Armina Parnagian

Amigurumi – Ami what? A few years ago that would have been the response. Amigurumi originated in Japan, pronounced “AH-MEE-GOO-ROO-MEE”, the craze has hit almost every household today and everyone wants to create one of these adorable stuffed toys. Amigurumi means “crocheted toy” – you may also see it referenced as “Kawai”, which means “cute.” So what is Amigurumi? It is a “cute crocheted toy”. 

The Amigurumi bug bit me a few years ago and I am totally in love with designing and creating these adorable stuffed toys.   I am a self-taught crocheter-knitter. I learned how to crochet and knit over 20 years ago, still learning and exploring this incredible craft. I feel you always have room to grow. I love designing, creating and sharing this wonderful art with my fellow crafters. Although I knit as well, my first love is crocheting. And if I do knit an item, I seem to incorporate a crocheted embellishment in the finished item.

I find Amigurumi very therapeutic. Therapeutic in a sense where your mind and thoughts are absorbed in your craft, from inception to completion. And when your project is done, you sit back with a smile and a sense of accomplishment. I suppose that could apply to any craft, I find the creative process very relaxing and satisfying. My thought process never stops when it comes to ideas. I am very passionate about this craft.

My creativity never stops. I love learning new things, experiment new techniques and explore tools that will make my craft more enjoyable and rewarding, not to mention easier. Every time I come up with a new technique, I love sharing that idea/concept/technique with my fellow crafters.   I post my thoughts and ideas on my Blog. Along with my crochet, I also love to design and create jewelry, sew, needle felt and knit.

Everything around me is an inspiration. I always carry a notebook and pen, you never know when the creative juices will start to flow. I start with a rough drawing of what I plan on creating. The rough draft is my starting point. From there, I decide on the size I want to make, whether it will be miniature, small or a larger toy. Once I finalize those basics, I move on to selecting my yarn and my hook. I prefer to work with acrylics for my Amigurumi and usually select yarns that are readily available at most yarn stores. If you can crochet a chain and know the basic crochet stitches, you can crochet an Amigurumi. I keep my patterns uncomplicated so the beginner can pick up my pattern, read the directions, and complete the project. When I started crocheting, I did not have all of the resources that we have today. I started with a book, a hook and some yarn - and trial and error. Lots of errors! Today, even the novice can learn how to crochet with all of the learning tools available over the internet. To quote Julia Childs, “Don’t be afraid.”    What is the worst that can happen? You take it apart and start over and I have done that so many times! I encourage everyone who is interested in crocheting, whether it is Amigurumi or any other item, to venture forward and take the challenge head on!

So with that said, pick up a hook and crochet some magic! Happy Crocheting!

Projects on FaveCrafts:

• Hello Kitty Amigurumi
• Mr. and Mrs. Christmas Mouse
• Independence Day Crochet Kitty

Links:

Armina's Ami-Nals Blog