How to Applique ONTO Fake Fur – video

January 22, 2013
How to Appliqué onto Fake Fur - video


I love to use a bit of fake fur in my quilts and stuffed animals, but I get a lot of questions about how to make the eyes and other features work. How do you applique ONTO fake fur?

See the eye on the crazy blue bird monster, above? Or the giant eyeball on this monster made with the Eggheads softie pattern?

Hugh the Egghead Monster from Shiny Happy World

That’s the kind of thing people are asking about.

I get the same question about working with fleece, like the eye on this fleece bird/monster.

Applique using cuddle fleece - so soft and snuggly!

All of these use appliqué onto fake fur or fleece to sew on those eyeballs.

This video showed you how to cut faux fur without leaving your sewing space looking like a Muppet abattoir, and how to sew the pieces together so all the lovely fur ends up on the outside of your softie (without tedious seam-picking).

Now I’m showing you how to appliqué directly onto the fake fur. This is a good way to attach eyes, mouths, bellies, spots, stripes – any smooth surface you want on top of all that fur. It’s surprisingly easy!

Applique onto fake fur. Give it a try!

Then try this video to learn to appliqué faux fur onto regular fabric – great for bushy eyebrows. 🙂

Here are links to all the posts about choosing fabric.

And here are links to posts about using specialty fabrics.

Finished with this topic?

Return to the Let’s Make a Quilt main Table of Contents.

Happy sewing!

How to add hair to your amigurumi

January 22, 2013

I’ll be frank. I was scared of adding hair to my amigurumi designs. It seemed complicated.

But not adding hair was limiting me… I mean, what’s a horse without a flowing mane? So, I decided to break out of my shell… and do you know what? Adding hair isn’t that hard.

Let me show you how.

How to attach hair to amigurumi, unicorn

The model in this post is my friendly unicorn. You can get the pattern here.

Step 1: Make your amigurumi

This process is done after all of the crocheting & stuffing & assembly has been completed.

Step 2: Cut your yarn into pieces

The pattern will specify the length of your hair pieces. If you’re making it up as you go along, just remember that each ‘hair’ will be folded in half. So, if you want your piece to have 3″ long hair, you’ll need to cut 6″ long pieces of yarn.

The easiest way to cut multiple pieces of yarn (and you’ll need a lot!) is to find a book/box that has a circumference the length of your pieces. Wrap your yarn around oodles of times, and then cut through them all at once. Presto!

Step 3: Add your first piece of hair

Fold your yarn in half, so that there’s a U-shaped bend on one side and two ‘tails’ on the other side.

Now, look at your amigurumi. If you crocheted through the back loop, there’s lots of ‘front loops’ left behind, which are perfect for attaching hair to. They’ll also guide you to keep your hair in nice rows.

Insert your hook into a front loop, and catch the bend in your hair piece:

tutorial how to attach hair to amigurumi

Pull the bend through the front loop, until about an inch is pulled through:

step2

If you accidentally pull the hair all the way through… don’t worry. Just start again!

Now, your aim is to pull the two ‘tails’ of the hair through the bend.

step3

I’m doing this by using my hook, but you might find it just as easy to use your fingers.

Pull the tails and… ta da!

step4

Step 4: Repeat until your cutie has lots of hair!

back_unicorn_blog

I’m not going to fib… it’s a little slow-going (especially to obtain a lush head of hair!), but it’s the perfect easy-thing to do while watching TV!

Lots of options!

For the unicorn, I made a rainbow-mane… but this technique looks just as adorable in a solid color:

horse_blog

Once the hair’s in place, you can feel free to style it, add a bow, or even trim the hair into a certain ‘do. I can picture this technique being used on amigurumi dolls, long-haired dogs, horses… you name it!

Ready to try your hand at adding hair? Get the Flavia the Unicorn pattern here.

Here are handy links to all the posts about faces and details. . .

Return to the main table of contents for Let’s Learn to Crochet Amigurumi.

Move on to the lessons about eyes.

Happy stitching!

5 ways to modify an amigurumi pattern

January 19, 2013

It’s really fun to modify an amigurumi pattern!

You can make the same pattern a hundred times and have a hundred different critters that all look different from each other.

