• Crochet Book Reviews

    How to Crochet Animals: Ocean Review

    /
    Cover of How to Crochet Animals: Ocean by Kerry Lord with text indicating this is a crochet book review
    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    I have been working my way through the How to Crochet Animals series of books by Kerry Lord and this week I’m taking a look at the last book in the series currently available called How to Crochet Animals: Ocean.

    Thank you to Lark Crafts who provided this book to me free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

    Pin this How to Crochet Animals: Ocean Review for later Save

    How to Crochet Animals: Ocean is one of 4 different books in the series. There are also Wild, Farm and Pets. Check out my review of Wild HERE, Farm HERE.

    Kerry Lord is a recognizable name for amigurumi toy makers since releasing her book Edward’s Menagerie which was a huge hit, in 2014. She has gone on to publish multiple amigurumi pattern books since then that have been popular amigurumi pattern book titles. How to Crochet Animals: Ocean is one of the latest releases by Kerry Lord and it contains 25 crochet animal patterns for ocean animals and creatures. How to Crochet Animals: Oceans contains the patterns for many animals that live in or near the oceans on our planet. The animals contained in the book are:

    JellyfishSardines
    OctopusUrchin
    PufferfishSquid
    StarfishSea Turtle
    CrabLobster
    Sea SlugHermit Crab
    SeahorsePrawn
    PelicanRay
    SharkBlue Whale
    NarwhalSea Snake
    Hammerhead SharkClownfish
    MackerelPenguin
    Conch Shell

    image of a crochet squid from the book about amigurumi ocean animals being reviewed.
    image of a crochet octopus from How to crochet animals: wild in a flat lay with clover amour crochet hooks


    As in the last three Kerry Lord books that I reviewed, How to Crochet Animals: Wild, How to Crochet Animals: Farm and How to Crochet Animals: Pets, this book starts off with talking about essential tools and yarn. Just like the others, this book touches on the gauge aspect of amigurumi toys but doesn’t provide enough detail to be of much use in assisting new crocheters understanding why it is important or how it affects amigurumi toys. The rest of the resources in the book are clear and well-laid out.

    Purple sea urchin from the book How to Crochet Animals: Ocean by Kerry Lord

    The toys themselves are cute and in this book I really enjoyed the hermit crab and hammerhead shark patterns. My kids are big into ocean creatures so there were lots of requests for toys from this book. As I’ve come to expect with the books in the How to Crochet Animals series, the patterns are clear and easy to understand and contain technique pages throughout the book to assist readers in learning new techniques needed to successfully complete projects.

    I have enjoyed exploring and checking out the How to Crochet Animals series by Kerry Lord and have found all four of them to be well-written resources that are accessible for a variety of skill levels.

    If you’re interested in buying a copy of How to Crochet Animals: Ocean by Kerry Lord, you can check it out HERE.

    If you enjoy crochet pattern books, you can check out some more of my crochet book reviews on my blog:

    read more
  • Product Reviews

    Shine Worsted Yarn Review for Crocheters

    /
    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    Recently, I shared my overview review of some spring and summer yarns that are available from our friends at WeCrochet. If you missed it, check it out HERE. One yarn that was a part of that review was WeCrochet’s Shine Worsted yarn. As promised during the spring and summer yarns review, I will be doing an in-depth review of WeCrochet Shine today.

    This yarn was provided to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

    Pin this for Later Save

    Before we get into our yarn review, let’s go over the yarn label information so we know what we’re talking about here:

    WeCrochet Shine Worsted Yarn:

    • Current Number of Colourways Available: 33. Check them out HERE.
    • Fiber Content: 60% Pima Cotton, 40% Modal natural beech wood fiber
    • Weight: 4 (Aran/Heavy Worsted)
    • Package Size: 50g
    • Yardage: 75 yd / 68 m
    • Suggested Hook Size: 5.5 – 6.5mm (I – K)
    • Suggested Needle Size: 4.0mm-5.5mm (US 6 – 9)
    • Crochet Gauge: 11–14 sc = 4”
    • Knitting Gauge: 4.5 – 5 sts sts = 1″
    • Care: Machine Washable/Tumble Dry Low
    If you’re planning on buying some WeCrochet Shine Yarn, please consider doing so through this affiliate link. It helps to support the blog at zero cost to you and allows me to continue to bring you great free yarn reviews like this one and free crochet patterns.
    close up yarn label on Shine worsted yarn

