Still wanted: pattern testers! :)

I already got a lot of emails from crocheters who want to test my patterns for me! Thank you so much for your interest and offering your help! 

Some of you asked if I'm still interested in volunteers - yes I am! :)

At the moment I'm very busy with revising my websites, but there already IS a new pattern waiting to be tested. I can't finish it before I'm done with all the work on my websites and the changes I've been talking about. BUT I will come back to you soon! The little critter still wants to see the world! ;))

Time for changes! :)

Exciting! AmigurumiParadise will go through several changes during the next days/weeks! :)

For this reason my shops will be offline, starting on Sunday, 29.1.2012, afternoon.

There will also be a big revison of  my websites/blogs... links may temporarily not work.

But above all - there's big good news, too!

A new wooly crochet critter is coming soon!... :)

All my patterns

All my patterns - at a look! :)

Last Update: 31. January 2012

They will soon be available in my shops.




And these are my free patterns - available here on my Blog and as PDFs.

Tiny Ghosts download now (PDF, 157 KB)

Mrs Egghead and her husband download now (PDF, 679 KB)

Amigurumi Banana download now (PDF, 245 KB)

Frog King download now (PDF, 369 KB)

Wanted: Pattern testers! :)

Dear crocheters,

I'm searching for some dedicated pattern testers who want to test my  Amigurumi patterns for me.

At the moment, there's no new pattern ready for testing - but there will be enough of them in future! :)

This is what I need from you:

• You are an English native speaker and are able to proofread my patterns. Since English is not my mother tongue I very much appreciate your finding any language mistakes I may have made in my pattern(s).
• You are quite good in crocheting and have practice in making Amigurumis. Your Amigurumis are of good quality.
• You work very exactly and you find every typo or other mistakes the patterns you are testing. :)
• You can finish testing within one week.
• If you're testing for other pattern designers too, you will not tell them about anything you learn from my patterns (any technique, idea etc.)
• You send me pics of the finished items and allow me to publish them on my blog (or you publish them - e.g. at Crochetville or Craftster etc.)
• The most important thing: You will not give away my patterns to any other person.

This is what you get from me:

• I will always ask before I send you one of my patterns for testing. I'll send pictures of the finished Amigurumis and will ask you if you want to test them for me. - You decide if you want to and have the time for testing them.
• When the pattern is tested and finished, I will send the final version to you. So you will get the for sale version of the pattern for FREE.
• And, of course, you will be one of the first to have my new pattern(s)! :)

If you're interested in testing my patterns, please send me an email, ideally with some pics of your finished works, to "contact@amigurumiparadise.com". (Please use the subject "pattern testing".)

P.S.: If you fulfill all of the above mentioned attributes - except being a native speaker, please do not hesitate to contact me! If I have enough English speaking testers I can need your help as well! :)

Tutorial: How-to crochet an oval

Most parts of Amigurumis consist of simple circles that are worked in spirals. You end up with a ball- or pipe-shaped crochet part. But in some cases you will need to make a part that has a basic oval shape.

When crocheting an oval you don't start with a "Magic Ring" (or ch 2) as you would for a circular part, you start with a beginning-chain and crochet around it.

This tutorial shall show you how to crochet the first round of an oval.

Abbreviations (US crochet terms): ch = chain, sc = single crochet

  You start with a beginning-ch (in this case: 5 ch), the last ch is a "turning chain" and will not be worked into later.

The first sc of the first round is made into the second ch (from hook).

The finished first sc.

Work one sc into each of the next ch (the count depends on the number of beginning-ch) - in this case 2 sc. 

Then work 3 sc "around the corner" into the last ch. Next you will work "back" on the other side of the beginning-ch.  

2 sc on the other side of the beginning-ch.

Finally, work 2 sc into the last ch of the round (this is the one where you already made the first sc into). 

The first round of your oval is finished.

Round 2 finished.

(For advanced crafters: In general, go on increasing as you would for a circular part, starting in round 2 with increases into the initial 3 sc of each "end" (round 3: increase every 2nd stitch there, and so on), do not increase the 2 sc between the "ends". Increase 6 stitches in each round (3 at each end).)

Round 3 finished.

Tip: To prevent the holes in the middle (as you can see in the pictures above) use a smaller hook for making the beginning-ch.