The Woobles Crochet Amigurumi for Every Occasion Is THE Book for Getting Into Crocheted Plushes

My first attempt to learn to crochet was nothing short of a disaster.

I was so excited when I got the kit, promising to teach me to crochet characters from a popular franchise (which will go unnamed), but when I tried to begin, I immediately hit several roadblocks. For one, the very first step was a magic loop—something even some long-time crocheters still struggle with—and the written directions were terrible. Second, the yarn that came with the kit was a fraying, stiff mess, and after a few failed attempts at the magic loop, the yarn had somehow wadded itself into a ball of nothing but tangles. I spent hours trying to detangle it all before giving up on that little project for good.

More than five years later, I decided to give it another go with a kit from The Woobles, and the experience was night and day. The kit came with everything I needed to crochet an adorable amigurumi plush dinosaur, with a link to online instructions with visual tutorials, for every step of the process. The videos explained crochet in a way that actually made me understand it, but the best part was the brand's signature Easy Peasy yarn, which is made from a non-fraying cotton-nylon blend, and makes it effortless to see the stitches. Even better, the kit came with the first magic loop pre-made for me, doing the toughest step for me out of the gate, and allowing me to build my fundamental skills before I had to do one on my own. Essentially, it was exactly what I needed to teach myself how to crochet—and after finishing Fred the Dino, my very first crochet plush, I was absolutely hooked (no pun intended).

It wasn't long before I was googling free patterns and headed to my local craft store to buy more yarn and polyfill stuffing, so when the team at The Woobles reached out and asked if I'd be interested in checking out their upcoming book, The Woobles Crochet Amigurumi for Every Occasion, I replied immediately with a great big yes. The book is out today, Oct. 11, and here's why it's so worth it for both first-time crocheters and long-time crafters alike.

 

The Book

The Woobles Crochet Amigurumi for Every Occasion contains step-by-step instructions for creating 21 different adorable crochet plush creations designed to celebrate life's brightest moments. The book begins with all of the basic info you need on things like yarn weights, hook sizes and other needed equipment such as stuffing and safety eyes before jumping into the actual art of crocheting. It gives detailed instructions for everything from holding your hook to reading patterns before sharing the different types of stitches and techniques, and also includes a web link to video tutorials in case you find those helpful. The videos are extremely clear, so even if you're a beginner, it shouldn't be too long before you start piecing things and building out your first crocheted piece. You might even begin to wonder why so many people struggle with magic loops.

(The Woobles Crochet Amigurumi for Every Occasion via Simon and Schuster)

 

Since I already had a basic knowledge of crochet after my The Woobles kit, the 21 crochet patterns that followed got me very excited. They're all celebration-themed, with pieces for engagements, baby showers, housewarming and birthdays—though most of the pieces are versatile enough to crochet for other purposes, or just for fun, as well. While the book is currently sold out on The Woobles' website, you can share your email to be alerted when they restock.

(The Woobles Crochet Amigurumi for Every Occasion via Simon and Schuster)

 

The Amigurumi

Pyrus and Li the Pears

There was so much delightful stuff in the book that I wasn't sure where to begin, but I eventually decided to start on the first pattern for Pyrus and Li the Pears. At the time of this writing, I haven't been able to get myself more Easy Peasy yarn (it's in The Woobles shop on Amazon, but temporarily out of stock), so instead, I just used the basic yarn I have around the house. It's not as easy to work with, or as cute and bubbly looking, but it had to do. It also took me way too long to invest in safety eyes, so I simply used black yarn to create eyes for all of my crocheted plushes.

My husband was drawn to the pattern and asked if I could make him a pear, except "with a great big Sam Elliott mustache," so that's what I did! The pattern was easy to follow and gave me adorable results, with just the right shape, and using what I'd learned from my experience making different shapes and creating Fred the Dino, I was able to make a decent mustache shape in a nice grey yarn.

 

Cornelius the Bee

Cornelius the Bee was my next project, and this one was quite a new experience because of the color changes in the yarn. Lucky for me, the book included fantastic instructions on how to do them. The addition of wings and antennae was also a new experience, but the result turned out just how I wanted, including the funny half-circle shapes I gave him for eyes.

 

Also read about: The Paperlike iPad Screen Protector Is a Must-Have for Artists—and Anyone With a Smudged Screen

 

Star

While the star in the book is actually included as part of a bigger mobile piece for a baby, I was drawn to it on its own because of its unique shape and the method for creating it, which involved using half double crochets as well as double crochets to mold the unique star shape, and then sewing the two halves together. Overall, it was simple, yet very satisfying.

 

Ollie the Lamb

Ollie the Lamb is by far the most complex pattern in the book, but I think the results are also some of the most impressive. The instructions create more of a blanket with a stuffed head than an actual plush, with a really varied texture thanks to the inclusion of many, many Dc5tog stitches (or bobble stitches).

I'd only ever down two bobble stitches before starting Ollie, for another project where they were the front paws of a very tiny French bulldog. Here, they were detailed, making the individual clusters of the sheep's wooly coat, and repeated more than 350 times over the course of the pattern. It was a process, for sure, taking many nights of dedicated crocheting, but fully worth the fabulous final results, and this is one I've been showing off to everyone.

 

Clint the Cactus

I'm sure this Clint the Cactus is about to become one of The Woobles' most popular patterns because it's just irresistible. I decided to make one for my mom, who loves all things cactuses and succulents, and tie in her love for Gucci by incorporating their colors into the pot. I also left off the mouth for a slightly different effect.

 

Also read about: Here's What Happened When I Created a Work of Art With Diamond Art Club

 

Pippa the Octopus

I'd bought a lilac yarn, loving the color but without a real plan for it, but when I landed on Pippa the Octopus, I knew I'd found the perfect project. I enjoyed this one a lot because it was so different from the others, especially with the way the pattern started from the top of the head, and how the legs were crocheted before being slip stitched on. This project also suggested filling the plush with potpourri. Instead, I used a strong chai teabag before pulling the piece together at the end like a pouch and securing it. She still smells marvelous—and I enjoy the little eyelash details I gave her, as well.

 

Walter the Bear

Last but definitely not least from the book was Walter the Bear, a cute teddy head poking out of a cupcake wrapper. This one was especially fun to put together because of all of the separate parts, utilizing entirely new skills putting together Walter's head with his ears and snout, plus the sprinkle frosting and the cherry on top. The cupcake liner also came together through more traditional crochet, building distinctive jagged edges by crocheting in the back loops. While my bear did lose his cherry stem and have an eye loosened when one of my dogs "borrowed" him for the afternoon, he still looks positively perfect—and I don't think he'll be the last project from the book I visit.

 

Also read about: Love to Paint? Use These Artistic Instagram Captions to Show Off Your Paintings

 

Beyond The Woobles

After my experience with The Woobles, I'm now completely obsessed with crocheting—and have spent more money on colorful yarns than I'd like to admit. I love how easy the process is, the fact that there's some room for error and how simple it is to rewind and redo steps when you've messed them up. You can also get results pretty fast, and it feels really satisfying to make something from nothing in the span of an afternoon.

I'll definitely be coming back to the book for more projects in the future, but for now, I'm grateful they've equipped me with the basics and taught me what I need to know, so I'm not mystified when I find patterns online. For example, I did the below The Sandman-inspired pieces of Matthew the Raven, Merv Pumpkinhead and the skull of the Corinthian using my newfound skills. They're not The Woobles patterns, but The Woobles enabled me to make them.

I'm also currently waiting for pieces from a kit to crochet my very first sweater—and it's all thanks to The Woobles.

 

Looking for more great projects to try? Click HERE for our favorite art sets for teens.