A Wild Charmander Appears!

Hello internet!
I am back, I've been in hiding. I started this project in April, and I just finished it!

I am so proud of it. It's made of 139 classic granny squares. I used a chart that I drew. I'll post a proper pattern and the chart later, so stay tuned!
The original is for sale in my Etsy store:
dearlittlefriends.etsy.com
Thanks for stopping by!
Peace and love,
Emily

Fall Hat Pattern

Hello internet!

I seem to have writer's block in the form of amigurumi (cause that totally makes sense). Every time I make an ami, I end up not liking it enough to post it for you guys. So I decided to take a break and try something else!

Here's what I came up with:

Super cute, super slouchy, and a scalloped edge and a bow to make it more feminine.

What You Will Need:

-No more than 150 yards of medium weight yarn. I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease in rose heather and dark rose heather.

-A 5.00 mm hook. If you crochet tightly/loosely, you may want to adjust your hook size accordingly. I crochet somewhere in the middle.
-A button for the center of the bow. Mine is 1.5 in in diameter

Notes:
For this pattern, I used my own version of a puff stitch to make it less bulky.
My version is:
--Yo, insert hook through next st, pull up a loop, yo, insert hook through next st, pull up a loop, yo, pull through all loops on hook. Ch 1 to finish off.--
Also, for the stripes, I changed colors every five rows.
Lastly, when I say "in next stitch" I mean the space in between puff stitches.

Finally, the pattern:
1. Ch 3, 6 dc in first ch, sl st to join
2. Ch 2, (1 puff st, 2 puff st in next st) around
3. Ch 2, (1 puff st in next 2 st, 2 puff stitch in next st) around
4. Ch 2, (1 puff st in next 3 st, 2 puff stitch in next st) around
5. Ch 2, (1 puff st in next 4 st, 2 puff st in next st) around
6. Ch 2, (1 puff st in next 5 st, 2 puff st in next st) around
7. Ch 2, (1 puff st in next 6 st, 2 puff st in next st) around
8. Ch 2, (1 puff st in next 7 st, 2 puff st in next st) around
9. Ch 2, (1 puff st in next 8 st, 2 puff st in next st) around
10. Ch 2, (1 puff st in next 9 st, 2 puff st in next st) around
11. Ch 2, (1 puff st in next 10 st, 2 puff st in next st) around (NOTE: if you have a smaller head like me, skip this round)
12-25. (14 rows) 1 puff st in each st around
26. Edging: Ch 2, (5 dc in next st, sc) around
Fasten off, weave in ends.

Bow:
1. Ch 11, ch 1, turn
2. Sc across, ch 1, turn
3. Dec, sc 6, dec, ch 1, turn
4. Sc across, ch 1, turn
4. Dec, sc 4, dec, ch 1, turn
5. Sc across, ch 1, turn
6. Dec, sc 2, dec, ch 1, turn
7-8. Sc across, ch 1, turn
9. Inc, sc 2, inc, ch 1, turn
10. Sc across, ch 1, turn
11. Inc, sc 4, ch 1, turn
12. Sc across, ch 1, turn
13. Inc, sc 6, ch 1, turn
14. Sc across, ch 1, turn
15. sl st across, fo

Sew to hat, sew a button in the middle, block as needed, and you're done!

Hope you enjoy, thanks for sticking with me!

September Giveaway!

Heyo!
I know it's a third of the way through September already.... but that's beside the point.
First giveaway! We'll see how this goes.
All you have to do to enter is:
1. Like my facebook page (facebook.com/dearlittlefriends)
2. Leave a comment by September 31
That's it!
I will count the comments and use a random number generator to select the winner.
The winner will receive an amigurumi of their choice from my shop, or they can request one from me.
You can only enter once!
I will message the winner on facebook and announce it in the DearLittleFriends news feed.
Thanks everybody!

Also:
New amigurumi series coming up. Keep checking back! ;D

X-Men Amigurumi! (Cyclops, Phoenix, Magneto)

Hello readers!
For a long time, I've loved Marvel. Spiderman, Thor, Iron Man.... but especially X-Men. I was extremely excited for the new X-Men: First Class movie (which did not disappoint, by the way! Seriously, go see it.), so I made these. They used my basic body pattern here:
http://dlfsblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/free-basic-amigurumi-body-pattern.html
The only changes I made were to add gloves/boots by changing colors.

(Excuse the weird lighting, I had to take this in a hurry)

Other notes:

Phoenix/Jean Grey's phoenix emblem was cut out of felt, and her hair made out of some more worsted weight yarn.

Cyclops/Scott's helmet is as follows:

1. Ch 2, 6 sc in first ch

2. Inc around

3. (Sc 1, inc) around

4. (Sc 2, inc) around

5. (Sc 3, inc) around

6. (Sc 4, inc) around

7-8. Sc around (2 rows)

fasten off, stitch to head.

I'm not sure of the exact number for his glasses, but here's how I did it (it's mostly guessing and checking):

1. Ch x. X being the number of stitches it takes to reach across his face.

2. sl st until you get to where you want the actual glasses part to be, double crochet y stitches (y being how wide you want the taller part of the glasses to be), sl st to end. Fasten off.

I surface crocheted the outline of the red part, and then filled it in with embroidery.

