Sweet Softies | Amigurumi and Crochet

Dear fellow crocheters,

I'm so thrilled to announce that April 25th will be the International Amigurumi Day!! This year marks first International Amigurumi Day, which hopefully will be the start to a wonderful, annual tradition!

Read about amigurumi and how this day came to be, and check out my collection of free amigurumi designs that I'd love to share with you at the end of this post!

What is Amigurumi?

Amigurumi (編みぐるみ, lit. "crocheted" or "knitted stuffed toy") is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures. The word is a portmanteau of the Japanese words ami, meaning crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll. In the West, they are called amigurumi, which are the original phonetics of 編みぐるみ in Japanese language. Amigurumi vary in size and there are no restrictions about size or look.

What is International Amigurumi Day?

International Amigurumi Day is a day in which we -- crocheters and knitters and amigurumi enthusiasts alike from around the world -- celebrate the wonderful art of Amigurumi! Yay!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

How did International Amigurumi Day come about?

My wonderful friend Marcia (from Marcia Scarpelli Ami Arts) and her close friend (Bianca of 'Two Bee') came up with the brilliant idea of creating the International Day of Amigurumi! When researching the history of the International Day of Crochet, which is September 12th, they found out that the day was created by someone just because he wanted. So, why not have a day to celebrate the amazing art of amigurumi, too?

How is International Amigurumi Day celebrated?

This is a fun one!! Here are just a small handful of ideas! Celebrate by...

Making amigurumi, whether through crocheting or knitting!
Post a picture of your current amigurumi project, which can be a finished object or a work-in-progress (WIP)!
Post a picture of your favorite amigurumi project to date, or some of your other previous work that you absolutely love!
Use the tag #AmigurumiDay on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media!
Tag your favorite amigurumi artist or an amigurumi friend!

For amigurumi artists, you can join in on the fun by something extra if you so please! Some ideas include celebrating by making a special post, creating a giveaway, giving a discount on a product, sharing your story with amigurumi, or even creating a free amigurumi pattern!

In other words, there's SO many things you can do, so feel free to celebrate it the way you like!

...So, how about it?

Whether you're a crocheter or a knitter, an amigurumi expert or an amigurumi newbie, or an enthusiast, I'd love if you can please celebrate this special day with me and the big amigurumi community around the world! Invite your friends to join in on the fun!

Let's share our love and joy for amigurumi!!

With all that being said, feel free to try my cute and FREE amigurumi designs below!

https://www.sweetsofties.com/2018/11/peyton-the-polar-bear.html

http://www.sweetsofties.com/2018/03/some-bunny-to-love-free-crochet-pattern.html

http://www.sweetsofties.com/2018/03/poro-league-of-legends-plushie-free.html

http://www.sweetsofties.com/2018/01/loving-you-flower-pot-free-crochet.html

http://www.sweetsofties.com/2017/12/tiny-baby-snowman-free-crochet-pattern.html

http://www.sweetsofties.com/2017/12/puppy-lovey-free-crochet-pattern.html

http://www.sweetsofties.com/2017/11/bunny-lovey-free-crochet-pattern.html

http://www.sweetsofties.com/2017/10/tiny-baby-pumpkin-free-crochet-pattern.html

http://www.sweetsofties.com/2017/08/tiny-baby-ghostie-free-crochet-pattern.html

http://www.sweetsofties.com/2015/02/PeteyPugPuppyPattern.html

http://www.sweetsofties.com/2015/03/buruburudogpattern.html

Thank you for reading and joining me in celebrating the start to this great tradition!

Happy crocheting as always!

With much love,

April 22, 2019 No comments

Happy Easter, from me to you! 🐰🐥💝

I hope you have enjoyed my two, free Easter-themed patterns: the Baby Chick in Easter Egg and the Some-BUNNY to Love! Both are quick and easy to crochet!

The little chick fits nicely in the eggshell-half that she had hatched out of. The bunny had a rounded body that is perfect for bouncing and playtime! These two, cute amigurumis can be placed inside of large, plastic Easter eggshells for a nice Easter surprise! Little ones will be overjoyed to crack their eggs open and find these adorable treasures.

Click here to view ALL my free patterns.

If you'd like to check out my Spring Season Crochet Roundup, click the image below!

As always, I wish you and your family joyful times this holiday!

Much love,

April 20, 2019 No comments

Hello fellow crocheters,

I don't know about you, but I love donuts! They're adorable AND yummy, wouldn't you agree?

The Owl Bean (free pattern) loves this mini donut!

What I also love are quick and easy, 1-hour projects!

Sometimes with the beautiful but meticulous art of amigurumi, it's hard to start and finish a project in a timely manner. My art dolls usually take at least 15-20 hours to make, depending on the doll's size and the amount of detail that is added.

Emerie the Emerald Princess is one of my larger dolls, and she took quite a long time to make!

She is quite tempted by these sweet treats beside her, though~

Sometimes, it's just really nice to take a break from long projects to whip up a quick, finished object for instant gratification! I'm happy to say that this miniature but oh-so-cute little doughnut really fits the bill (and fits in my hand) for just that!

