A year ago today, I started work on my first successful amigurumi (a small, stuffed, knit/crochet creature or object) a Cthulhu kit from Crochet box.
I had tried crochet in the past, and I was proficient at basic knitting. The Woobles ads were all over social media, and they made me want to give crochet another try. My dad bought me a seriously overpriced — but super cute — collector set from the Woobles, so I bought an affordable one with similar yarn off of Amazon. I wanted to try this new yarn in a less expensive kit first. My previous attempts at making amigurumi hadn’t gone well, and I didn’t want to completely f^©k up the expensive ones.
One of the biggest problems I’d had with my previous attempts was splitting the yarn with my crochet hook as I worked. But the beginner “tube” yarn made that impossible. It took me around 3 days to finish, but once it was complete, I was VERY eager for my collector set to arrive. Little Cthulhu had turned out so cute!
I powered through 8 of the 10 characters in two weeks, during which time I’d ordered a few more kits to keep my new hyperfixation hobby going. I fell in love with being able to create adorable projects in as little as a couple of hours. Some more advanced kits took longer, but many could be finished in one sitting. I even branched out into making my own patterns and non-amigurumi projects.
While I didn’t actively acknowledge it at the time, I think I assumed that I’d enjoy crocheting amigurumi for a few weeks or months, then move on to another hobby once I felt proficient, as is often the case. But, as should be obvious from this post, that didn’t happen.
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve likely seen my weekly crochet posts. The number of different pieces may have given you a clue to how much I’ve been making. But, if you haven’t seen those posts, it will likely surprise you to know I’ve finished 345 kits and items — 366 significant separate pieces. This includes a three larger projects: a Halloween “wreath,” a haunted house, and a large shibari goddess torso.
I never expected to still be enjoying crochet a year later. I especially didn’t think I’d still have a long list of things I want to make.
What do I do with it all?
I certainly haven’t kept everything I’ve made. I donated quite a bit. I gave some amigurumi and pen lanyards to friends. I’ve sold some pen lanyards. And I’m considering selling some of the finished pieces I don’t need to keep. It would help fund my hobby. Based on the photos I’ve included in this post, would you consider buying one? And, if so, for how much? Because I’m not sure what pricing should be.
Of the amigurumi I’ve kept, most are used for my monthly decoration area. They’re cute and bring me joy.
Advice for beginners
All-in-one kits are very convenient. I would absolutely suggest them for beginners so you aren’t stuck trying to find an easy pattern or left with a ton of extra yarn if you decide it’s not a hobby for you.
That said, not all kits are created equal. Pay attention to ratings. I suggest you stay away from cheap kits at Target, Walmart, 5 Below, etc. The yarn is usually crap, and the patterns are often AI slop.
However, I wouldn’t go with the Woobles unless they have a specific pattern you must have. The Woobles is overpriced, and I’m not a fan of their video instructions, especially for complete beginners.
Instead, try a mid-range kit on Amazon. You can return it easily if the yarn is crap; there are reviews you can look through; and there is a WIDE variety. So far, I’ve tried Crochetta — decent — Crochet Box — mostly good — and Mewaii — pretty good. With an all-in-one kit, look for ones that have the tube style (AKA beginner) yarn. I know tube yarn can be divisive, but I can virtually guarantee it will be better than the cheap, scratchy, acrylic yarn the kits use.
While I truly believe that anyone can learn to crochet, if you’re starting from scratch, it takes some practice, and you have to want to do it.
Fiber arts, in general, aren’t for everyone, but I really enjoy them, and I’m happy I gave crochet another chance.
Do you like crochet? Is it one of your hobbies? Or would you like to try it? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.
Thanks for reading to the end, I hope you enjoyed my post. Make sure to subscribe to my blog or follow me on Instagram so you don’t miss any posts. I generally post at least once a week.
