Sweet Strawberries for Valentine's Day

Ever since I created my first batch of strawberry themed amigurumi I've been itching to revisit them because they were so much fun to make. I figured this month would be a great time with Valentine's Day just around the corner. Chocolate covered strawberries are popular around the holiday . . . do you think maybe strawberry covered bunnies and bears will catch on just as well? :)

The first strawberry trio were crocheted out of mohair blend yarn, but this time I used some fluffy chenille yarn.

I normally use beads for the strawberry seeds on the caps, but since most of my crafting supplies (beads included) are still tucked away in storage I had to improvise some. Instead, I just embroidered dozens and dozens of french knots with some pale yellow crochet thread. It's a tedious process, but I love the end result.

To complete the outfit, I gave them coordinating ruffled scarves.

Since strawberries are the theme for this month, I thought I would share with you a simple pattern to crochet a large, juicy strawberry of your own. The strawberry is about 3.5 inches long and 2 inches wide. It's a nice size to use as a pin cushion, which is what I use it for. Or maybe attach a clasp to make it into a keychain.

Strawberry Amigurumi Crochet Pattern

Use sport weight yarn with a 3.5 hook

Terms:

magic adjustable ring -- see link

sc -- single crochet

st(s) -- stitch (es)

sc2tog -- single crochet decrease

sl st -- slip stitch

ch(s) -- chain(s)

Strawberry:

Round 1: 6 sc into magic adjustable ring, pull tail to close and weave in end witha darning needle (6)

Round 2: 2 sc in each st around (12)

Round 3: 1 sc in each st around (12)

Round 4: *1 sc in one st, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around (18)

Round 5: 1 sc in each st around (18)

Round 6: *1 sc in next two sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around (24)

Round 7: 1 sc in each st around (24)

Round 8: 1 sc in each st around (24)

Round 9: * 1 sc in next three sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around (30)

Round 10: *1 sc in next four sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around (36)

Round 11: 1 sc in each st around (36)

Round 12: 1 sc in each st around (36)

Round 13: *1 sc in next five sts; 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around (42)

Round 14: 1 sc in each st around (42)

Round 15: *1 sc in next six sts: 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around (48)

Round 16: 1 sc in each st around (48)

Round 17: *1 sc in next four sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around (40)

Round 18: *1 sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around (32)

Round 19: *1 sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around (24)

Round 20: *1 sc in one st, sc2tog; repeat from * around (16)

Round 21: *sc2tog; repeat from * around (8). Leave a tail long enough for stitching.

Stuff with fiberfill. Thread tail with darning needle and weave tail in and out of the opening's edge in a running stitch, then pull taught to close opening. Tie off.

Stem & Leaf Top:

Round 1: 6 sc into magic adjustable ring, pull tail to close and weave in end with a darning needle (6)

Round 3: 1 sc in each st around (6)

Round 4: 2 sc in each st around (12)

Round 5: * sl st in next st, ch 6, sl st in second chain from end, 1 sc in next three chs, 1 hdc in next ch, sl st in next st over; repeat from * 6x to form six leaves. Leave a long tail for stitching.

Thread tail with darning needle and stitch stem & leaf to the top of the strawberry. Tie off. Because the leaves tend to curl up, tack down each leaf (I stitch them down with needle and thread, but you can use a dot of fabric or hot glue) to the strawberry's body.

Enjoy!

A Fresh Start

Let me begin by wishing everyone a belated Happy New Year! :) Have you all made any resolutions for 2012? Have you been sticking to them? Well, I'm happy to report that by writing this post I am sticking to one of mine: I resolved to start crafting and blogging again. I took a much longer break from my hobbies than I expected . . . I had no idea how time consuming and all encompassing having a baby would be! And if that wasn't enough I'm also in the process of buying and moving into a new home. It's precisely during chaotic times like these that I feel the need for a creative outlet.

Thankfully, my son is turning one next month (how time flies!) and he's gotten a bit less clingy and needy, which allows me some much needed crafting time. Now it's not nearly as much time as I would like, but even an hour or two a week is enough to scratch my creative itch.

Back to my staple mohair bunnies and bears! You have no idea how terrified I was when I picked up my crochet needle and started working. I was convinced I had forgotten how to make them! However, after a few glitches (how the heck do you decrease again?!) it all slowly came back to me.

I really wanted to sew up some apron dresses for the gals above. Unfortunately my trusty ol' Singer sewing machine is packed away in storage at the moment. I decided to crochet the apron dresses instead . . . and add some handy little pockets.

These girls are dressed a bit more fanciful . . . going to a party perhaps?

Please visit my shop, where they will all become available shortly.

I will end my first post of the New Year by thanking everyone who visits. I appreciate you all for stopping by and taking the time to write me and leave comments. I apologize if I have been so sporadic in my posting or in my replies. I've just been so busy!

However, I did resolve to change all that. I have plans to kick my blog into high gear . . . with more posts and tutorials and just tons more cute! :)

Thank you for dropping by!