    Check out the video review of WeCrochet Shine Worsted yarn:

    For this review, I checked out the Grapefruit, Pistashio and Blush colourways of Shine Worsted. Shine is a plied Pima Cotton/Modal natural beech wood fiber blend yarn that is soft and has a nice shine to it. The Pima Cotton lends this yarn it’s trademark softness while the Modal brings that shine for which this yarn is named. It’s machine washable and dryable which is always a big bonus in my books.

    I can see this yarn making a great garment that feels amazing next to skin. The WeCrochet site recommends this yarn for baby items and I can totally see why they do. This yarn would be great for wearing next to skin for baby as it is so soft, I doubt it would cause any irritation to a baby’s sensitive skin. WeCrochet Shine Worsted yarn also comes in a sport weight yarn which is where I’d likely lean towards purchasing over the worsted weight as I think this yarn could feel heavy in larger garments. But it would be great for bags and other accesssories.

    Below you can see my crochet swatches done with WeCrochet Shine Worsted yarn. As always, I worked with basic stitches, starting with single crochet, working some half double crochets and finishing with double crochet stitches. The yarn was pleasant to work with and I had minimal issues with splitting. I did have to put in some work to find a hook size that got me to that sweet spot between drape, stitch definition and a fabric that I liked the look of. If you’re following a crochet pattern though, that work has already been done for you though. My second swatch, done in Grapefruit, was done in tunisian simple stitch with an 8.0mm hook.

    crochet swatch done with shine worsted and a furls odyssey crochet hook
    tunisian swatch done with the yarn being reviewed in grapefruit
    two crochet swatches done with the spring & summer yarn being reviewed.

    Overall, I enjoyed working with this yarn and will likely use mine for some smaller summer accessories or a baby project. If I had to choose between Shine and one of the other spring and summer yarns that I have reviewed so far though, I’d have to say I’d probably pick Comfy Worsted over this yarn just because you get more yardage to a ball for the same price. If you’d like to check out my Comfy Worsted yarn review you can find that HERE.

    Thanks for checking out my yarn review. Have you tried WeCrochet Shine Worsted or Sport yet? What did you think? What would you make with it? Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

    If you’re intersted in giving WeCrochet Shine yarn a try, check it out HERE.

    Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see all my newest content, behind the scenes sneak peeks and be the first to know when I’m hosting giveaways.

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheLoopyLamb
    Instagram:    www.instagram.com/TheLoopyLamb
    Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/theloopylamb
    Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: The Loopy Lamb on YouTube
    Newsletter: Sign up for my newsletter!

    While you’re here, you may like checking out some of my other reviews:

    read more
  • Crochet Patterns

    Free Crochet Bee Pattern – Amigurumi Bumble Bee

    /
    Large Amigurumi Bumble Bee made with this free crochet bee pattern, held in hands with text overlay indicating a free crochet pattern
    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    This week I have a free crochet bee pattern for you to make a very large amigurumi bumble bee named Barnabee Bumbles. This amigurumi bumble bee is approximately 17″ tall and super cuddley. This free crochet bee pattern was designed to be easy to crochet and has nearly seamless colour changes. A video tutorial is included below to show you how to do the technique that I use to make my colour changes in the round almost invisible.