Of course, you can follow the pattern exactly. There’s no shame in doing this! Use the recommended yarn, recommended hook size and follow the instructions to the letter. That way you’ll get exactly what you see on the pattern cover.

But try these fun ideas to modify an amigurumi pattern. . .

1. Change the color.

Pick any color you like! And remember – it doesn’t have to be realistic. It’s especially fun to pick seasonal colors to make a holiday version of a pattern you already have.

Take a look at this fun Valentine’s Day owl made with the Nelson the Owl pattern.

modify an amigurumi pattern by changing the color - pink and red owl for Valentine's Day - crocheted with the Nelson the Owl amigurumi pattern

Or how about this adorable red, white and blue version of Roosevelt the Monster?

modify an amigurumi pattern by changing the color - cute red, white and blue monster crocheted with the Roosevelt the Monster pattern

The easiest way to modify an amigurumi pattern is to change the color.

2. Make a giant amigurumi

To make a super-big amigurumi, pick a thick yarn and use a larger size hook. Then, follow the pattern!

I adore this giant slug that Stacey made!

modify an amigurumi pattern by changing the size - giant slug crocheted with the Hannah the Slug pattern

If you can’t find a thick yarn, hold two strands of yarn together. It’ll be double the thickness of the original!

Don’t know what size hook to use? Don’t fret. Check the yarn label for hook recommendations, or (if you don’t have a label) guess and try a swatch. As long as your fabric doesn’t have holes, it’s a fine hook!

Stacey has more tips for crocheting a giant amigurumi here.

3. Make a teeny-tiny amigurumi

Instead of going big… go small!

modify an amigurumi pattern by changing the size - small green crab ornament made with the Tipper the Tiny Crab pattern

Alyssa made Tipper the Tiny Crab extra tiny by using super thing yarn.

I like using a fingering weight yarn (i.e. sock yarn) and a size C hook… but I’ve seen others go even smaller! Try crochet thread and a steel crochet hook for a super-tiny guy!

Update: If you want more info about modifying an amigurumi pattern by changing the size, Planet June has a great post here. She actually created a conversion table showing what kind of increase or decrease to expect with which yarn sizes!

4. Add stripes or a gradient

It’s easy to add stripes to your amigurumi… just change yarn colors every few rounds. This is a fabulous way to use up all those little odds-and-ends of yarn!

Modify an amigurumi pattern by adding stripes - solid and striped bunnies crocheted with the Ringo Rabbit pattern

I used several different colors to make a striped Easter bunny version of the Ringo Rabbit pattern.

This post shows how to get a clean color change, and this one shows a way to change colors that minimizes the jog you get with that change.

Even easier… use a self-striping or gradient yarn, like the one I used for this Cooper Cat.

striped brown cat made with the Cooper Cat crochet pattern

5. Add some glitz

Maybe your amigurumi just wants a little pizazz!

modify an amigurumi pattern by adding beads - beaded orange crab made with the Tipper the Tiny Crab pattern

You can add some beads (there’s a tutorial here showing how to crochet with beads), or pick a yarn that already has beads or sequins added in. Fun!

Whatever method you choose to modify an amigurumi pattern – change is good! It’s like getting a whole new pattern!

Happy stitching!

My Favorite Source for Faux Fur

January 18, 2013

Finding good quality and interesting faux fur can be tricky. None of the big box stores carry anything really fun, and it can be hard to shop online because you really want to touch the stuff. Plus a lot of online shops make you buy a minimum of 1 yard. That’s a LOT of fur – especially since it’s usually 60 inches wide – and can get expensive quickly.

So today I’m sharing my favorite source for faux fur. It’s called Luxury Faux Fur and it’s an Etsy shop.

Update – That shop has closed – but this one seems to carry a lot of the same furs.

Here’s what I like about them. . .

The prices are good. Better than any others I’ve found.

They sell 1/2 and 1/3 yard cuts. And they’re not cut the long way! This is HUGE. A long 1/3 yard cut would be 12 inches tall and 60 inches wide – not very practical. A 1/3 yard cut from Luxury Faux Fur would typically be 20 inches wide and 36 inches tall. That’s a much more usable cut – very nice!

