into crochet, I was a teen when I got curious and started and have been on and off for over 10 years now. Though the past handful of years have made me experimenting and trying to make new things like cardigans, plooshies, and clothing instead of just basic granny squares.
What about your favorite yarns? Notions? Notions you don't need?
Love watching what you come up wth all the time. Love your color palette😁
Hi! I do enjoy the videos even without crochet! Here are some ideas!
A video about how your crochet journey started.
About your other craft.
A formal introduction of your pets.
A video with someone who know nothing about crochet and they have to make something following your instructions.
A Q&A
I love this! And I highly agree. A big part of the designing process is just try, re-try and re-try again. I've designed a few amigurumi and had a lot of fun with it!
Thanks for this! Totally looking forward to this amigurumi creation tips series! Hope the pain will alleviate soon for you.
It’s so validating to watch this video and hear all sorts of things my mind had naturally been doing! I’ve free handed/designed a couple of my own pieces and it’s getting easier each time!
Ideas for the not crocheting videos: Maybe a video of all the amigurumi you have in your house? what are your favorites and what was the challenge of each piece? Maybe you have patterns or books you would recommend? Maybe a video about other creators that inspire you or other media that inspire you?
Fab video as always! Thank you for all of the tips 🥰 I have a few ideas that might be helpful, they may also be repeats of things others have said so sorry if that’s the case!
• How to write a pattern (to share with others)
• Crochet pet peeves
• Favourite patterns you’ve ever used
• S-F ranking of yarns
• Yarn favourites/dislikes
• A video answering questions from people
• A full video of the hook up
• Completed projects tier list (S-F type thing)
If I think of anything else I’ll come back but that’s what I have for now 😅
Sorry you’ve not been feeling good, hope the new things are only temporary! Xx
I took a class 2 weeks before covid. No joke, it was perfect timing 😂
Thank you!! I look forward to the video when you talk short rows, how to determine how many stitches and rows to get different angles etc.
Yeah, short rows is something I definitely want to cover in the shaping videos because they're honestly so useful.
I am very excited for this amigurumi series!! I cant picture things in my head, so id love to see how you work out your patterns. Good luck with everything ❤
I got into crochet during COVID but more due to my brother dying from COVID. We did everything together like playing games and going on trips together. After he was gone, I had no one to do anything with and I don't really have friends. I tried crochet, got confused, tried knitting and got confused with that, too, tried loom knitting for a bit and understood that a lot better but got irritated because it was so slow, then tried crochet again and found I liked it better once I figured out what I was doing.
I'm so sorry for your loss and I'm glad you've found a hobby you enjoy. I know for me personally, crochet has been a huge help to my mental health when dealing with grief/depression. If you are looking for a bit of community, you're always welcome to join the discord, we chat about all sorts things like gaming, health stuff (and of course crochet). So if you're up for it, we'd love to have you.
Natalie I’m so sorry, can hardly begin to imagine the pain of your loss. May his memory be a comfort and a blessing forever xx 💐❤️🕊️❤️💐
i really enjoyed this "talking head" style video! personally i tend to watch your vids/crochet vids in general while i'm working on a crochet project of my own, so it's nice to be able to have a more audio based video where it doesn't matter if i glance away for a few seconds at a time. i would like to just hear more about your thought process in designing your own pieces, or hear about creators that inspire you, idk just crochet adjacent topics for me to vibe with while i'm crocheting lol
You have no idea how badly I wanted you to make this series lol. I'm pretty sure i manifested it 😂 I have even taken a skillshare class on it but I think your last step was most pointed for me lol. I just need to do it 😊😅 would love any insight you have on shaping weirder or more unique shapes!
You could cover some fiber arts drama. Those types of videos are pretty popular and I don’t think people who like that get tired of hearing other people’s takes.
Adjacent to that could videos on rating the yarns you like. Hooks and Heelers did some yarn tier lists that were entertaining to watch, and you could make vague comments about yarns you feel strongly about and then do a more in depth video on those. For example a yarns you put in S tier, make a video about why you love them and all the ways they work for you. A top 5 yarns if you will. Similarly for F tier yarns a top 5 worst yarns video.
You could also cover any craft companies shady practices, I know I’m waiting for someone to come out with a video about Joann’s abysmal cancellation and return policy for ordering online.