    Pin this Free Crochet Bee Pattern for Later Save

    In this pattern, I’ve used We Crochet’s Snuggle Puff cotton yarn to create my amigurumi bee. The colours Chick, Vixen and Lamb were perfect for this project and the yarn is incredibly soft which makes Barnabee Bumbles extra cuddley. Snuggle Puff is a heavy worsted/aran weight Pima Cotton/Nylon blend yarn that is very light and because it is a roving yarn, there are no issues with this yarn splitting, even with the 3.5mm (E) hook that this pattern calls for. I really loved using this yarn for my giant amigurumi bee and will definitely keep this yarn in mind for other amigurumi designs in future. If you want to check this yarn out, you can find it HERE.

    Giant amigurumi bees have been trending lately and I wanted to create a crochet bee that was large in size but could be crocheted using a worsted weight yarn. Large blanket yarns aren’t accessible to everyone and can be rough on your hands when doing amigurumi. So I set to work on designing the free crochet bee pattern for Barnabee Bumbles. I considered naming Barnabee, Bee-yonce or Bumbledore but my husband said my puns were going too far lol. I can’t resist a good pun.

    Anyways, giant amigurumi is really trendy right now but not everyone wants to make it with blanket yarn so I decided to make a jumbo sized crochet bee with a worsted weight yarn. If you want to make a seriously huge amigurumi toy, then try making this with blanket yarn and you would have a massive bee. In fact, I hope someone makes this guy in blanket yarn and shares it just so I could see how big he would be. My guess is it would be between 27 – 30″ tall at least and it would be epic. If I could get blanket yarn in those colours here, I’d do it just to see.

    hands holding a giant amigurumi bumblebee made with this free crochet bee pattern

    Skill Level:

    • Easy


    Terminology:

    • U.S. Terminology

    Supplies:

    If you’re planning on buying the materials for this project, please consider doing so through this affiliate link (or those in the supply list). It helps to support the blog at zero cost to you and allows me to continue to bring you great free crochet patterns like this one.

    Abbreviations:

    You can purchase an inexpensive ad-free PDF version of this crochet bee pattern HERE on Ravelry and HERE on Etsy.

    Special Techniques:

    • Invisible Join: FO leaving a tail that is at least 5 – 6 inches in length.  Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle.  Place the tapestry needle through the top of the 2nd ST from front to back and pull through.  Place tip of needle into top of the last ST of the round, under the back loop of the stitch, and pull through to the back of the work.  Weave in the end. Find a tutorial for this on my blog HERE.

    Learn to do the Invisible Join to get Nearly Invisible Colour Changes used in my Free Crochet Bee Pattern:


    Finished size:

    • Approximately 17” tall from top of antennae to bottom of bee.

    Gauge:

    • 8.5 sts x 12 rows = 2 inches


    NOTES:

    • This pattern is worked in a continuous spiral.  Do NOT join at the end of each row, except where indicated.  A stitch marker is used to mark the first stitch of the round and moved up with each subsequent round.
    • For a cleaner SCDEC, do your SCDEC under the front loops only of each stitch rather than under both loops.  This is often referred to as an invisible decrease. Find my tutorial HERE.
    • Gauge is not vital to the project, but it may affect the amount of yarn needed for the project as well as the size of your finished toy. 





    Disclaimer:

    Feel free to sell the item created by this pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: https://www.theloopylamb.com.  Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, or claim this pattern as your own original design.  Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items.   



    Free Crochet Bee Pattern: Barnabee Bumbles

    close up image of the eyes and face of the amigurumi bumblebee made with this free crochet bee pattern

    Body:

    Round 1: Using Vixen, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)

    Round 2: SC around (6)

    Round 3: (SCINC) x 6 (12)

    Round 4: SC around (12)

    Round 5: (SCINC, SC) x 6 (18)

    Round 6: SC around (18)

    Round 7: SC, SCINC, (SC 2, SCINC) x 5, SC (24)

    Round 8: SC around (24)

    Round 9: (SC 3, SCINC) x 6 (30)

    Round 10: SC 2, SCINC, (SC 4, SCINC) x 5, SC 2 (36)

    Round 11: (SC 5, SCINC) x 6 (42)

    Round 12: SC 3, SCINC, (SC 6, SCINC) x 5, SC 3 (48)