This miniature, 1-1/2 inch doughnut has been tested by a few wonderful crocheters (click here to see the pattern test results) and it was reported to take from less-than-an-hour to an hour to make!

And guess what, this cute treat is the perfect size to turn into a keychain, a necklace charm, or even as a prop for your amigurumi doll to hold!

As you can see, Remi the Rabbit is also a fan of this tasty snack!

This Tiny Baby Donut pattern is so versatile as well, as the possibilities are endless with "flavors" (colored yarn) and "toppings" (embroidered sprinkles or embellishments)!

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tiny-baby-donut

Scroll down for the free, written crochet pattern. If you'd like to download the beautifully-formatted, ad-free, and easy-to-read PDF version (see preview below), click here to purchase it for a small fee in my shop. Thank you for supporting Sweet Softies designs!

Ad-free printable PDF pattern with photo references

TINY BABY DONUT

Copyright Notice -- © 2019 Sweet Softies (www.sweetsofties.com). You have permission to sell finished products made from this pattern, but you must credit Sweet Softies as the owner/creator of this pattern by linking to my website, Etsy shop, and/or Facebook page. You may not copy, alter, or sell this pattern in any way. You may sell finished items made with this pattern if you credit Sweet Softies as the designer and link to my website, Etsy shop, or Facebook page. No wholesale.

Introduction:

The Tiny Baby Donut is super quick to work up, beginner-friendly, and perfect for your amigurumi doll or stuffed animal to hold! It can also make a pretty darn cute little keychain, necklace charm, bag or cell phone charm, birthday gift for a friend, or even as a summer party favor! The possibilities are endless with flavors and sprinkle toppings!

Finished Measurement:

1.5 inches (4 cm)

Level:

Beginner. Requires familiarity with stitches used (below) and sewing parts together.

Stitches/Terms Used (US Terminology):

Ch: chain
Sc: single crochet
Inc: increase (insert two sc in one stitch)

Materials:

Worsted medium weight yarn in two colors for:
A - Donut top (I used pink)
B - Donut bottom (I used brown)
Optional: desired colors for frosting/sprinkles
(My favorite medium weight yarns to use are: Caron Simply Soft, Red Heart Soft, Vanna's Choice (Lion Brand), or Lion Brand Heartland)
2.75 mm crochet hook
Fiberfill stuffing
Yarn needle
Scissors

~ CROCHET INSTRUCTIONS ~

Donut Top

Use Color A yarn (pink).
Ch 12.
R1: Join by inserting a sc in the first ch. Insert a sc in each of the next 11 ch. (12 sts)
R2: (Sc 2, inc) x 4. (16 sts)
R3: (Sc 3, inc) x 4. (20 sts)
R4: (Sc 4, inc) x 4. (24 sts)
R5: Sc around. (24 sts)
Fasten off with a long tail for sewing to the donut bottom.

Donut Bottom

Use Color B yarn (light brown).
Ch 12.
R1-R5: Repeat instructions for “Donut Top.”
Fasten off. No need for a long tail.

~ FINISHING INSTRUCTIONS ~

1. Using a yarn needle and desired yarn colors for the sprinkles, sew small specks of sprinkles on your donut top.

2. Flip both pieces to the wrong side. Match up the inner hole of the donut top with the inner hole of the donut bottom. Using Color A yarn (pink), sew the inner holes together, stitch by stitch (12 sts total).

3. Flip the pieces back to the right side. Using the long yarn tail from the donut top, sew both pieces together. (I sewed through both loops of the donut bottom and just the back loop of the donut top to create a slight brim texture.) Stuff the donut as you sew, making sure you stuff firmly but be careful not to stretch the stitches. Once done, fasten off and weave in the ends.

That's it, you're done!

Congratulations on finishing your Tiny Baby Donut! You can give it to one of your amigurumi dolls to enjoy. I am quite sure they will thank you for it~ 💝

If you enjoyed this free project and would like to make a donation to support my work, please click here! Any amount is greatly appreciated and will go directly towards the yarn and supplies I use to keep creating new designs!

Also, if you'd like to download the beautifully-formatted, ad-free, and easy-to-read PDF version (see preview below), click here to purchase it for a small fee in my shop. Thank you for supporting Sweet Softies designs!

Ad-free printable PDF pattern with photo references

Love the Tiny Baby Donut?

You might enjoy these other "Tiny Baby" (miniature) and amigurumi patterns too! Simply click on the image below to navigate to the free pattern, or check out all my free patterns here.

If you made this project and would like to share photos, I'd absolutely love to see! Here are links for sharing your finished creation:

Sweet Softies Facebook Page
Sweet Softies Amigurumi & Crochet Community Facebook Group
Instagram, @SweetSofties
Email: sweetsofties [at] gmail.com
Or, feel free to share in the comments below! :)

As always, you are more than welcome to SHARE this post with any fellow crocheters who'd like to try this pattern! Thank you for reading, and I wish you all a wonderful day!

Best wishes,