Tutorials

How to do the reversed loop stitch (rls)

January 25, 2023February 16, 2023 Sonja

In this video I am showing you how to do the reversed loop stitch. I modified the loop stitch to this version, so the loops will form on the outside/ right side of the work, instead of on the inside/ wrong side of the work like with the normal loop stitch.

The loop stitch offers a lovely texture, and is a handy method to create long hair. If you cut the loops and brush them, you can create hair as long as you like. But when you do the regular loop stitch for amigurumi, you’ll have to turn the work inside out to have the loops at the front of your animal, but that also means you see the wrong side of the stitches for the parts there aren’t any loops. I didn’t like that, and wanted to have the right side of the stitches up, with loops on that side. So I experimented and came up with this stitch.

I already made a photo tutorial for in the patterns, but I know many of you prefer a video. So here it is!

Crochet stitches, Tips & Tricks, Tutorials

How to work around a chain

January 12, 2023January 25, 2023 Sonja

This is my first instruction video! I need to improve my filming skills, because the piece is not always in the centre of the video, but it works for now.

I regularly get questions about how I work around a chain, so now you can finally see how I do it.

This video shows how to work around a chain of 4, which I often use to create the muzzles of my crochet animals. This is what you read in the pattern:

ch of 4. In 2nd ch from hook 2 sc, sc in next, 2 sc in last, turn. 2 sc in bottom loop of that last, sc in next, 2 sc in next = 10

I hope this video helped you learn this skill. If you have any tips for my tutorial videos, or would like to request one, please let me know, I would love to hear from you!

Tips & Tricks, Tutorials

Working around a chain

May 13, 2013April 25, 2022 Sonja

A tutorial will follow.

Art, Tips & Tricks, Tutorials

What I like for my amigurumi

July 3, 2012July 8, 2014 Sonja

My new projects, including the mouse, will probably have this inside:

Pipe cleaners. Why? Well, I really love to make artistic photo’s of my crochet dolls, like the one of Teddy a few posts back. But most of the dolls I’ve made so far are a bit ‘stiff’, I can’t really let them pose properly. They can just stand or sit or whatever, but I can’t really let them hug a tree or something.

Pipe cleaners are soft, light and very flexible. You can bend them as often as you like, so they are perfectly suitable to create movable arms, legs and necks for crochet animals. If you want your ami’s to be able to ‘move’, I would recommend them together with light stuffing. That way you’ll have a very flexible fluffy friend.

p.s. That painting is finished! I know this is my crochet blog….

It’s called ‘Water Friends’ and I made it after a good memory.

But back to crochet, I hope this pipe cleaner thing will be helpful.

Tips & Tricks, Tutorials

Paperclip as stitch marker!

October 12, 2011July 8, 2014 Sonja

This post is about my alternative for a stitch marker, a simple thing. It starts with a story about my opinion on being a good artist. The stitch marker is not really a good example for what I’m saying though, but it fits somehow.

A thing I’ve always believed, is that you don’t need expensive materials to create beautiful things. For instant, when making my drawings and paintings, I always use basic materials. Not the cheapest, that IS mostly crappy, but certainly not the most expensive. Some people claim they can only work with the ‘best’, expensive materials, because that gives them the best results. Really? A good artist can make brilliant things with the most basic stuff. Like a beautiful, touching picture with a mobile phone camera, or a vivid painting with basic paint. It’s all in the mind and moment, and real talent brings it out no matter what you use. It can help you of course, but it isn’t necessary!

Ok, I know, a stitch marker is a kind of different example. It’s not really an expensive material and it doesn’t have much influence on the end result of an amigurumi. But it is fun to think of a simple alternative for it. When making my first amigurumi, I found out I needed a stitch marker? Never heard of it. What else would come in handy I thought, of course, a paperclip! How simple. I bet I’m not the only one using it as stich marker, and there are other alternatives, like a peace of yarn in a different colour, but I thought this was a good post in my tips & tricks category.

Always with a picture, here it is, the multifunctional paperclip or paper-clip!