Great advice about designing .I have been crocheting for 50+ years and when I want to make something or my grandchild asks me to make a dinasoar or unicorn I just start making it ,sometimes it works right away and sometimes I have to try a few times. Most of my life crocheting there wasn't many designs availible in stuffed toys so I made them up. Just think positive and have fun! I hope you feel better soon, I have a very bad neck and back and deal with arm pain and have to take periodical breaks from crocheting too.
Very generous of you to share your amigurumi crochet knowledge! Hope you feel better!
"look at this. It's just a tube!" Lol isn't that what those popular squishmallows are? And they're still cute. ♥️ Hope your symptoms don't discourage you. You're awesome and I enjoy your videos. Take care. ❤
Thank you for making this video. I have been crocheting off and on since I was a young one (my momma taught me when I was younger). I started out with the granny squares and my brain couldn't wrap around it. Took me 2+ years to make a blanket just working when I had the drive working off of what felt right to do to make it the right size (no pattern). Picked up an amigurumi book because "cute creatures I can make" and then I found the yarn that I wanted to use for my first make, black nightmare yarn. But I loved it so much that in 7 months I made 6 creatures and currently working on my 7th. I've been watching some shows and see things that I would love to make in yarn but have been too terrified to try and make one without a pattern but I also want to have that pride of making something and showing it to friends and saying "That came from my brain".
TLDR; Flat piece confuse brain. Made stuffed and now electric jell-o (brain) wants to make one without book. Thank you for boosting my courage in taking something like this on. You are an inspiration.
Having a go with making several different patterns first before doing your own will ground you in multiple techniques, especially bending. Such things made me confident enough to do my own niche interest project. I've done a basic one for myself, then added another feature for a prezzie for a friend. My fave bits of my own pattern are 1/ it has back legs with a classic slight bend in & I captured that perfectly, 2/ the head & body are a single piece, with clear cheek, neck, shoulder, waist, & hip sections, 3/ the wings (optional part) look authentic, & 4/ when all the pieces are sewn together at the end (head/body, hair, legs, optional wings, ears), & the face & other details are embroidered in, the end result looks pretty convincing regarding what I intended. My friend loves her prezzie!!! And I have only one thing to perfect before I have the entire thing customisable!!! (another optional part)
Thank you so much for this series! Can't wait for more :) I'd love a look at sort of the "rules" of crochet - MR + 6sc, increasing 6 each time and then decreasing the same will give a sphere. want an oval? throw in a sc only row in between inc/dec! want to make a "cave" or "bump"? make the increases or decreases focused in that area! that's all I know for now, would love to learn more :)
Oddly enough I've just designed and tested a fairly terrifying thing. He's scary but I love him. And the hardest part was literally getting going
Yes!! That's what I found too and once you have started it's like, "oh, that's not as bad as I thought it'd be." 😂
First up, you are plenty interesting enough to vlog. In terms of instructional/crochet less video ideas, describing or showing on previous amigurumi how the different stitches change the look of things would be helpful. I would love to see your amigurumi collection and have you walk us through how the same or similar techniques show up differently based on what was used, such as plain or variegated yarns, mohair or fuzzy yarns, acrylic vs other types. How does your notebook look? Do you save swatches for reference or yarn tags when you may not get that yarn again? There is so much that I would love to see based on your old work like how you showed the spider legs etc. also, just seeing your collection. Rate 1 to 10 best to least favorite of different collections of patterns on your channel (top domesticated, cryptids, bugs, birds, etc.). As someone without the scope of time to view your entire content line, I love seeing what you have so I can go search out that video. I was dying to see what the mouthy fish(?) You were holding was and intently curious about the white on him. To keep people coming back you could also do i-spy sorts of things with a repeated amigurumi in the video somewhere during only a certain clip and ask us to call out when we saw it and where. Fun things like that can make vlogs more engaging for me. Anyway, love ya! You made amigurumi obtainable for me through seeing your videos so even if you cut back on how many videos you post or change the content, I'm here for the long haul.
Thanks for the great ideas (I might already have an amigurumi tour vid in the works 🤔) and I really love the i-spy one. As for my coelacanth (fish) friend, I used acrylis paint for the spots!
So looking forward to this series. Can't wait. Get better soon.
You really putting it ( starting to design ours own patterns...) in such a simplement way, that even if 1 or 2 others youtubers already try to do the same content before, NOW , I really think I CAN do it!!!!
Let's GO!!!!!😄👍
You CAN do!! Go for it 💙
I can't think of anything with no crochet, but maybe you could do something with -less- crochet? Like texture samples or 3 ways to do a leg, or something like that where you're not doing an entire piece complete with stuffing, sewing, and layering, but instead you add to a "dictionary" of parts or techniques.
