Amigurumi Collection “Easy Crochet Critters” Book Review

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The Vanna’s Choice Easy Crochet Critters book has 10 fun and fast amigurumi animal designs! All these dolls are easy and fun to crochet and less than 11 inches tall. They are perfect for babies and children! Read my review of this crochet amigurumi collection book to hear my experience with these amazing critters.

Why Amigurumi?

I have a lot of babies who are about to or have just come into my life. I have friends having babies, and cousin-in-laws having babies, and I recently found out my sister-in-law is also expecting! It is so exciting to think my family is getting bigger with new life.

I love making handmade items for the little ones. I always want to make things I hope they will enjoy, not just when they are babies, but when they are toddlers, and little kids too. Clothing is fun to make, but the moms and dads seem to enjoy them more than the kids themselves.

So I tend to make blankets, lovies, and especially amigurumi.

Amigurumi is probably my favorite thing to make because as babies they cuddle with it, but the real fun comes when they become toddlers. Their imagination kicks in and the stuffed animals I made take on a life of their own. They go on grand adventures, and fight off evil (or nightmares if you ask my 5 year old niece who STILL loves the stuffed bunny I made her).

And kids never get tired of receiving new amigurumis.

Because I love them so much, I never stop looking for new patterns and animals to create. With all the diversity among designers, there is no shortage of amigurumi patterns in almost any size and style you can imagine!

THIS Amigurumi Collection!

And a few months ago, I found a really fun crochet amigurumi collection! It’s a pattern book from Lion Brand with all little amigurumis in it. 10 tiny animals that fit in the palm of your [adult] hand. They are all listed as “easy” skill level, but a beginner who pays close attention could probably tackle them as they are all made with single crochet stitches.

If you need help with the single crochet stitch, visit my single crochet stitch tutorial post for more help!

Each pattern uses such a small amount of yarn I would almost call them stash busters! Since they are so small, the animals can be made in a short time too!

When I first wrote this pattern I had worked the monkey, hippo, and elephant, but since then, I’ve worked each of the 10 animals in the book.

Get your copy of Cute Crochet Critters here!!

Specific Info and FAQs

About The Book

The little book measures about 8.5 x 5.5 inches on the front cover. It is closer to 11 inches wide when opened.

This crochet amigurumi collection book contains 48 pages with full color photos and detailed drawings. Each animal is pictured multiple times from various angles in their own feature photo and with some of the animal friends!

It contains an introduction page written by Vanna White, and also features a spread of Vanna’s Choice yarn colors in their baby collection, prints and mists collection, and of course the standard yarn collection.

The pattern for each easy animal is included and usually written over 3 – 5 pages. Detailed instructions are given for each pattern.

After the patterns, the book also features a few pages of general instructions with some reference charts and then quick instruction on some basic stitches and techniques.

About The Patterns

The Easy Crochet Critters book has 10 amigurumi patterns. Elephant, Hippo, Monkey, Giraffe, Alligator, Lion,  Seal, Walrus, Snowy Owl, and Penguin. Each animal pattern is written for an easy skill level.

They are all worked with single crochet stitches completed in the round. The animals are worked in pieces and then sewn together at the end of each pattern. The placement for things like legs and ears is easy to copy based on the photos they provide.

UPDATE: I have finished all animals in the book! Please check out the full collection of animals I crocheted from these patterns below…

About The Yarn

The patterns call for Vanna’s Choice yarn from Lion Brand. I did use that yarn for 2 of the patterns I’ve tried thus far, but for the third one, I used Red Heart Super Saver. I wanted to make sure that it would work out with any worsted weight yarn available in my stash. And it worked gloriously! I’ll let you be the judge… Can you tell which animal was made with which yarn?

The patterns also call for two 6mm plastic safety eyes. But you know I can’t work a pattern and follow all of the directions, right?