    Round 13: (SC 7, SCINC) x 6 (54)

    Round 14: SC 4, SCINC, (SC 8, SCINC) x 5, SC 4 (60)

    Round 15: (SC 9, SCINC) x 6 (66)

    Round 16: SC 5, SCINC, (SC 10, SCINC) x 5, SC 5 (72)

    Round 17: (SC 11, SCINC) x 6 (78)

    Round 18: SC 6, SCINC, (SC 12, SCINC) x 5, SC 6 (84)

    Rounds 19 – 26: SC around (84)

    FO using invisible join.  Attach Chick to first ST of last round.

    Round 27: Working in BLO, SC around (84)

    Rounds 28 – 37: SC around (84)

    FO using invisible join.  Attach Vixen to first ST of last round.

    Round 38: Working in BLO, SC around (84)

    Rounds 39 – 48: SC around (84)

    FO using invisible join.  Attach Chick to first ST of last round.

    Round 49: Working in BLO, SC around (84)

    Rounds 50 – 57: SC around (84)

    Round 58: SC 6, SCDEC, (SC 12, SCDEC) x 5, SC 6 (78)

    Round 59: (SC 11, SCDEC) x 6 (72) – Start stuffing and continue to add stuffing as you work.

    FO using invisible join.  Attach Vixen to first ST of last round.

    Round 60: Working in BLO, SC 5, SCDEC, (SC 10, SCDEC) x 5, SC 5 (66)

    Round 61: (SC 9, SCDEC) x 6 (60)

    Round 62: SC 4, SCDEC, (SC 8, SCDEC) x 5, SC 4 (54)

    Round 63: (SC 7, SCDEC) x 6 (48)

    Round 64: SC 3, SCDEC, (SC 6, SCDEC) x 5, SC 3 (42)

    Round 65: SC 3, SCINC, (SC 6, SCINC) x 5, SC 3 (48)

    Round 66: (SC 7, SCINC) x 6 (54)

    Round 67: SC 4, SCINC, (SC 8, SCINC) x 5, SC 4 (60)

    Round 68: (SC 9, SCINC) X 6 (66)

    Round 69: SC 5, SCINC, (SC 10, SCINC) x 5, SC 5 (72)

    Round 70: (SC 11, SCINC) x 6 (78)

    Round 71: SC 6, SCINC, (SC 12, SCINC) x 5, SC 6 (84)

    Rounds 72 – 88: SC around (84)  – Insert eyes into Round 85 with 8 STs between them

    Round 89: SC 6, SCDEC, (SC 12, SCDEC) x 5, SC 6 (78)

    Round 90: (SC 11, SCDEC) x 6 (72)

    Round 91: SC 5, SCDEC, (SC 10, SCDEC) x 5, SC 5 (66)

    Round 92: (SC 9, SCDEC) x 6 (60)

    Round 93: SC 4, SCDEC, (SC 8, SCDEC) x 5, SC 4 (54)

    Round 94: (SC 7, SCDEC) x 6 (48)

    Round 95: SC 3, SCDEC, (SC 6, SCDEC) x 5, SC 3 (42)

    Round 96: (SC 5, SCDEC) x 6 (36)

    Round 97: SC 2, SCDEC, (SC 4, SCDEC) x 5, SC 2 (30)

    Round 98: (SC 3, SCDEC) x 6 (24)

    Round 99: SC, SCDEC, (SC 2, SCDEC) x 5, SC (18)

    Round 100: (SC, SCDEC) x 6 (12)

    Round 101: (SCDEC) x 6 (6)

    Finish stuffing, stuffing firmly.  FO, weaving the tail through the FLO of Round 101 to cinch the top closed.  Weave in ends.

    You may find this tutorial on doing the ultimate finish helpful here:

    Antennae (Make Two)

    Round 1: Using Vixen, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)

    Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12)

    Round 3: (SC, SCINC) x 6 (18)

    Rounds 4 – 7: SC around (18)

    Round 8: (SC, SCDEC) x 6 (12)

    Round 9: (SCDEC, SC 2) x 3 (9) – Start stuffing and continue to add stuffing as you work.

