My First Amigurumi: A Bear with Extra Character
I’ve mentioned my first project before—an amigurumi bear with a little extra character. Everything I needed came in one package, so I was eager to dive in and get started right away. Armed with a cheap hook, yarn that was more like twine, and absolutely no crochet knowledge, I opened the instructions… and froze.
Terms like magic ring, single crochet (SC), double crochet (DC), increase (INC), decrease (DEC), and slip stitch (SL) filled the page, and I realized I couldn’t just dive in without doing a bit of research first. But where to begin?
Repetition: My First Teacher
When I first started, repetition became my best friend. All I had was enough yarn to make one bear, so wasting any of it was not an option. I was determined to make this work, but I’ve always had a tendency to start projects I’m excited about… only to quit halfway. It’s not something I’m proud of, but it’s something I’ve been working on improving.
Because of this, I didn’t want to invest any more money into my crochet journey until I was sure I was committed. So, I kept it simple—repeatedly making a magic ring after watching a tutorial, then learning how to single crochet (SC) into the ring. Once I got a few stitches done, I’d unravel everything (a.k.a. “frogging”) and start over.
I must have restarted over a hundred times, each time getting a little further along. I had to account for increases (INC) to expand the base and eventually decreases (DEC) to close it up at the top. The head and body of the bear looked more like a deformed peanut than anything close to a bear, but it was my peanut, and I was proud of it.
Learning to Tackle New Challenges
After a certain point, I knew I had to proceed to the next steps of the project. To move forward, I had to finish off my little peanut and proceed to the next body part. Since each body part started the same way, I felt more confident about completing the project.
Yet, as always, things didn’t go exactly as planned. When I reached the legs, I was surprised to learn I had to work into the back loop only. This would give the legs their shape, but it was a challenge with my small hook. I had to wrestle through each loop, especially since I had kept the tension too tight—another lesson I’d take with me for future projects.
But I didn’t let that stop me. After finishing the body, I knew there was no going back. Despite my desire for perfection, I pushed on and completed the arms, legs, ears, and muzzle. I took my time at first, repeating the steps, but as I grew more comfortable, I rushed through the process until I was at the stage of putting everything together. Of course, it wouldn’t be completed that easily—when does it ever?
The Final Stitches
I had to stuff each part with cotton and figure out how to sew the body parts on, all while making sure the stuffing held its shape. Sewing was a skill I hadn’t yet mastered, and my little bear’s body parts didn’t line up perfectly. As a result, my bear transitioned from a cute peanut to… well, a slightly mangled teddy bear in need of a little TLC.
But despite all that, my bear still needed a face to show off to the world. So, I sewed it on as best I could, albeit haphazardly, given my limited knowledge of embroidery. When I was done, I couldn’t tell if he was happy or just plain crazy, but I didn’t care. No matter how he looked, he was mine—and I was proud of him. I knew I could take the lessons he taught me and apply them to my future projects.
Lessons in Patience and Persistence
Crocheting isn’t just about making something with yarn—it’s about patience, persistence, and learning from every twist, turn, and frogged stitch. I’ve come a long way since that first bear, and I’m excited to see where this journey takes me.