Cat Sack

Pattern?: Crochet Cat Cave Pattern by NinjaBunnyCrochet
Yarn?: Bernat Blanket yarn in Sonoma
Hook Size?: 8.0 mm
Lessons Learned?: Simple pattern here!

 Another cat gift! I made a sack for some cats to climb into. Isn't it cute? Will update with pictures of said cats. If they ever get in, that is.

Update...


 It appears the cats like the sack! I have also talked with the sack recipient, and I agreed to make 3 more sacks for friends and cat shelters! They bought more blanket yarn and hoops on sale!


Gojo Satoru Cat

Pattern?: Crochet Gojo Cat/Cat with Sunglasses Plush by CrocheibaiMe
Yarn?: White Bernat Blanket yarn (I think baby blanket?)
Hook Size?: 6.0 mm
Lessons Learned?: I got better with using felt!
I would try to make the stitches cleaner.

 This was a gift so not a lot of pictures! I have a friend who really, really likes Gojo. So I made her a little Gojo cat! He is very soft and squeezable. I used felt for his glasses and face. Although it is not shown, I used embroidery thread to sew on the felt. Makes it a little more secure. I blushed the mouth and cheeks. Happy with the pattern. You can easily size it up too with jumbo size 7 yarn!


Welcome to the Crochet Corner!

 Crochet is a hobby I picked up a couple of years ago. I am not an exprienced crocheter, but I am getting back into it. I've been crocheting amigurumi (stuffed animals) recently, but I want to try other things such as large wearables.

 I like crochet for multiple reasons. I feel a special connection to my homemade pieces, more than buying a mass-produced piece at the store. With crochet, I feel like I can manipulate the mass of yarn in any way I want. Like Blender, but in real life. Complete 3D control. This can unleash unlimited creativity in the hand of an experienced crocheter! Another reason is just due to the calming repetitive motions of making stitches. All the way through I feel calmed, and I have a completed project at the end to look forward to! Crocheted projects are the perfect gifts for friends, family, whoever. Or you can keep the for yourself! That's valid. Oh, and I love yarn! The COLORS, the textures, the possibilites. I'm not a yarn horder yet, but I may get there one day! ^^;;

 Speaking of yarn, my absolute favorite type for amigurumi has been the Bernet Blanket brand yarn. No shedding, tons of color variety, soft yet tough enough to withstand play. I bought chenille / plush recently and was unpleasantly surprised over how much it shed -_- Make sure you burn the tips with a lighter to prevent it from falling apart!


A Fake FAQ for Crochet:

  • How good are you?
  •  Take a look and decide for yourself! I try my best and don't have a problem with the "intermediate" patterns I've done. But I'm still not that experenced... Maybe "upper beginner"? ^^;;

  • Favorite things to crochet?
  •  Amigurumi or blankets as of now. I want to keep trying different things.

  • Is crochet the same as knitting?
  •  Hell no! Crochet is completely different and uses a single hook to pull yarn through. I have never tried knitting personally. All love and respect to knitters!

  • Will you ever sell your work?
  •  HELL NO! At least not as a regular thing. 1) Crochet is a hobby for me, not a job! 2) Yarn is expensive and crochet takes time. It's very likely that I would work for less than minimum wage. 3) I crochet everything with love! It's for me, my family, and friends!

     Okay, most people on Neocities draw... so you know how if you or someone else draws, how sometimes people won't take the skill seriously? Like how someone might ask for you to draw them for free and get offended if you don't want to? "Begging choosers" or whatever it's called? It's like that with crochet! People do not understand how expensive yarn is. Or how long it can take to make something! Friends, classmates, coworkers, whoever will come up to you and almost demand you to make something. And then act entitled when you say no! "CaN YoU mAkE Me a HaT?" STFU, do I look like I run a charity? People who run crochet booths always have memes about how people will come and say "ThAt'S tOo ExPeNsiVe"

     If you have a friend who crocheted something for you, please genuinely thank them for their gift. You don't see buying the materials, finding / making the pattern, and all the time it takes behind the scenes.

  • Will you ever sell patterns?
  •  Maybe in the future. However, it would take time to test any patterns I write. And the pattern would have to be as clear as possible to other people! I need more confidence in my skills!

  • Is crochet hard? + How do I learn?
  •  Depends on the pattern! It gets easier with practice though. If you want to learn, this is the Youtube video that got me started! Check out Youtube tutorials and maybe some beginner kits.