Since it is my intention to give these cuties away to babies and children, I used embroidery thread to sew eyes into place on each animal. I think it is safer than putting plastic eyes on that may fall off in time and become a choking hazard.

Click Here Now to Purchase Your Own Copy of Lion Brand’s Cute Crochet Critters!

About The Hook

The patterns are all written in US terms, but do provide metric hook sizes, yarn requirements, and finished sizes.  None of the patterns provide a specific gauge, but it is best to use a small enough hook that the stuffing will not be seen through your stitches.

I used my G6 / 4mm hook. I love the one pictures below with the polymer clay handles! They aren’t technically ergonomic, but the thicker handle makes it much easier to hold the hook for an extended period of time (especially the hooks that are on the smaller side!) I also LOVE these hooks because there are a ton of options available and are a great way to personalize your hook collection! Click here to get your own polymer clay handle hooks!

Purchasing the Book

The crochet amigurumi collection book costs $4.95. Which is a great price for 10 animal patterns. I’ve spent that much on Etsy patterns for a single animal in the past!

There is currently no option for digital download copy of the book. After you purchase it, they will send you a hard copy in the mail. I personally prefer a hard copy, and will frequently print out any digital downloads I get because I like to be able to write notes about the pattern in the margins.

There is a shipping fee, but since it greatly varies based on where you live, I hesitate to include it here. I tried a few different zip codes around the United States when I was doing a bit of research on this and the shipping price seems to be about another $3 – $6 depending on where you are located. They do offer expedited shipping to the contiguous 48 for an additional fee. And you can have this book shipped not just in the US, but all over the world. They also have additional fees to have the book shipped outside the United States.

Returning The Book

I am so incredibly happy with this book I cannot image why you would ever want to return it… but this is always a question I get so I wanted to include it.

If you decide you do not want the book within 12 hours of your order being placed, you can usually call Lion Brand and let them know. They can generally cancel the order through their system.

If they cannot cancel the order, it is usually because it has already been processed by their warehouse and has been shipped. If that is the case you must wait for delivery of the item. Either refuse the delivery of the package or return it for a full refund.

If you have received the item and opened the package, you have 60 days to return the item. At this point in the process, the customer is responsible for the return shipping charges. A packing slip with return instructions in included in every package, so it is easy to follow the directions and process the return.

Any questions can be answered by contacting Lion Brand’s phone line or by emailing support@lionbrand.com. I have spoken with them several times to answer questions about their programs, and they are always fast and courteous.

Some Tips from My Experience with This Crochet Amigurumi Collection

Tip #1 The patterns in this book all start with “Ch 2” and then work the first row in the second chain from the hook. Which usually results in a little hole where the pattern was started (see monkey’s nose?) I found that I really like to use the magic circle in place of that instruction.

Tip #2 While the book does give a quick guide on how to work a decrease single crochet stitch, I also prefer to use the invisible decrease instead. Especially in places where the pattern goes from larger to smaller quickly (such as going from the head of the elephant to his trunk). To work an invisible decrease, you work the stitches normally, but you only work in the front loop of the stitches. The back loop is left un-worked, and hence hides the hole left behind a little better.

Start working on these adorable amigurumi patterns today!

Tip #3 This tip, isn’t so much a tip as an easy option for you to change the size of your animals easily. In the photo below the pink elephant was made using single crochet stitches, as the pattern calls for. The purple elephant was made with half double crochet stitches. I followed the instruction for the rows exactly the same way, except used half double crochet stitch instead of single crochet stitches; including the increase and decrease stitches.

I hope these easy tricks help on your amigurumi journey. And I also hope you enjoy this Easy Crochet Critters Book as much as I have. I know I will be pulling out this cute critters book again and again to remake these animals for many years.

If you need some additional help to put the amigurumi animals together, check out this tutorial I did. It is for a much bigger animal, but the concept is the same.

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do! Thank you for letting me share my experience with you. Please comment to let me know which animal you are most excited to make!