“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Get to know one of our online instructors, Ms. Anneleen Van Dyck and her advocacy! She has helped out communities by teaching them Amigurumi through her social enterprise Mayown.

They have been producing amazing work and selling them online!

You Click here if you want to get her online classes.

The post Interview with Anneleen Van Dyck of Mayown appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting stuffed yarn creatures. The word is a combination of the Japanese words ami (knitted) and nuigurumi (Stuffed doll). It has gained recent popularity due to the Kawaii (cute and adorable) culture Japan has brought to the US and the rest of the world.

Now that you picked up this hobby and purchased our Amigurumi class you want to start the ground running and make those cool and cute creations for friends and family. Here are some tips that can help you on that journey.

How to start Amigurumi

Step 1: Learn the basics

Amigurumi involves a lot of patterns to stich your creations. With that being said, basic stitches like chain slipstich and single crochets are essential in executing those intricate designs.  There are online video tutorials covering these and here’s a sample video you can watch.

Step 2: Choose your yarn

100% cotton is the best for this. Easily washable and color safe, these lovable creations of yours will stand the test of time if you choose the best materials.

Step 3: Start small

Take on projects that will help you gain the skills and confidence to tackle harder much intricate designs.

Step 4: Get the tools of the trade

There is a website called the Little Yarn Friends that has got you covered. From Yarn needles, crochet hooks, pins and cushions. The article covers all the tools you need to make those fanciful creations. Amigurumi is a craft that’s not that expensive compared to most so its not that difficult to purchase.

Step 5: Practice seaming

As your patterns get more complex, some assembly is required and being able to sew is key. A well put together crocheted animal will pull in the likes if you post these on social media.

Step 6: Study the patterns

Amigurumi patterns can be very daunting since at first glance those patterns are just a bunch of coded letters so it helps to commit to memory what those codes mean.

These are the very basics that will help you succeed in this craft. Let us know on the comments section how this article and online class on Amigurumi helped you make your first creations.  Feel free to post those as well also on our Facebook page for everyone to marvel at.

The Bailiwick Team

The post How to start and succeed in Amigurumi appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.