A different idea that would take a lot of co-ordination and scheduling would be some kind of collaboration, where someone could send in their own design and have you help solve issues or help explain why something went horribly wrong or even geek out over how cool it is or interesting things they've done. It sounds very tricky to manage, but might work as an extension to your hook-up segment.
I've had so much doubt and fear regarding creating my own patterns in the past. However, just the other day I was trying to make a gift for a 3 year old's bday party next week, and I couldn't find any patterns I really liked for what I wanted to make. Leigh, I literally made it up! It looks so good!! I just used what knowledge I had already, and some reference photos (it was a hard hat with dog ears from paw patrol) and did the damn thing! I am pretty impressed with it, although it isn't perfect, and then you posted this that just solidified the fact... I CAN do this! I can't wait for your series, and thank you for the encouragement ❤❤❤ I hope you start feeling better soon so you can get back to crocheting...
Congratulations on making your first amigurumi!! That's so awesome! I made a paw patrol dog myself a while back and the hat/ears combo is no joke. Tackling it as your first project is incredible and I'm sure kiddo will love it 💙
@SkeinSpider thank you so much! I hope he does, it was a labor of love! 😆 watching your channel and @complicatedknots have both been really inspiring, you ladies make it look SO easy!
What a terrific video, Leigh!!! Keep ‘em comin’, imo!!! You’re such a great teacher. Thank you! Cheers ☺️🫶🏻🧶
Your lovely comments never fail to make me smile! Thank you so much 💙
Talking head video: ask people to leave questions in the comments of your videos, and on those weeks where the body is saying, 'nope,' you could pull those out and try answering ttem.
And as someone with chronic shoulder and wrist pain, yes please don't push yourself when it flairs up. Crochet is not a 'no pain, no gain' activity. 💜
Oh thank you! I am looking forward to this series.
This is honestly so inspiring 🤩
Adore your vids as always! Had an idea since you had mentioned you're looking for non-crochet video ideas when you're unable to craft: tips for relaxing and keeping calm with chronic pain/illness. Not craft related, but definitely good for the chronically ill in your community! I know I personally struggle a lot with feeling safe and relaxed when I'm actively in a health flare, if you had any tips or advice from your experience I know I for one would love to watch!
What a great video, its wonderful to give other crocheters advice and encouragement to start their own projects.
Always wanted to learn to crochet, as beloved grandmother used to make lace mats for family members, even when she was nearly blind. At least I started 20 odd yrs after her passing in 2019, so just before covid shut down the world. Start amergrumi last Yr and loved it. This Yr want to make a few other peices but have a few projects I'd like to finish first.
Like yourself, I suffer from constant joint pain and other stuff, so totally understand I should pace myself, but it's not in my nature to be slowed down, and fight a constant battle with myself.
Think you ought to think about writing a book on this though, as your advise is so wise and helpful.
Take care 🙂 💕
Yesss this is the video I need right now!! I recently made my first original pattern and I really like how it turned out, but one thing I struggled with was turning a 2 dimensional drawing into something 3 dimensional, and trying to figure out how to achieve the look of a certain shape, so maybe a video talking about shape building from plan sketches or something? Don’t know if that makes any sense but hope you get what I mean!😂
I thoroughly enjoy these types of videos. I only got into crochet at the end of last year but yourself and complicatedknots convinced me I could do it and I have improved so much in just a few months. When you're feeling up to it I'd love a little continuation of the basic shapes instructions you started giving here!
My first amigurumi was the Bluey demo you did on your channel. Great video! It was nice to have my hand held for my first one by being able to watch you do it, and now I feel like I can make any amigurumi. I’m making a complicated dragon now :)
That's awesome!!
The first amigurumi I made was a combination of 3 different patterns because I couldn't find a pattern I liked, but also I had never made amigurumi before.
All these years later, I can crochet by patterns or I can design my own, but I am awful at writing instructions. So after I have made something, I can't make it again!😂
Maybe instead of a vlog (though I actually like vlogs) Maybe do live video make alongs. There is a lady I follow in the U.S., she is not a professional youtuber. Her channel is very small. But she a lot of interaction on her channel because every week she goes live on Sundays and she only has (I think) 2 moderators. It seems to be fine
We only had one bloke come and disturb the peace before 😅
But it's just an idea.
Do a livestream! Then you can bounce off us and hopefully get ideas for tons of future content.
Yes you are interesting enough for a vlog!