The quality of everything I’ve bought from them has been great. My favorite has to be the Mongolian Shag. It has a nice shaggy 3 inch pile and comes in great colors, like this hot pink.

The frosted grey Mongolian shag is what you see me using in this video showing the basics of working with faux fur. I love it!

Jo really likes the sparkle shags – like this yellow one. The pile is longer (4 inches) and more fluffy than shaggy, with metallic mylar-ish threads scattered through it.

And, of course, we both love the spiky furs like the one at the top of this post. How awesome is that? I can’t wait to show you the monster I’m making with it.

They have plenty of natural colors too – I’m just always drawn to the fun ones in crazy colors. 🙂

Happy stitching!

Best,
Wendi

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Free Pattern – Fire-breathing Handwarmers

January 16, 2013
Monster Handwarmers - free pattern from Shiny Happy World

‘Tis the season for chilly fingers.

Unless you have these fire-breathing hand warmers, of course!

These pocket-sized monsters are easy to whip up, use scraps of fabulously fun faux fur, and are filled with rice so you can pop them in the microwave for hand-warming goodness. Add a few drops of essential oil or a bit of herb or spice to the rice and you get scented breath from your fire-breathing beasts!

For each pocket monster you’ll need:

  • Scrap of faux fur
  • Scrap of solid woven cotton
  • Small amount of paper-backed fusible adhesive
  • Pattern template
  • White fabric for eyes
  • Black fabric for mouth (optional)
  • Embroidery thread for eyes, mouths and nostrils

Trace around the pattern template (I like to glue mine to cereal box cardboard before I start) and cut out one oval from from the woven fabric and one from the faux fur. If you’ve never worked with faux fur before, watch this video before you cut to eliminate the flying furry bits.

Trace the face onto the non-furry fabric. Use paper-backed fusible adhesive to applique eyes, teeth and/or mouth onto the face. If you’ve never used paper-backed fusible adhesive, you can see how to use it in this video.

You’re going to heat these babies up, so be sure to stitch around them so the pieces don’t come unstuck when they get hot. I just straight stitched around all the edges in matching thread.

Use embroidery thread to hand stitch the pupils of the eyes, the line mouths and the nostrils. I used 6 strands of DMC #3371– a very, very dark brown.

Just take simple straight stitches for the pupils of the eyes and the small nostrils. Use lazy daisy stitches for the pink nostrils (this video shows how) and backstitch the mouths. Watch this video if you don’t know how to backstitch.

If you don’t want to fuss with hand embroidery, no problem. You can use satin stitch on your machine or even use a fabric marker. It’s all good.

Pin the face to the furry back, right sides together. Tuck all the fur to the inside of the layers so you get a nice furry halo around the edge of your monster. Watch that Intraux to Faux Fur video to see how and why.

Sew the two layers together around the edge using 1/4 inch seam allowance. Leave a small opening on the side to turn it right side out. Keep that opening as small as possible – the faux fur is not fun to sew up by hand. I left about two inches.

That opening won’t be fun to hand sew, but the fur is totally worth using because…

Holy Wow! Look at that fur explosion! Tell me that’s not fun and totally worth the swearing you’ll do in a few minutes!

Fill him up with 1/4 cup of uncooked rice and any scents you want to add. This guy got 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary leaves (my daughter’s current favorite scent).

Sew up the opening. I think ladder stitch is the easiest to do on faux fur; watch this video to see how. Make sure you stitch through the backing of the faux fur, not just the furry pile.

Done!

This fiery redhead has two drops of orange essential oil stirred into the rice, along with a few bits of broken cinnamon stick and some whole cloves. My favorite.

This guy looks grumpy so I gave him a less pleasant scent: a few peppercorns mixed in with the rice. Mustard seed is a good angry option too.

Recommended microwave times to heat them up will depend on the strength of your oven. I do mine for 15-30 seconds each.

Happy sewing!

Intraux to Faux Fur Fabric – video

January 14, 2013
Close up of a grey shaggy dog stuffed animal. text reads "Intro to Working with Faux Fur." Post about working with fake fur fabric - a video tutorial from Shiny Happy World

Using faux fur (or fake fur) can add a really special – and professional – look to your handmade stuffed animals and quilt. Furry dogs! Furry cats! Furry monsters! They’re all wonderful!