    Rounds 10 – 15: SC around (9)

    Finish stuffing, stuffing firmly.  FO leaving a long tail to sew onto the head.  Sew onto the head of your bee.

    Back view of the wings of Barnabee Bumbles

    Wings (Make Two)

    Round 1: Using Lamb, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)

    Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12)

    Round 3: (SC, SCINC) x 6 (18)

    Round 4: SC, SCINC, (SC 2, SCINC) x 5, SC (24)

    Round 5: (SC 3, SCINC) x 6 (30)

    Round 6: SC 2, SCINC, (SC 4, SCINC) x 5, SC 2 (36)

    Round 7: (SC 5, SCINC) x 6 (42)

    Round 8: SC 3, SCINC, (SC 6, SCINC) x 5, SC 3 (48)

    Rounds 9 – 15: SC around (48)

    Round 16: SC 3, SCDEC, (SC 6, SCDEC) x 5, SC 3 (42)

    Round 17: (SC 5, SCDEC) x 6 (36)

    Round 18: SC 2, SCDEC, (SC 4, SCDEC) x 5, SC 2 (30)

    Round 19: SC around (30)

    Round 20: (SC 3, SCDEC) x 6 (24)

    Round 21: SC around (24)

    Round 22: SC, SCDEC, (SC 2, SCDEC) x 5, SC (18)

    Round 23: SC around (18)

    Round 24: (SC, SCDEC) x 6 (12)

    Round 25: SC around (12)

    Round 26: (SCDEC) x 6 (6)

    FO leaving a long tail. Flatten the piece, do NOT stuff.  Weave the tail through the FLO of Round 26 to cinch the hole closed and use the tail to sew the wings to the back of your bee.

    Disclaimer:

    Feel free to sell the item created by this pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: https://www.theloopylamb.com.  Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, or claim this pattern as your own original design.  Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items.   

    I’d love to see your finished items!  Please share your finished makes by tagging the pattern on Ravelry, sharing it to our Facebook page or Instagram.  Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest 

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheLoopyLamb
    Instagram:      www.instagram.com/TheLoopyLamb
    YouTube: The Loopy Lamb YouTube Channel
    Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/theloopylamb
    Newsletter: Sign up for my newsletter!

    read more
  • Crochet Book Reviews

    How to Crochet Animals: Farm Review

    /
    Front cover of How to Crochet Animals: Farm by Kerry Lord with text indicating a book review
    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    This week I checked out How to Crochet Animals: Farm: 25 Mini Menagerie Patterns by Kerry Lord and I’m going to share my review with you so you know what it’s all about.

    Thank you to Lark Crafts who provided this book to me free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

    Pin this How to Crochet Animals: Farm Review for later Save

    If you like to crochet amigurumi toys then you may already be familiar with the name Kerry Lord. Kerry released the ever popular Edward’s Menagerie book in 2014 and has since gone on to publish multiple amigurumi pattern books. How to Crochet Animals: Farm is one of the latest releases by Kerry Lord and it contains 25 crochet animal patterns for farm animals. How to Crochet Animals: Farm contains the patterns for many popular farm animals as well as some animals that you may not immediately think of when you hear the words Farm Animals. The animals contained in the book are:

    PigHare
    SheepAlpaca
    HedgehogGoose
    FrogChick
    DonkeyGoat
    PonyBadger
    MoleDorset Down Sheep
    FoxRobin
    Friesian CowPheasant
    BatSwaledale Sheep
    SnailSquirrel
    Border CollieShire Horse
    Highland Cow
    image of amigurumi farm animals from inside How to Crochet Animals: Farm by Kerry Lord

    As in the last Kerry Lord book that I reviewed, How to Crochet Animals: Wild, this book starts off with talking about essential tools and yarn, which is of course, Toft yarn. Just like Wild, this book touches on the gauge aspect of amigurumi toys but doesn’t provide enough detail to be of much use to new crocheters. The rest of the resources in the book are clear and well-laid out.