Hope your new body weirdness can be helped soon. I too have a body that doesn’t play nicely with my mind and soooo many projects that haven’t been finished as a result.
Which gives me an idea… Sewing is my nemesis, could you do a session on how to neatly, invisibly, perfectly join bits (limbs, ears, noses) to bodies without accidentally creating a lopsided mutant?
(I love my twisted bear but it wasn’t what I was going for.)
I actually borrowed the idea of using popcorn stitches as feet or hands from you and made some minis of my own! I like to take elements from my favorite designers but then make them my own in my own unique way
Edit: you should update us on your wips! It's been a bit and I'm curious what you've finished/frogged. It even shows us how much your yarn stash has shrunk (or grown lol)
I really love the shared knowledge aspect of the community and seeing how we create different things using the same basic techniques.
Thanks for sharing. I’m looking forward to the next chapter
I'm currently crocheting my first ever jumper, and when buying yarn for it, i wished there were a simple estimation thingy out there, that were like "yeah, so if you're using regularly thick yarn, you'll need about this many skeins for this type of piece" etc. Like, yes there are a ton of helpful stuff out there, but I don't understand half of the things mentioned in them. I know that how much yarn it'll take to make something varies hugely depending on yarn weight, hook size, stitch type etc, but it would be nice, for a first time maker, to have an *over simplified* chart out there. If that's something you think you could make into a video, I'd love to watch it!
Ps. For me, specifically, I'd love if someone could just break down a project for me. Like "to crochet a long sleeve, in a supermarket thick yarn, it takes about 2 skeins, under these circumstances" and "you'll need about this much yarn left, to sew it all together at the end". Just the fact that my experimentation with this project have lead me to understand that it takes about 3 skeins to crochet a back piece of the specific pattern I'm doing, will help me immensely for future projects. Oh, and if it wasn't clear, ofc I'm someone who rather makes up my own pattern, than to follow a ready to go pattern out there.
I totally agree with you! As someone who is still pretty new at crocheting clothes, I'm terrible at judging how much yarn I'll need. Hopefully, as I continue to experiment and make clothes, I'll get a better understanding and then I'd be happy to make a video like the one you suggested.
Don’t know if it’ll help but I tend to swatch using the same amount of yarn (approx a metre but do it by weight so you don’t have to unravel your whole ball or skein!) then you can weigh the swatch and divide the ball/skein weight by that number to guesstimate how much crochet at that stitch size you’ll be able to get out of one.
(I hate maths but it’s not too hard with a little scale and a calculator x)
@@clarewillison9379that's nice, but you're also assuming I have yarns of similar weights/lengths as the one I planned to buy for the project. Personally I come from a background of having done some crochet back in my youth and the only yarns I own are mostly kept from back then, with no tags or anything. And honestly, I didn't see the point of making swatches until midway though this first project.
I'd totally watch you vlog. :) So I thought it was ironic that what you were explaining that you were trying to do was basically following the idea of 'Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime'... while holding a fish. I think some content about your favorite things would be interesting. For example, who you buy your amigurumi eyes from, your favorite yarn, favorite fellow content creators, etc...
Great video ~ wishing you a pain-free week 💖
I loved this video. Today, I made an alien monster out of chenille red wool. Started off with a devil pattern from a book, but the pattern was very weird and wouldn't work for me, so i made my alien monster up. I love him. Xx
That's awesome and to be honest, few things make you get more creative than when you have to fix mistakes like that lol.
thanks you for the tips it always seems so scary to make a amigurumi for the first time.
as a non crocheting videos or like you call it talking head videos maybe a "what are the essentials to begin crochet?" a "gift guide for beginners " (I know it's not Xmas but for birthday and stuff) an " I want to try to make this piece of clothing " an "online shopping for yarn" if you shop online of course a "what my family asked me to make them since I started crochet"
IDK if you made a video like this but maybe talking a bit more about your chronic pain journey if you want to .
also when you will put all the videos of the series in a playlist maybe add the ones you made about the different shapes . hope you will feel better really soon
I know you have done a video about crocheting with chronic pain but would love more of them. I deal with chronic pain and chronic illness and I am a caregiver so I run out of spoons. Would love some tips on how to make the most of the spoons I have.
Same x what about we design an amigurumi spoon character?!
