Episode 6: Free Instagram Crochet Amigurumi Patterns ✧ Are They Worth Your Time? ✧ 

Lol thank you so much 😂😂

I agree that cow tails are long, but this one isn't proportionate to this cow's body. Just my personal preference.

Thanks for watching 🩷

No problem 🩷

Awww thanks so much for the feedback!! It makes me so happy when people find these videos helpful 🩷

Ooooo that's a good idea!!!

Good luck!!! 🩷

Thanks so much 🩷

No worries!! It's still a good pattern, I really like how it turns out!! I'll be testing some more of your patterns in the future as well 🩷

That's totally fair! There are definitely makers out there that do market prep for worsted weight. I mostly choose to work with chenille yarn because it feels so much softer and customers definitely notice it, and are more likely to purchase!

@@pieces_of_scrap I need to look for those individuals! I love the detail that comes with worsted weight yarns! They are a big hit with all age ranges and not just little ones

I'm glad someone else understands my struggle!!

Haha I know right? She's adorable!!

Thanks so much!!

No problem!! Glad I could help make your pattern better 🩷

Yeah I always really struggled with eye placement when I first started, they always ended up looking uneven. But you just gotta mess with it before snapping the backs on to get it the best you can before committing. My problem is when I have to sew on muzzles between the eyes and I don't know if I left enough room between the eyes, and then on top of that sometimes I still see the muzzle on slightly off centered and it still looks wonky 😂

Thank you!!

Thank you!!!

That's not necessarily true! Lots of pattern designers nowadays are having pattern tester calls before releasing their patterns for free. I tested 5 patterns as a part of tester calls in January, 2 of which were free patterns 😊 and I agree! If you're willing to make some adjustments, you can make any pattern work, but the reason I do these reviews is to help people decide whether or not they will try the pattern. Thanks for watching 🩷

Maybe! I agree, the pandas are definitely my favorite pattern from this bunch 🩷

😂

I agree! But for most amigurumi patterns, the stitches that are involved are normally pretty basic ones (SC, DC, HDC, BBL, SL ST, etc) that most crocheters would know anyway. My biggest problem is when patterns have a stitch that isn't a basic stitch or a technique that is different than the norm and the pattern doesn't thoroughly explain the instructions. Hope that helps!

@pieces_of_scrap I guess I see it as the makers' responsibility to learn the stitch if they don't know it. I started crochet at 5. The way I was taught is that you master the chain and tension, then you move on to sc, etc. I guess maybe it's a lot of makers only want to learn to make animuguri and therefore skip a whole bunch of basics. A bobble stitch to me is a basic stitch. A front post dbl is also basic, but I have never seen it in animuguri. I there are ussues with pattern writers as well. Everybody thinks they can write a pattern when, in reality, they can't truly read a pattern. Some of the free patterns I have looked at are so wordy. It should almost be all abbreviations and punctuation like an algerbra equation. Also, if someone one writes a pattern they plan in selling before they even have a tester call, they should be paying a crochet proof reader to make sure it is written correctly. I am just baffled by the attitude it wasn't written for ME to understand, so it is wrong. I am a lefty, I had to figure a lot out by trial and error and reverse instructions in my head, the same with knitting. I just see an onslaught of people making videos judging other people's patterns and not un a happy community spirit.

I'm not at all saying that any of these patterns are "wrong" if they have a low rating. All I'm doing by reviewing these patterns is bringing up my thoughts and concerns I have with a pattern before another maker may use the pattern, so that they can decide if they want to go ahead and try the pattern based on my feedback. Not only do these videos help the potential makers make a decision, but it also promotes these patterns that may not have gotten attention otherwise. I'm certainly not bashing anyone with the comments I have, it's all constructive criticism and almost everytime I have a note about something I don't like about a pattern I offer a potential solution. There are definitely a lot of different skill levels out there, but I agree with you completely: most people doing amigurumi nowadays are true beginners when it comes to crochet altogether, and therefore that's why I expect the patterns to be thorough and explain "new" stitches well. Most people who work with popular amigurumi patterns only need to know the most basic crochet stitches: SC, HDC, and DC, as well as INC and DEC stitches. I have been crocheting since I was in middle school, I'm 26 now and I understand that there are more people out there that have more experience than me in crochet. That doesn't discount the fact that the average person trying these patterns will be a beginner crocheter at heart, which is why I believe these patterns really need to be easy to understand and have thorough instructions about "new-to-beginner" stitches. I'm happy to make a video further clarifying the reason I make these review videos if you still find concern with how I'm rating these patterns, if you still disagree with the way I make the decisions about my ratings.