    Hedgehog amigurumi toy in the book being reviewed in a flat lay with brava yarn and furls crochet hook
    Amigurumi squirrel from How to Crochet Animals: Farm by Kerry Lord

    The patterns in How to Crochet Animals: Farm are easy to understand and follow along. This book is laid out in the same manner as How to Crochet Animals: Wild, where technique instructional pages are added with the patterns to illustrate them as they are introduced in the patterns. It’s great if you are planning on following the book from beginning to end but if you plan to go straight for the patterns you’re interested in making first and jumping about the book, just keep that in mind and consult the index in the back of the book should you need help.

    How to Crochet Animals: Farm is one of multiple books in a series under the “How to Crochet Animals” title by Kerry Lord. There are also Ocean, Pets and Wild animal books. I have already reviewed Wild and you can check it out HERE. Overall I felt the book was a well-written resource that is accessible to a variety of skill levels.

    If you’re interested in buying a copy of How to Crochet Animals: Farm by Kerry Lord, you can check it out HERE.

    If you enjoy crochet pattern books, you can check out some more of my crochet book reviews on my blog:

    read more
  • Product Reviews

    WeCrochet Billow Yarn Review for Crocheters

    /
    Two hanks of WeCrochet Billow yarn in a flat lay with text overlay indicating a review of this yarn
    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    Last week I shared my overview review of some spring and summer yarns that are available from our friends at WeCrochet. If you missed it, check it out HERE. One yarn that was a part of that review was WeCrochet’s Billow yarn. As promised, I will be doing an in-depth review of WeCrochet Billow today.

    This yarn was provided to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

    Pin this for Later Save

    Before we get into our yarn review, let’s go over the yarn label information so we know what we’re talking about here:

    WeCrochet Billow Yarn:

    • Current Number of Colourways Available: 18. Check them out HERE.
    • Fiber Content: 100% Pima Cotton
    • Weight: 5 (Bulky)
    • Package Size: 100g
    • Yardage: 120 yd / 110 m
    • Suggested Hook Size: 6.5 – 9mm (K – M)
    • Suggested Needle Size: 6 – 8mm (US 10 – 11)
    • Crochet Gauge: 8 – 11 scs = 4″
    • Knitting Gauge: 3 – 3.75 sts = 1″
    • Care: Hand Wash/Dry Flat
    If you’re planning on buying some WeCrochet Billow Yarn, please consider doing so through this affiliate link. It helps to support the blog at zero cost to you and allows me to continue to bring you great free yarn reviews like this one and free crochet patterns.
    three hanks of WeCrochet Billow yarn in light blue, dark blue and mustard
    Colours from left to right: Clarity, Ash & Tumeric

    Check out the video review of WeCrochet Billow yarn:

    The first thing that I noticed when I picked WeCrochet Billow out of the box was how incredibly soft it is. This yarn is deliciousy soft. Like, I dream about you at night, soft. I couldn’t stop squeezing it and it was caked up and on my hook within minutes. But, there was something about this yarn I hadn’t expected. The plied strand has a thick and thin texture. This means it doesn’t have a consistent strand weight. At first, I was disappointed because I am not normally a fan of yarns that lack a consistent strand weight. But I perservered because between the softness and the gorgeous colours, this yarn was calling to me from the shelf begging me to give it a second chance.

    bulky pima cotton yarn in a flat lay with furls streamline swirl crochet hooks

    And I did and boy, am I glad that I did. *Cue romatic, falling in love music*. I played around with the yarn, determined to figure out something that would work with the yarn but also appease my need for consistency and even fabric. My work was rewarded and once I found that sweet spot I couldn’t put it down. The yarn was delightful to work up and gave my fabric the most yummy texture from a super simple stitch. Below you can see my basic stitch swatch in the Tumeric colourway that I did with an 8.0mm crochet hook.

