Amigurumi Knits: Patterns for 20 Cute Mini Knits

I bought this becauae I want to make one of the patterns for my next grandson, and I'm glad I did! I could really envision making ALL the patterns here- they are well-designed and adorable, even the odd ones like the preying mantis and the anglerfish!Some seem very straightforward, like the vegetables, the earthworm, and the simple starfish- while others are more elaborate, like the above, the spider, and the hermit crab. All of them, though look like a lot of fun to make, and can mostly use leftover yarns from other projects.While I have not knitted any to completion thus far, the directions are very clear and easy to understand, and they range from projects suitable for beginners to ones that would best be done by those of us with more experience.Highly recommended!

I've knitted for years, but I've never knitted anything quite as unusual as these imaginative critters. Here's my take on this book:PROS:1. I have never seen such imagination at work. And when I think of the difficulty of putting these imaginative designs into patterns that ordinary knitters can follow, I am truly in awe of Hansi's skills.2. There's plenty to learn in these patterns that even an experienced knitter will find helpful and challenging as well.3. Hansi has included an excellent explanation of stitches and techniques in the front of the book. By all means, read this part before you begin.CONS:1. Hansi knits Continental style, so not all stitches will work for American style knitters. Because I'm not going to learn another style of knitting, I had to adjust certain increases to suit my knitting style.2. Although these are marvelously detailed patterns, certain instructions are a bit too brief. I've had to learn to decode her particular style of instructions.In all, a terrific book! These knit animals are suitable for a variety of ages and will entertain the knitter while producing adorable results (see my red anglerfish in images).By the way, Hansi has a new pattern for chameleons. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks challenging.Highly recommended!

All the knits in this book have been a big hit! In particular, everyone loves the Loch Ness monster. I recently made one for a handmade gift exchange and the person I made it for was hugging it the entire night and telling me how much she loved it. The patterns are easy to follow and range in difficulty from moderately easy to more complex. Lots of knitting in the round, which I struggled with initially, but making these patterns is great (and fun) practice. Highly recommend!

I enjoy knitting amigurumi, and I search for new patterns constantly. I'd say I'm on the upper end of intermediate as a knitter.This book IS usable, just don't follow the directions as written.First off, get way more yarn than the book suggests, but this is the case with any knitting book. What sets this book apart is its call for circular needles. Forget about them. I went out an purchased a set especially for this book and have used them once to hold stiches for a pattern. Double pointed needles are the way to go. What Is nice about the book is that it uses the same size for every pattern and mainly worsted weight yarn.The first pattern I followed was for the spider. You get some serious wrapping and turning practice on this one, especially the 8 legs (which are impossible to shove pipecleaners into once sewn up and I reccomend sewing the legs around the pipecleaners). However, when it came to knitting the cephlathorax, the wrapping and turning fell apart and one half was wider than the other. It had it's round shape, but I had some large holes to sew up afterwards. I still haven't figured how to alter the pattern yet so the wrapping and turning rows are balanced.On the book's color knitting patterns, I'll talk about the jellyfish. The stripes on the side are meant to swirl upwards, however the color chart sometimes wants you to knit stiches that aren't there. The key should've changed halfway up to simply m1, not k1m1.Problems like this are to be expected with such intricate knits, however they could've been easily rectified with a little more review before publishing. It's kind of fun to problem solve though, and aren't crooked spiders just as cute as normal ones?

I got interested in knitted amigurumi because they work up quickly (I'm easily bored), they're a great way to learn new techniques or brush up on others, and then I have a cool stuffed toy to show for my efforts. However, there are a bazillion other amigurumi books on the market. I can weed most of them out because so many are crocheted, or are too uncomplicated and cutesy for my taste. Then I stumbled upon this book, saw the creatures on the cover and got my hands on it as quickly as I could. This is a very eclectic batch of projects that do not disappoint, running the gamut from relatively simple to detailed.. There are some fine-looking vegetables for you still life fans, backyard creatures, sea creatures, and best of all, a small assortment of cryptids (cryptozoologic creatures). Hope this isn't a spoiler, but I would have bought the book just for the jackalope. The instructions are well written and there are plenty of helpful photographs. I'm utterly in awe of the author's skills and ingenuity.

The knitting patterns are gorgeous - witty, stylish, realistic and inventive, and have practically spoiled me for other animal designs. In addition, the author has a page on Ravelry.com where you can buy and download other patters, which I'd also recommend. The patterns are tricky and fiddly as all get-out, but once you've gotten a taste for them they become a delight.I'd also like to put in a word for the intro material, which explains how to do various stitches and methods in some of the clearest writing I've yet encountered. Explaining any knitting pattern on the page is difficult (which is why YouTube videos are such a boon), but this book is very good at it.But ... as other people have said, there are mistakes. Lots of mistakes. Which is frustrating in any knitting pattern, but in patterns as incredibly complicated and fine-detailed as these, it's head-bangingly frustrating. And when the results are so awesome, it moves me beyond head-banging to crying 'Why do you hurt us when we love you so?!'So, as a public service, I'd like to propose that readers list the mistakes they've found and the corrections they've had to make here. Here's mine so far:Another reviewer called attention to this:(...)which is very helpful, but it's incomplete. I'd like to add:Common octopus. (A favourite: quick to make, hilarious and a great gift.)p 58, Mantle and head:Round 2:The book reads '*KRL, K1, repeat to end of round.'You should '*KRL, repeat to end of round.'Round 4:The book reads, '*KRL, K1, repeat to end of round.'You should '*KRL, repeat to end of round.'Jackalope.p118, Hind Legs, reads:'To work the right hind leg, use MC to knit the right-most 17sts held on the st hold on one side of the left-hind leg opening.'This should read:''To work the right hind leg, use MC to knit the right-most 17sts held on the st hold on one side of the RIGHT-hind leg opening.'(As you can see, confusions between left and right can get rather frustrating.)Those are my finds. Who else has any?

I've knitted three of the animals from this book already,the jellyfish,the octopus and the spider,I found the patterns clear and well explained,I'd never worked from a chart before or used two of the increases but everything is explained so clearly I got on and did it! These are fun projects,challenging for a fairly new knitter but an ideal way to learn.

Still haven’t found what type of wool to use, not stated

If you are not a crocheter, the Designers have come up with a brilliant assortment of knitted creatures. Like the crochet fun to do.

Quite an impressive looking book but you need to be an experienced knitter. Complicated and fiddly and the instructions are not always very clear.