Abigails Crafts bookstore

undersea

"Undersea Tawashi Collection"

6 patterns, $4.50

flowers

"3 Flower Tawashi"

3 patterns, $3.50

See more in the bookstore!

As featured on…

Amigurumi and other stash-busting patterns

Elsewhere on the web, I’ve been writing a few things that might interest you

Here’s plenty of info about amigurumi, including how to read Japanese patterns. And if one of your New Year’s resolutions was to knit (or crochet) from stash, check out this collection of links to free patterns and ideas for using [...]

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How to design Amigurumi Part 4 – Octopus

Today, let’s finish up our series on designing your own amigurumi, by combining the techniques we’ve learned so far. Of course, many simple amigurumi patterns can be improvised on the fly, but working out the outline of a pattern beforehand can save you having to rip out and redo parts of your design, and  ensure [...]

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Amigurumi design 3 – no-sew amigurumi – Ugly bunnies

I hope you enjoyed our first two amigurumi design tutorials, where we learned how to calculate an amigurumi pattern, and how to add shaping to your amigurumi. Today, we’ll look at a couple of techniques for joining and splitting tubes, so that you can add limbs and appendages without sewing. If you want limbs to [...]

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Calling all knitters and knit or crochet designers!

Hi everyone! First an apology that there’s no tutorial today. Not only do I have a rotten cold, but it’s been an exceptionally hot week, and my air conditioner is broken. The air temperature in my apartment is currently about 40C (meep!!) so I’ve taken refuge in the local net cafe – but though I [...]

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Crochet with Jute Twine – Cute summer handbag

When it comes to crochet, you aren’t restricted to just yarn. This summery bag is crocheted from jute twine – good old hairy garden string. If you like, you could enlarge the pattern to make jute shopping bags, or use jute twine to crochet rugs, mats, and baskets. Jute looks good, and is very hardwearing. [...]

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New komono book now finished!

Hurrah! I finished my tawashi/amigurumi ebook.

It’s a compliation of over 20 patterns – some previously published, some brand new. All for $9.95 (which is actually cheaper than buying just the included tawashi patterns from my Ravelry pattern store).

My favourite, I think, is this little guy

[...]

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How to Read Japanese Amigurumi Patterns

Though there are now a huge number of English-language amigurumi patterns available, many people would like to be able to work from original Japanese patterns – either online, or from Japanese craft books.

The good news is that unlike English crochet patterns, Japanese patterns are highly standardised – and almost always include a chart. Once [...]

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Designing Amigurumi 2 – tall row shaping with half double crochet

A little while ago we looked at the first steps of how to design an amigurumi. We learned how to break down a sketch into simple shapes and how to translate that into a pattern. Today I’d like to show you how to add an extra dimension to your designs, adding curves using tall-row shaping. [...]

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How to crochet a lace basket

Crochet baskets are a pretty way to store and display bits and bobs – today I’d like to show you how to make a crochet lace basket from ordinary cotton yarn. The basket is stiffened with a generous coat of water-based varnish, though you can also use liquid starch.

You’ll need:

Cotton yarn and crochet [...]

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Crochet an airpot planter from plastic bag 'plarn'

reycled plastic bags are crocheted to make a plant pot

*special request! If you like this project, please consider casting a vote for it in the instructables.com garden contest! Thankyou *

Plarn, if you haven’t heard of it before, is yarn made by knotting together strips of old plastic bags, which can then be knit or crocheted. Who doesn’t have a stash of plastic [...]

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