I’ll be honest. I’m crocheting for half a year now and I couldn’t understand what was the “thing” with amigurumi. I mean they are cute and technically challenging but why? Why make them, when you can make useful items? The answer came last week. I felt a bit wasted after completing four major crochet projects in the row (2 tops, a grocery bag and a shawl) and I wanted to crochet something small and fun and amusing. So I picked up the Hello Kitty amigurumi book (yes I had one even though I wasn’t sure I would make anything from it) and chose what seemed easy.

HK went for a walk around the garden

And then I understood why people get hooked on it. When you’re crafting a useless project, it’s like playing. It was like solving a small puzzle, like arranging lego, like fooling around with playmobils, like being a child again… I finished this particular hello kitty in two days time. She is my first amigurumi ever. She has some mistakes but who cares?

HK smells the beautiful mirabilis jalapa flowers

After I finished the assemply I was looking at her and giggling like the serious and responsible and grown up adult that I am. Even the boyfriend was giggling with me.  Then I took her for a walk around the garden to take some pictures. Finally, I found a place inside for her, where the cats can’t reach, to save the crocheted feline from a slow death caused by her fellow furry felines.

HK in the evening sun

A few words about the book now, right?

ISBN: 4387990325

I show this one at Saucylouise’s shop. It looks I haven’t spotted it on the japanese Amazon cause it had no featured image and i can’t read japanese titles. I said to myself: If you have to have just one amigurumi book it has to be this. Even if you never use it at least it will fulfill your Hello Kitty obsession. The sample pictures look good (unlike some dreadful crocheted Hello Kitties that scare the internets) and they actually are good.  I mean all the patterns are well designed, nicely illustrated, with complete instructions (they even have sample nose and eyes patterns for each project and tell you exactly where to place them to achieve an authentic hello kitty result). Unlike most of the japanese crochet books I’ve had so far, this one has handwritten instructions. Sometimes you can’t undestand what part you’re supposed to be making (leg, arm or ear) but you should jump into making the magic ring and follow the pattern and when you’re finished you’ll understand its purpose. And now some sample HK from inside:

the one I tried to make…

Hello Kitty Bee!!! A favorite. A must-made.

another cute one

a sample of the instructions.

amigurumi, crafts

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July 14, 2008

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