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amiguruMEI Virtual Book Tour

Mei from amiguruMEI has released her new book Amigurumi People and to celebrate, she is having a Virtual Book Tour. I was extremely honoured to be asked by Mei to participate in her Amigurumi People Virtual Book Tour, and of course I said yes! Mei has designed 16 adorable characters, each with their own story to share. The book, published by Tuva Publishing, is packed with lots of step-by-step photos to help you re-create each of these characters as well as information on the tools and techniques that Mei likes to use. It was very hard choosing which character to make first as they are all super cute! I ended up choosing two - Sleepy Time Sophie and Megan the Exchange Student. I absolutely love how they turned out!  Sleepy Time Sophie from Amigurumi People by Mei Li Lee I loved the colours Mei chose for her Sophie and Megan, however I decided to switch them up as well as embroider the eyes and nose. I also used blush instead of crocheted cheeks. Mei puts a lot of adorable details in h
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Baby Chick [free crochet pattern]

It's been almost a year since I last posted on my blog, so I thought it was about time for another post 😆. I made this little chick 🐣 last year and thought it was time to (finally) share this pattern. If you make a baby chick and share it on Instagram, please tag me  @handmade__byani  or use the hashtag #handmadebyani! If you have any questions about the pattern, please leave a comment below. Happy crocheting! Anika x Baby Chick Pattern Note:  Please do not sell or claim this pattern (whole or in part) as your own. You may sell finished items from this pattern - if you do, please credit Handmade by Ani as the designer. You may share this pattern via a link to this post.  If you would like to translate this pattern into other languages, I would appreciate if you could please send an email to  handmadebyani2017@gmail.com This pattern uses US terminology and is worked in continuous rounds unless otherwise specified. I recommend using a stitch marker or a scrap piece of yarn to mark
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Mangosteen [free crochet pattern]

Mangosteens are one of my favourite fruits. It's hard to find them where I live, and if I do, they're usually quite expensive! They are super juicy and sweet, and are easily found in South East Asian countries. Whenever I travel to Indonesia, it's the first thing I look for! The only negative is that the rind can stain your clothes - so make sure you don't wear your favourite t-shirt 😉 Since I can't eat them that often, I figured, why not crochet one?! Let me know in the comments below if you've had mangosteen before. If you make a mangosteen and share it on Instagram, please tag me  @handmade__byani  or use the hashtag #handmadebyani! If you have any questions about the pattern, please leave a comment below. Happy crocheting! Anika x Mangosteen Pattern Note:  Please do not sell or claim this pattern (whole or in part) as your own. You may sell finished items from this pattern - if you do, please credit Handmade by Ani as the designer. You may share this patter
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Tips and tricks - 6 tips for amigurumi

Almost 5 years ago, I learnt how to crochet after seeing a cute amigurumi bear, and I've been hooked ever since! 😉 Fast forward, I am by no means an expert, however I have learnt a few things that I'd love to share. If you're new to amigurumi, or keen to learn a new trick or two, hopefully this helps! 1. Always use a smaller sized yarn hook than what's specified on the yarn label With amigurumi, you want tight stitches so that the stuffing does not show through. You can try and tighten your tension, however this may put a strain on your hands. An easy way is to use a smaller hook size - normally 1 or 2 hook sizes smaller than what is specified on the yarn label. For example, for 8 ply yarn (also known as DK / light worsted), I like to use a 3mm hook. My collection of hooks! P.S. you can find the free pattern for this dinosaur on my blog  here . 2. Right side vs. wrong side For amigurumi, there is typically a right side and a wrong side. Noting that there may be some de
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More amigurumi books I love

This month has flown by so quick that I almost  didn't meet my goal of posting on my blog at least once a month. It's been a busy month of pattern testing, working on a new design, and getting ready for a CAL (crochet along) that I'm hosting with some crochet friends - an Eggciting Easter CAL starting on 1 March! You can find out more about the CAL on my Instagram  😉 In between breaks, I was looking at my amigurumi book collection. I've always loved collecting fiction books, and it's no different for crochet! I can't believe how much it's grown since I last posted about my favourite amigurumi books. You can read my earlier blog post  here . These are some books that I've added to my collection since then: Amigurumi Treasures 1 by Erinna Lee The lovely Erinna from @littleaquagirl  has designed 15 crochet projects to cherish with this sweet book. It is suitable for all crochet levels, and whichever design you choose to make, you're guaranteed to end u
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Happy New Year! My goals for 2022

Happy New Year! A new year means new goals - and nothing like posting them on a blog to keep you accountable 😅 I don't normally set goals, but this year I have a few for Handmade by Ani: Post at least once a month on this blog, whether it be a free pattern, tips, or sharing my crafty thoughts (and I can tick off January with this post 😉) Design and publish more patterns - see below for my first pattern for 2022, which is currently being tested by my lovely group of testers Organise a Crochet Along (aka CAL) on Instagram  My first pattern for 2022 - Joey the Firefighter Koala I've kept these goals achievable, but if I don't reach them this year, I'll keep the following quote by Bruce Lee in mind A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at. If you'd like to stay up to date on what I'm working on, please check out my Instagram @handmade__byani If there's anything you'd like to see in this blog, or if you want to
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Boo the Beary Cute Ghost [free crochet pattern]

I can't believe how fast this year has flown by! It's almost Halloween and before we know it, it'll be Christmas! I wanted to design something for Halloween, and when I saw my sister's bear ghost drawing, I couldn't resist making a crochet version! 👻🐻 If you're sharing it on Instagram, please tag me  @handmade__byani  or use the hashtags #boothebearycuteghost and #handmadebyani! If you have any questions about the pattern, please leave a comment below. Happy crocheting! Anika x P.S. if you love cute stickers, check out my sister's Etsy shop or Instagram  (note: these are not affiliate links) Boo the Beary Cute Ghost Pattern Here's my inspiration: Credit: @thehappystickerco Note:  Please do not sell or claim this pattern (whole or in part) as your own. You may sell finished items from this pattern - if you do, please credit Handmade by Ani as the designer. You may share this pattern via a link to this post.  If you would like to translate this pattern
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