Thank you for this video and upcoming series. I have had a little voice in my head telling me I couldn’t create my own amigurumi patterns because Im really crap at maths and figuring out the increases and decreases to create desired shapes seemed.. well just too much to ‘brain’! Having said that I also want to learn color pooling so I better brush up on the math (or find really helpful apps!). Love your work and enjoy all of your content 😊
Don't let your maths skills stop you. I'm in the same boat, I'm truly awful at maths unfortunately, just means I've got to check my work a bit more frequently (....and maybe use a calculator).
Yesss I needed this video. Thank you. I'm just starting my design journey. I'm doing it! Lol
Love your videos ❤
Thank you SO MUCH for this video 😀 You actually made me want to try to make an amigurumi, and THAT is impressive, because I am all about crocheting sweaters and stuff ;-) Thanks for all your creative videos, - they are great and you are very sweet. Especially those curly hairlocks you "always" have, are really beautiful and fascinating.
Fantastic video as always! Lots of great advice. Looking forward to whatever comes next 🙂
Maybe you could get the patterns of new/debutant designers and give them advices. I don't know i've just thought that it could help them understand better, or feel better about their journey
Very interested would love to learn got s0 many ideas 😊
Could you do reviews/opinions of different yarns to use for amigurumi? Why you'd choose each one? Cotton vs acrylic etc? It's helpful to see Australian creators do that because we have different options eg. Is it even worth thinking about using the $3 Stallion yarn from Spotlight :D
I'd love to know what you'd like to see others design, or discussing ideas for other people to design. Drawing prompts are geat for me on discord because they get me thinking in ways I might not have on my own, so a crochet design prompt would be a unique and neat way for us to interact. ^-^
I hope you have fun, whatever you do. ^-^
what about dry felting? it's really useful for eyes and smaller details like spots, i did learn to crochet during the suck years but that more because i actually had time for it then lol
I want to touch on that. Some of the other amigurumi 'categories' I want to cover are Details and Eyes so I'll probably address it in both but from a slightly different angle depending on what the felting is being used for.
Lol. I was checking out the comments to see what video ideas ppl were leaving. They’re all great ideas and so very adult. Lol I am gonna suggest an unpopular opinion or hot takes video on crochet 😂. No actual crocheting involved. Oooo and u cld put up a poll of unpopular opinions and ask us to vote on it and tell us wat the results are. 😂 I love those kinds of vids. Yes they’re silly but its always good to find out i might not be the only crocheter who hates granny squares. 🫤. Hope u r back to feeling more like urself very soon.
Thank you! Those are some fun ideas and I think it's nice to do something a bit silly every once in a while.
My favorite thing to do with designing my own amigurumi is modifying existing patterns (I'm still new to designing my own patterns)
These patterns are usually only for myself so it's not a big deal if I just make tiny modifications and write the pattern down for myself. If it something I'm sharing online, I tag the creators original work and explain what I changed.
In any case, all the patterns I use are free ones, and the very few patterns I have shared are also free - so in this case I think it is fine to share a modified pattern as long as credit is given and linked, and the pattern is transformative enough
(Any constructive criticism is welcome❤ I would love to hear from others about what they think)
Thanks you ❤
Hope you get better soon
thank youuuuuuuu
Welp! Every single stitch I've ever made has been as a result of copying someone on RUclips. I'm not sure what to think about that now 😔
That's fine. By saying that you shouldn't copy someone exactly, she means that you shouldn't copy someone's pattern and claim it's your own.
@@jeancrochets Thank you 😊
🤩🤩🤩🤩
I gotta ask, how much of your hand can you put into that fish?
Lol, tbh I could probably get my whole torso in that fish if I tried.
Hi am a new Amigrumi crochet please can you explain how to increase and deceaseing because i can crochet a body shape thanks 😔👍
For an increase, put two single crochet (or whatever stitch you're using) in the one stitch. For a decrease, reduce two stitches down to one by using an invisible decrease or a sc2tg (single crochet two together).
Idea for content
critique work of viewers
I love your playful freedom of experimenting with yarn. 🧶 😊
How would i go about making video game character amigurumi because i want to make Final Fantasy crochet but there is hardly any patterns on the internet?
I'd start with finding a basic doll pattern and then trying to customize it from there. Maybe borrow clothing or items from other patterns if you need to and adjust them to match whatever character you're making.
@SkeinSpider Thanks that will work with the human character but what about characters like Red XIII which is more animal like if you know the character?
and if you are a beginner, looking for free patterns, beware of ai. lots and lots of scam ai generated pictures and patterns going around right now, so be wary.
Talking head video about Yarn weights and fibers.
You probably are more interesting than you think you are!