Fantastic book of amigurumi Fairy Tale characters

Once Upon a Time . . . in Crochet: 30 Amigurumi Characters from Your Favorite Fairytales

By: Lynne Rowe

Rating: 5 of 5

I had been looking for a great book of amigurumi fairy tale characters when I came across “Once Upon a Time in Crochet” by Lynne Rowe. I pre-ordered it a month or two ago and when it arrived, I was thrilled with both the selection and the imagination used to create the characters.

To start with, the cast of characters: The Princess and the Pea (including bed and blankets), The Ugly Duckling, Three Billy Goats Gruff (and troll), Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Puss in Boots, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Little Red Riding Hood (and standing wolf), The Three Little Pigs (and sitting wolf), The Frog Prince, Hansel and Gretel (and witch), and to finish, Rapunzel (and her castle.)

The majority of the patters are made with DK (8-ply) and fingering (4-ply) yarns. What is really nice is that the patterns each provide the weight and yardage needed for the various yarns. I imagine that you can substitute other yarns but you would need to be consistent and it would certainly effect the size of the project and the amount of yarn you would need.

In addition to hooks and yarn, the author suggests that you also use a tapestry needle with a large eye (she refers to this as a wool needle but blunt ended needles are generally referred to as tapestry), stitch markers, sharp scissors, tape measure, rust-proof pins, project bag, notebook and pen, sewing needle and thread, safety eyes and noses, spray starch, toy filling, and felt and fabric pieces for various accessories, etc. I have crocheted for more than thirty years and all of these suggestions make a lot of sense.

In going through the patterns, I noticed that there are some other odd bits and pieces you will need to finish the designs but nothing extraordinary that you will not easily find. The only thing that I wish she had added would have been actual brands of yarn she used and perhaps some on-line sources for some of the items she calls for. As yarns change and online stores come and go, I can understand why these may not be included.

As far as hooks are concerned, you will need the size that gives you the best gauge and which are comfortable in your hand. For ergonomic reasons, I find Tulip Etimo to be the best for me and I like that they have a huge range in sizes. My next favorite is Clover Soft Touch – but again, you have to use what fits best in your hand, has the head you prefer, and which doesn’t cause undue stress in your hand or elbow.

The author includes a number of hints and techniques. The techniques including starting with a magic loop, stuffing, adding safety eyes and noses (I really needed this!), stitching heads and bodies together, mattress stitch, making moving arms and legs, making pompoms with a fork (and fingers), blocking, attaching hair, making curls, and even making a hair cap. A good number of these techniques were fairly new to me, so I was really pleased to learn them.

I am really pleased with this book. The pictures are outstanding. The directions are top-notch and take you through each part of the design. I follow US directions, so the book utilizing that format makes it easier for me; however, the author does include a UK conversion at the back of the book for those who follow that format.

I plan to make each and every one of the characters in this book at least once and more likely, at least three times (for myself and my two daughters) so I am sure to put a lot of wear and tear on this book. It is a lovely book that I highly recommend to anyone who loves amigurumi or fairy tales. I believe that the directions are useable by anyone from beginner up to advance but a beginner might want to have access to someone who can answer questions if they have never crocheted before.