As you all know, I don't do a lot of stuffed toys. That's changed recently due to my current personal project, but outside of that project, I normally do maybe one stuffed animal per year, if one of my children requests it and I find a pattern that intrigues me.
One of my sons just turned five. His special stuffed animal that he's had since he was very little is an axolotl from Squishmallow. For his birthday, he wanted a "baby axolotl" to be friends with his "big" axolotl. Since axolotls are trendy, there are plenty of patterns to choose from on Ravelry, and he picked out this crochet pattern from U.mei Creations. The pattern costs $3.75 Canadian, which is about $3 American.
The sample shown in the pattern was made from worsted weight cotton, but I used I Love This Yarn! Solids from Yarn Bee (Hobby Lobby's brand of worsted weight acrylic) and a little black embroidery floss for the eyes and mouth. My son and I are both very happy with how it came out.
The pattern is easy to follow and laid out in a logical manner. There are clear photos provided for each step of the process, and I didn't really feel the need to change anything significant as I worked. The axolotl worked up in an evening, which isn't all that surprising, considering that the finished animal is under six inches long.
The only thing I changed about the pattern was that I did the frills on the sides of the head as surface crochet, rather than making six pieces that each needed to be attached to the head. I certainly understand writing the pattern the way it's written, since writing instructions to do the frills as two bits of surface crochet would be complicated, but making them in one piece that attaches as you work makes the finishing a lot simpler and more secure. Even so, I still followed the photo instructions for placement and spacing.
I also embroidered the eyes on, rather than using buttons or safety eyes, which are what the instructions suggest.
Because this pattern is heavy on photos (which is a good thing!), I really recommend that you use it either printed out or on a computer or tablet screen. If you try following the pattern on your phone, you'll be constantly reorienting the page and zooming in and out on different parts of the instructions. That's not a complaint, just an observation, since I liked the layout.
Overall, I really liked this pattern. I think it makes a great little gift, especially if you don't have a lot of time or want a little something to go along with a bigger present. Since it's fast and easy, it's also a good candidate if you are looking to make stuffed critters for donation, or just a simple introduction to the world of amigurumi. And since it's small, it's a good use for scraps in your stash.
This post has been linked to HIH, Busy Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Senior Salon, WITS, Wonderful Wednesday, The Stitchin' Mommy, and Thursday Favorite Things.
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