But fake fur is not an everyday fabric, and a lot of people feel like it must require a lot of special knowledge or skill to use it, so they avoid it. That’s such a shame because it’s actually fairly easy to use – if you know just a couple of simple tricks.

So here’s the first in a little series of videos showing you some tips and tricks for working with faux fur. This video covers the most basic basics – how to cut it out without having fur fly all over your sewing room, and how to sew it together so the fur ends up on the outside of your softie, instead of hidden inside your seams. 🙂

Here are a few more helpful posts about working with faux fur. . .

My favorite sources for buying fabulous fake fur

How to applique faux fur fabric (video)

How to applique onto faux fur fabric (video)

And here are some of my favorite patterns that can be used with fake fur. . .

Spot the Dog – that’s Spot made up in a fabulous scruffy grey fur in the top photo. He’s actually a dressable rag doll, so you do need to be careful when making him with fur. If your fur is too full and shaggy, his clothes will be quite tight. 🙂

Scary Squares Monster Quilt Pattern

Munch – a stuffed monster with a pocket mouth

Eggheads – mix & match monster softie pattern

Knuckleheads – mix & match monster softie pattern

Happy sewing!

Join the slug-a-long!

January 14, 2013

Crochet a long Slug amigurumi freshstitches

I know you’ve been gearing up for the next crochet-a-long! This one’s a… slug-a-long!

That’s right! This month, we’re crocheting Hannah the Slug. She’s a great pattern for those of you who have conquered your first amigurumi, and are looking for a fun project where you’ll learn something new, but isn’t too difficult.

Isn’t she cute?

amigurumi crochet slug

And of course… Hannah looks great in any color. And, since she only uses 35 yards of yarn, this is a great project for using up a little bit of leftover yarn from your stash!

Ready to join in? Grab the pattern and get started crocheting with us!

 

Join the CAL!

Joining in the CAL is easy! Get yourself a copy of the the pattern, grab your materials and read all the slug-a-long posts here to get all of the helpful crochet/amigurumi tips that will guide you along the way!

If you’d like, you can even stick this adorable badge on your blog (right click and save, then link the photo to this post!) to let folks know you’re joining in:

slug-a-long badge

Are you in?

It’s going to be a blast… and I really hope you join us! Go ahead and leave me a comment… and tell me about your slug-a-long plans!

How to Embed Rickrack in a Seam – video

January 8, 2013
How to Embed Rickrack in a Seam - video

Rickrack is THE BEST.

When my daughter was little I made her a fabulous pair of pants. They were a super simple pattern, made of deep green velvet. What made them extra special was the pink rickrack I embedded in the side seams so the little waves peeked out between the two layers. That turned them from nice, soft velvet pants into Dragon Pants – and she wore them All The Time. Such a simple addition – and so much fun.

In this video I show you how to embed rickrack in a seam. Use it to make some Dragon Pants of your own – or add it as an easy (and sturdy) embellishment to all kinds of things.

Using rickrack this way makes a great trim at the top of a lined purse or tote bag – and it makes perfect monster teeth in lots of projects – like this tissue pack. . .

Monster tissue case - a free pattern from Shiny Happy World

Get the free tissue pack cover pattern here.

Or this Rice bag cover. . .

Vicks-Scented Rice Bag - to ease a cough and sniffles without having to use the sticky stuff - a tutorial from Shiny Happy World

Get the free rice bag pattern here, and the free pattern for the monster cover (complete with rickrack teeth) here.

Here’s the video how-to.

Get ready to add rickrack to all the seams! And have fun with it!

How to hand wash socks

January 8, 2013

Most of my winter socks are ones that I’ve knit myself. Many of them require hand-washing. It’s not hard… I’ll show you how. But first, let’s tackle some basic sock care questions and I’ll give you a little advice.

Sock Care FAQs

Do I really have to hand wash my socks? Check the label of the yarn you used. If the yarn says ‘hand wash only’, then… well, you need to wash your socks by hand. If your socks are made with machine washable yarn, then it’s up to you (read below for one reason you may opt to hand wash socks that are fit for the machine).

