Crocheting is in. That should be clear. There are more and more books from Dutch soil with fun amigurumi patterns. Christel Krukkert, Annemarie Arts and Tessa van Riet-Ernst are well-known names among experienced crocheters. More and more inexperienced crocheters also come into contact with the patterns of these ladies. The patterns are easy, simple and quick to assemble. The critters are so much fun that you want to get started right away.
There are a number of designers in the field of crochet booklets. These are mainly crochet books in the field of crocheted animals, amigurumi.
Amigurumi
Amigurumi is a form of crochet. It’s Japanese for knitted stuffed toy. Nowadays the plush toys are mainly crocheted, although you sometimes also see knitted stuffed toys passing by. The standard characteristics that amigurumi must meet are: A small body and a large head. Because they are actually out of proportion, they become cute.
Amigurumi are crocheted using the spiral technique. Normally, each round is closed with a slip stitch. This rarely happens with amigurumi. When a zebra is made, it does happen. The stripes then become more beautiful and do not jump.
Now that amigurumi is so popular, more and more books from Dutch soil are appearing.
Tessa van Riet – Ernst
Tessa van Riet – Ernst is known to most crochet enthusiasts. Not because of her book, but because of her company. She is the founder of Koekeridoo. This was a webshop with amigurumi supplies. Nowadays she works with business partner Kim Echtstudio. A webshop where you can still buy crochet supplies, but also ready-made things.
Amigurumi & More
Tessa released the booklet Amigurumi & More in August. Here are various self-invented patterns in the Echtstudio / Kookeridoo style. This means: A large muzzle and the eyes close together. The cartridges show when it is Tessa’s hand.
Amigurumi & More contains sixteen patterns to make amigurumi. The patterns consist of:
- Flower magnets
- Birds in a ring that is crocheted
- A little bunny
- A monkey
- A magnetic key ring
- 2 chickens and their nest eggs
- A fox
- A giraffe family
- A kangaroo with young
- A dragon
- A knight with a hobby horse
- A matryoshka for your crochet hooks
- A pajama bag in the shape of the kookeridoo sheep
The difficulty level is indicated for each pattern, so you can see if something can be done or if you need more experience. In addition, the different crochet stitches are explained very clearly by means of photos. Tessa also gives a tip on how to make yarn fluffy. Tessa also sells other patterns, such as from pig Jotte, through her webshop, Echtstudio.nl.
Annemarie Arts
Annemarie Arts is also one of the lucky ones who has published a booklet with crochet patterns. She works at publishing house Forte, which also publishes the books of Christel Krukkert, for example. Annemarie has been crocheting since 2009 and now she has already released 2 crochet books with her own patterns. She has been creating these patterns since 2010.
In the booklet Baby Presents Crochet everything can be found, for example, to give a great maternity package. It contains the following patterns:
- A helicopter
- A sheep
- Crochet lucky dolls
- A hammer to rattle
- A snail to stack rings around
- A plane
- A stork
- A bird mobile
Her new booklet Gelukspoppetjes crochet has just been released and the Geluk family plays the leading role. There are therefore only lucky dolls for all kinds of occasions such as:
- A bride and groom for a wedding
- A baby at birth
- A Santa at Christmas
- Saint Nicholas
- A birthday girl at a birthday
In addition, she sells crochet idea on her webshop. She sells even more patterns here that are not in her books.
Christel Krukkert
Christel Krukkert is probably the most famous of this list. Originally she is an illustrator, but since about 2009 she also makes crochet patterns of animals. She heard complaints that there were too few Dutch crochet patterns. She thought that was a good reason to come up with patterns herself. Since then she has been popular in crochet land and amigurumi crocheters know her.
She has translated her patterns into English and also wants to convince foreign crocheters of the charm of her creatures. Some of her amigurumis have a lot of charisma indeed.
Her books
In the meantime four booklets of her hand have been published. Three with different crochet patterns of bugs. Ten patterns can be found in her first book Crochet Beestenboel:
- A rat
- A chicken
- A seahorse
- A monkey
- A giraffe
- A sheep
- A cat
- A rabbit
- A peacock
- A butterfly
Her second booklet crochet animal friends also contains ten crochet patterns of different animals:
- A zebra
- A camel
- A lion
- An ostrich
- A hedgehog
- A mouse
- A mole
- A turtle
- A penguin
- A pig
Crocheting small stuffed animals is her third book. This booklet also has all kinds of patterns of animals. This time nine patterns of different animals:
- A vulture
- A crocodile
- A cow
- A frog
- A polar bear
- A dog
- A chameleon
- A parrot
- A vulture
- A squirrel
Crocheting flowers is her fourth book. This time no amigurumi, but in this book she shows you how to make the most beautiful flowers. It contains patterns of:
- Daisies
- Poppies
- A bag of flowers
- A scarf with flowers
- A red bag
- A mobile case
- A wallet
- A necklace with roses
She also sells the cartridges separately through her website. She is working on a new booklet that will be released in March 2012.