🌞 The summer long Ami-Along CAL is back and results from the Tutti Frutti CAL are in

A newsletter dedicated to amigurumi and the creators who make them.

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It is happening again! The ultimate amigurumi crochet-along (or knit-along!) is back for a second summer.

Last year was the inaugural year for the Ami-Along and it is starting up again, thanks to the coordinator Justyna of Cute and Kaboodle. It is a CAL/KAL in which multiple amigurumi designers join together for one big summer CAL/KAL of ami making fun. So far over 10 designers are participating this year, including me, and it will run from June 27 - Aug 31, 2016....continue reading to learn more about prizes, discounts and how to take part.

It has been a little bit since the Tutti Frutti CAL ended, but I have been away so haven’t had the chance to share the winners on my blog and newsletter until now! This CAL was so much fun. Participants could either make one of my new berries or Bill the Pineapple as an entry into a draw to win some prizes.

You can check out all the entries on ravelry in the CAL thread. I was super impressed with how many fruit amigurumi were made! And of course with how adorable they were.

To determine the winners, I numbered all the entries and then used random.org to draw 3 numbers. The first number won a hook from HeartSprinkle and a hookabee pattern, while the next two numbers each won a hookabee pattern.

And the winners were…continue reading.

Just because it's fun:

The latest Mochimochi Land video is adorable! It stars two alpacas and a little sheep. So fun. Plus, check out what went on behind the scenes when making the video.

Speaking of Mochimochi Land, Anna is hosting a Mochi Mod contest - enter your Mochimochi pattern modifications for a chance to win! You don't need to be a great photographer to enter.

Amigurumipatterns.net is releasing their newest book - Amigurumi Circus. I love the cutie mouse in the popcorn and the man in the lion suit.

One Dog Woof's zodiac blanket is complete! I shared the tiger when it first came out, but now you can get the patterns for all 12 zodiac signs and make an entire afghan.

I absolutely love June's latest collection of tropical fish patterns - perfect timing with the release of Finding Dory! What a great way to learn about different fish (she even includes info about fish anatomy in the pattern!). She is also running an Under the Sea CAL.

Super cute collection of summery amigurumi patterns - my favourite is the succulent planter (in Spanish, but can maybe figure it out?)

Ami designers:

June Gilbank of Planet June is celebrating 10 years of blogging! Congratulations June!

Amigurumi techniques:

Ophelie has a new tutorial up on her website on how to make your amigurumi poseable. She includes all the materials and steps needed to make your ami stand however which way you want, and stay that way.

Tools, notions and yarn:

Do you also love Vanna's Choice yarn? Well, Vanna has a new yarn! Vanna's Style is 100% acrylic and DK weight - maybe for making some smaller amigurumi?

Last newsletter I told you about my favourite websites for photo and graphic editing, and that same week I learned about Adobe's new free editing site: Adobe Spark. I played around with it a bit and while it may be too simple for most designs, it is super quick to make a social media image. I love the ready made colour palettes.

Having trouble turning narrow ami pieces (6 sts around or less) right side out? Try using a small tool, such as a chopstick, to invert it - check out my written and video tutorials to see how.

Each newsletter I interview a fellow amigurumi maker. In this issue, meet... me! I thought it would be fun to do the same interview I give other ami makers so you could learn more about me and my ami making.

Tell us a little about yourself!
I am 32 years old (but very close to 33!) and currently live in Montreal, Canada. I grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Canada and have also lived in London, England for a couple years (when I was still in grade school) and Ploen, Germany (from 2009-2013). I studied biology in school (BSc and MSc), as well as veterinary technology (yes, I really love animals!).

Why did you start making amis? How did you find out about them?
I actually have a whole blog post about how I started crocheting (I started with amis!). The short version: I had some time on my hands while living in Germany, I saw some cute handmade toys in a shop that I was interested in buying, my husband said I could make them myself, I searched online for how to make stuffed animals, ordered The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amigurumi by June Gilbank, and the rest is history! (p.s. this book is great!)

Do you like to knit your amigurumi or crochet them?
I prefer to crochet my amis. I have knit some, but I find the process slower and more tedious than crocheting. I do love the look of knit amis, though, so I will likely make more in the future (especially those by Rebecca Danger, Lisa Eberhart and Amanda Berry!).

What is your favourite yarn to use for amigurumi and why?
Vanna's Choice by Lion Brand. I love the loft and feel of Vanna's, but wish there were more colour choices, at least in Canada (we don't get the baby line). I have also recently discovered Uptown Worsted by Universal Yarns and enjoy using it - great colours and super soft!

What is your favourite hook to use for amigurumi and why?
I love my Clover Amour hooks and most often use my 3.5 mm. I have tried other brands, but always return to my Amour.

Do you prefer crocheting through blo (back-loop only) or both loops when making amigurumi? Why?
I enjoy crocheting through blo the most because I find it easier to both make the stitches and attach pieces, but some designs do look best through both loops, so I will crochet in both loops sometimes! As you can see from my designs, I often combine both techniques.

Do you like making little or big amigurumi?
I prefer making smaller amigurumi (most of my latest designs are smaller), but I just love the huggability and cuteness of a really big ami. Maybe I need to make another large design soon??

Who do you give your amis to? Do you keep any for yourself? If so, where do they live?
I give quite a number of my creations to my biggest fan, my sister. She will sometimes drop hints when she loves a particular design. She keeps them at her desk while she works. I also like giving them to my young niece and nephew. A lot of my own samples I keep with me for photos for social media, and of course to keep me company. They now live on a bookshelf in my living room/office.

What do you like most about making amigurumi?
I love anything cute, colourful, creative and fun - and amis are all of that! I especially love reaching the point in the creation of an ami when they come to life, usually when the eyes go on. They always make me smile (and sometimes giggle).

Are you crafty in other ways or do you prefer to just stick to crochet/knitting?
I also love to knit (a lot of my free time is spent knitting!), I just recently started sewing with a sewing machine, and I have dabbled in cross stitching and embroidery.

For the last few weeks I have been doing a bit of travelling in the US. First, my husband and I flew to New Mexico and visited Santa Fe and Los Alamos, then we were off on a road trip to Massachusetts where we stopped off in Lowell and Boston.

In New Mexico we had a pretty exciting time white water rafting/kayaking (the water was so high and fast at times it was a little scary!) and hiking. I scouted out a couple yarn shops in each town, hoping to find some locally made yarn, but didn't have too much luck. I spoke with one shop owner and she said a lot of the local yarn is rough and more suited for weaving (a VERY common craft in the area) rather than knitting and crochet (but now I want to try my hand at weaving...One thing at a time Megan!). I did, however, find some locally dyed yarn and purchased a skein of sock weight yarn in deep purple and teal (it reminded me of my childhood when I thought purple and turquoise was the best combo to wear EVER - I was an 80s/90s kid). Now it is on its way to becoming a pair of socks.

In Lowell Massachusetts there were no yarn stores directly in town, but I did pick up some really neat cotton fabric from the old cotton mills. The city used to be a major industrial town that focused on turning raw cotton into fabric, but now most of the mills have been converted into condos. One mill, however, is now a museum with functioning weaving equipment from the early 1900s that are still producing fabric. I learned about the lives of the mill workers and was able see the weaving machines in action - it was pretty fascinating (and did not help to quell my urge to start weaving). The material has a fairly rough weave and is most suited for dish/tea towels, so they will make for some nice easy beginner projects for me. I recommend going to check the museum out if you are in the area!

Until next time,