What happens if I put socks in the machine that should be washed by hand? They will felt, meaning that they will shrink and not be nice, lovely socks anymore.

tutorial on hand washing socks

How do you remember which socks need hand washing? The truth is, every once in a while, you won’t remember. Big oopsie. That’s why I recommend treating all of your socks as needing hand washing (see below).

Do I need a sock blocker? A sock blocker is a device that will shape your socks as they’re drying to look nice and pretty. I own one from Knit Picks, and use it for socks that I’m going to photograph for the blog. I don’t ever block socks just so they look nice in my sock drawer. I say skip it, unless you’re doing a photo shoot.

Separate your socks!

I’m going to give you my personal advice. Put all of your hand-knit socks in a separate basket from your clothes when dirty. And pretend that all of your socks need to be hand washed.

hand knitted socks

Why? If you don’t, one of two things is bound to happen:

  • Someone in your family will spontaneously do some laundry… and not know that they should pick out the socks for hand washing. This turns a wonderfully thoughtful gesture into ruined socks.
  • You will think that a particular pair of socks was knitted with hand washable yarn… and throw it in the machine. This will also result in ruined socks.

So don’t risk it. Make a habit of making a separate pile for hand-knit socks, and wash them by hand when you’re down to only one clean pair left.

How to hand wash socks

Hand washing gets such a bad rap… and I’m not sure why! It’s not that hard.

Gather your socks. Fill your sink with lukewarm water.

hand washing wool socks

Pour some Wool-wash (Eucalan is lovely and contains a natural moth-repellant) into the water as directed on the label.

Using Eucalan wool wash to wash socks

Be sure to look for a wash intended for hand washing, as these are intended to care for wool fibers and also do not need to be rinsed out. Contrary to its name, Woolite is a detergent and is terrible for wool. Spend the extra money for a real wool wash… you only use the tiniest bit for each wash and a bottle will last a long time.

Now, plop your socks into the sink, and press down so that they are fully submerged.

step by step tutorial on how to wash socks by hand

Leave for about 15 minutes.

That’s all! They’re clean! Squeeze each sock, getting out as much water as you can without wringing:

squeezing hand wash socks without wringing

Don’t get too disgusted by the icky-color of water that might come out… don’t forget, they’re socks!

Lay flat on a towel to dry.

When they’re dry, re-stock your sock drawer!

tutorial on how to hand wash socks

That’s not so hard, right?

If hand washing sounds like a nightmare to you, then I highly recommend that you knit all of your socks with machine washable yarn. Otherwise, your socks will wind up sitting in your drawer like an obscure antique, and who wants that?!?

But, if the siren song of the oh-so-delicious hand wash only indie dyed yarn sings to you… go for it! Hand washing isn’t so bad!

House of Wool, Blackheath, NSW, Australia

January 7, 2013

House of Wool, Blackheath NSW Australia wool shop

I love traveling, and I love visiting yarn shops. It’s probably no surprise to you that I like to do both things at the same time!

I was delighted to hear about a new yarn shop, House of Wool, opening in rural New South Wales, Australia… which was directly on the road to my trip out to the country! Yippee!

House of Wool Yarn store Blue Mountains Australia

House of Wool is in Blackheath, a popular (and adorable) town in the Blue Mountains. It’s an area known for beautiful scenery… but it’s worth stopping in the towns to have a look at the shops, too!

house of wool yarn store in the blue mountains

The store just opened a few months ago, but it’s already obvious that it’s a fabulous place to be for yarn-lovers. It’s full of beautiful yarns (with a strong focus on local & eco-friendly yarns), has a full roster of classes available and sports a lovely interior.

Blackheath is about 2 hours outside of Sydney (you might also want to check out my guide to yarn stores in Sydney), and the scenery is worth the drive if you have time. It’s close to the famous ‘three sisters’ rock formation:

Three sisters blue mountains

Pretty, huh?

So, if you’re driving by (or scheming for a road-trip from Sydney), check out the House of Wool!

Are you looking for some fun yarn stores near you? Then check out my blog post on how to find yarn when you travel, and find some in your area!