  • Can crochet really not be done by machine? I saw this granny square sweater at Target the other day blahblahblah
  •  No! Seriously! There are knitting stitches that look very similar to crochet which mass-produced fashion brands use. Or maybe someone is crocheting that cute top in a sweatshop. There's a reason large crocheted stuffed-animals will often cost upwards of $75+ on Etsy!

  • Is that dragon yarn bowl yours?
  •  Yep, my picture! It's from this Etsy shop.

  • Do you watch TV while crocheting?
  •  If I'm crocheting something that doesn't require counting stitches (especially blankets), sure! It's nice to turn my brain off with the repetitive motion. If it's an intricate project then no.


Hazy the Cat!

Pattern?: Kitten Crochet Pattern by crochetbykittengrll
Yarn?: Bernat Blanket yarn in Frosted Blue (body)
Loops and Threads Sweet Snuggles Lite in Ice Green
Hook Size?: 5.5 mm (I think?)
Lessons Learned?: I think I did alright with Hazy! I would still see if I could do the chenille color changes on the ears better.

 Isn't Hazy so cute? That's what I named him due to his gray fur! I love crochetbykittengrll's patterns and style of eyes. Hazy is as cuddly as he looks. The Bernat Blanket yarn makes him quite durable as well for snuggles. I recommend this pattern and may modify it a little to make a fox for me or my loved ones. Oh, I also changed the tail a little to make it fatter.


"Pochonkko"!

Pattern?: pochacco pattern by lovelee.crochet
Yarn?: Bernat Velvet yarn in White (body)
Bernat Velvet yarn in Black (body)
Hook Size?: 5.5 mm
Lessons Learned?: Where do I even begin lol

 Not my best work! Nor is it the pattern's fault. I made this after I got the Pochacco Build-a-Bear! Isn't he adorable?? I wanted to give him a friend.... so this triggered me going back to amigurumi after I took a break. Let's just say that I would do a lot differently if I had the chance. Counting stitches, the face, decreasing, etc. Notice the loose end on his right ear I'm too lazy to tuck in again?

 One thing you should know about me is that I love calling cats and cute characters "chonks" or "chonkers" regardless of size. So I kept calling my work here "Pochonkko", and it stuck. I don't care about the mistakes. He is simply too cute to ever dislike, even a little. Pochonkko and a lot of fun with his bigger friend. I like feeling the velvet yarn stitches. I actually want to make this again, but with a black body and white ears. What should I name him? "Pochacco, dark mode"? "Pachocca"?? No. I can't come up with a name for a black-furred Pochacco right now.


Kururun!

Pattern?: Completely Free-handed!
Yarn?: Bernat Baby Blanket in Baby Pink (body)
Bernat Baby Blanket Sparkle in Hot Pink Sparkle (ears and tail)
Hook Size?: 6.0 mm (I would go even smaller tbh)
Lessons Learned?: Use the invisible decrease, shape the project better, etc.

 If you've never seen Tropical-Rouge PreCure then Kururun is a cute little critter who's a sea fairy! She is an ally to the Cures and the Mermaid Queen's pet. (Yes I know Kururun's sex is technically unknown, but I'm calling it a she, mkay.) Kururun is one of my favorite mascots in the PreCure franchise, and I knew I just had to have a plush of her! There is an official plush Kururun which I'll probably buy off of Ebay.jp eventually in the future, but I thought her cute round form could easily be captured in crochet form! Here's some official art of the 'Run:



 So I completely just freehanded this pattern (yes, I'm proud of that). I made a magic circle, increased until I got the height of the 'Run's face down, then crocheted rounds to make her horizontal body. What I did then is decrease on one side of the ring to make the body get skinner and skinner. I decreased it all at the end to make her tail lift a little. The tail are also shaped in a similar way, with increases and decreases on certain sides to make an oval shape. Her ears are essentially heart pieces. I then used felt to make her eyes and nose. The felt had a sticky backing, but I embroidered it on to make it more secure. The muzzle is two circles crocheted together. The smile and eyelashes are embroidery.
 If I could do this differently, I would use the 1) invisible decrease method, 2) use an even smaller hook, and 3) capture Kururun's fat cheeks. But I'm very happy with my result. *Simply Nailogical voice* What do you think?