Hope this helped, and don't be afraid to contact me with any questions/requests:

dearlittlefriends@ymail.com

Anyways, have fun everybody!

XOXO

Free basic amigurumi body pattern

Hello!
Here's a basic body pattern for you to try out. It's very flexible, so you can turn it into anybody (or anything!) you'd like.
Also, I will be putting up a prototype pic soon, but for now, here's an example:
http://dlfsblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/x-men-amigurumi-cyclops-phoenix-magneto.html

Enjoy. :) I'd love to see pics of your creations!
XOXO

What You Will Need:
-Less than 100 yards of yarn of your choice. I use worsted weight typically for my amigurumi, but you can experiment with different weights and textures. You could use thread to make a teeny tiny ami, or super bulky to make a larger one. Make sure your yarn is of a smooth texture (that is, no bobbles, texture changes, or general weirdness).
-A crochet hook. For amigurumi, I use a hook one size smaller than the suggested size for my yarn of choice. I do this because I crochet at an average tension, if you crochet loosely, you may want one even smaller, or if you crochet tightly, go for the suggested size.

Three, Two, One, Go!

Legs (make 2):
Start by chaining 3
1. Sc 6 in second chain from hook
2. 2 sc in each sc around
3-13. Sc around (11 rows)
Fasten off.

Body:
1. Pinch both legs together at the top, and join with a sc. Place marker. Sc around to the last 3 stitches of the first leg, and then join to second with another sc. Sc to marker.
2. Sc around
3. (Sc 4, inc) around
4- 13. Sc around (10 rows)
14. (Sc 3, dec) around
15. (Sc 2, dec) around
16. (Sc, dec) around
Stuff with polyfil stuffing.
17. Dec around
Fasten off.

Arms:
1. Ch 2, 8 sc in first ch
2-13. Sc around (12 rows)
Stuff hands only, stitch in place on the body. I sew them on around where the decrease rows start.

Head:
1. Ch 2, 6 sc in first ch
2. Inc in each stitch around
3. (Sc, inc) around
4. Sc around
5. (sc 2, inc) around
6. (Sc 3, inc) around
7. Sc around
8. (Sc 4, inc) around
9. (Sc 5, inc) around
10-20. Sc around (11 rows)
21. (Sc 5, dec) around
22. (Sc 4, dec) around
23. (Sc 3, dec) around
24. (Sc 2, dec) around
Place safety eyes, stuff.
25. Dec around
Fasten off

Sew the head to the body and sew up the seam left between the legs. Time for the fun part!
Add details, make it your own. It could be a character from your favorite movie, or an amigurumi version of your best friend. Have fun!

Nerdy Knitting #1

I crocheted Link (didn't improvise this time, the pattern is from Nerdigurumi). Mm-hm. Here he is:

(Sorry about the weird photo, I had to ship him off to my swap partner.)

Oh, Link and your man-dress. 

Anyways, after this project, I'm thinking other video game characters need to be amigurumi-if-ied. Expect to see more soon (with patterns, yay!)! 

PS

I LOVE requests. Love them.

PPS

Here's a link to the pattern, just in case (it's brilliant, btw!)

http://nerdigurumi.com/2010/08/legend-of-zelda-toon-link-play-set.html

Free Pattern: Baby Unicorn!!

It's finally here! It took me quite a few tries to get this pattern going, but it's finally done. 

This pattern is made with quite a few little pieces, and the legs can get a bit fiddly, but the end result is worth it. Enjoy!

E-mail questions and requests to:

dearlittlefriends@ymail.com

Also, if you use my pattern, I'd love to see what you've made!

What You'll need:

-A small ammount of worsted weight yarn in three colors (one each for body, mane/tail, and horn/hooves)

-5.00 mm crochet hook

-Safety eyes

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern:

Sc- single crochet

Dec- decrease (2 sc together)

Inc- increase (2 sc in the same stitch)

Ch- chain

St- Stitch

Fo- Fasten off

Pattern:

Head:

With body color.

1. Ch 3, 6 sc in first ch

2. Inc around (12 st)

3-5. (3 rounds) Sc around

6. (inc, sc)x3, sc to marker (15 st)

7-8. (2 rounds) Sc around

9. (Sc 3, dec) around

10. (Sc 2, dec) around

Add safety eyes, stuff, and dec until hole closes up. Fo.

Body:

With body color,

1. Ch 3, 6 sc in first ch (6 st)

2. Inc around (12 st)

3-12. (10 rounds) Sc around

13. Dec around

Stuff, dec until hole closes up, fo, sew to head.

Legs (make 4):

With hoof color,

1. Ch 3, 4 sc in first ch

2. Sc around, switch to body color

3-5. (3 rounds) Sc around

Fo, sew to body.

Horn:

With hoof color, 

1. Ch 3, 3 sc in first ch

2-3. (2 rounds) Sc around

Fo, sew to head. 

Ears (make 2):

With body color,

1. Ch 3, turn

2. Sc across (2 st)

3. Dec (1 st)

Fo, sew to head.

Mane and Tail:

Add the mane and tail just like you would with any other amigurumi's hair. 

Cut a few pieces of yarn, fold them in half, pull them partly through a stitch, and pull the ends through the loop. Repeat this a few times until your mane or tail is as thick as you want. 

Enjoy!