    WeCrochet Billow Yarn worked up in a crochet swatch with a furls streamline swirl crochet hook

    If you’re a fan of chunky weight yarns and get bummed out because spring and summer yarns tend to be lighter weight and therefore, take longer to work up then you’re going to love WeCrochet Billow. Projects with WeCrochet Billow work up quickly and it’s delightfully soft. My personal preferences and recommendations for projects with this yarn would be home decor items, accessories like bags, wall hangings and small wearable accessories that you don’t mind washing by hand. I personally think that garments worked up in this, although super soft, would also be incredibly heavy so keep that in mind if you’re planning on making a wearable item in this yarn. This is a yarn that surprised me a lot but pushed me outside of my comfort zone and I’m all the happier for it.

    Thanks for checking out my yarn review. Have you tried WeCrochet Billow yet? What did you think? What would you make with it? Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

    If you’re intersted in giving WeCrochet Billow yarn a try, check it out HERE.

    Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see all my newest content, behind the scenes sneak peeks and be the first to know when I’m hosting giveaways.

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheLoopyLamb
    Instagram:    www.instagram.com/TheLoopyLamb
    Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/theloopylamb
    Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: The Loopy Lamb on YouTube
    Newsletter: Sign up for my newsletter!

    While you’re here, you may like checking out some of my other reviews:

    read more
  • Product Reviews

    Brava Worsted Speckle Yarn Review

    /
    Two balls of Brava Worsted Speckle Yarn in a flay lay with text indicating a yarn review
    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    If you’ve been following me for a while, you may be aware of the fact that I absolutely adore WeCrochet’s Brava Worsted Weight yarn line. I use it ALOT. It’s a fantastic acrylic yarn, it’s an amazing price and it comes in 55 different colours! I love it. Just when I thought I couldn’t love it anymore, WeCrochet launches their new Brava Worsted Speckle and they sent me some to check it out. Obviously, that means I’m going to share my findings with you all so that means it’s time for a yarn review!

    This yarn was provided to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

    Pin this for Later Save

    Before we get into our yarn review, let’s go over the yarn label information so we know what we’re talking about here. I’ll be focusing our review today on the Brava Worsted Weight Speckle this week:

    WeCrochet Brava Worsted Weight Speckle Yarn:

    • Current Number of Colourways Available: 8 speckled colourways but overall, there are 55 different colours in the Brava Worsted Weight line. Check them out HERE.
    • Fiber Content: 100% Premium Acrylic
    • Weight: 4 (Worsted)
    • Package Size: 100g
    • Yardage: 218 yd / 200 m
    • Suggested Hook Size: 5.5 – 6.5mm (I – K)
    • Suggested Needle Size: 4.5 – 5mm (US 7 – 8)
    • Crochet Gauge: 11 – 14 scs = 4″
    • Knitting Gauge: 4.5 – 5 sts = 1″
    • Care: Machine washable, tumble dry low
    If you’re planning on buying some WeCrochet Brava Worsted Weight Yarn, please consider doing so through this affiliate link. It helps to support the blog at zero cost to you and allows me to continue to bring you great free yarn reviews like this one and free crochet patterns.
    close up image of the Brava Worsted Speckle yarn label

    Check out the video review of WeCrochet Brava Worsted Weight yarn:

    Hands crocheting a swatch with acrylic speckled yarn

    I was sent the Cake Pop Speckle and Snow Day Speckle colourways of the new Brava Worsted Speckle line and I loved the colours right away. I was also sent some co-ordinating colourways that would work with the Brava Speckle colours that I received. I got Celestial to go with the Snow Day Speckle and Cornflower to go with the Cake Pop Speckle. They look fantastc together and there are lots of other colours that would work with these. I personally like a combination of Celestial, Clarity and Sky mixed with the Snow Day Speckle and Rouge, Cornflower and Freesia with the Cake Pop Speckle.

    The Brava Speckle works up like a dream, just like regular Brava Worsted Weight Yarn. No splitting, soft and lush. It just reminds me why this is one of my favourite acrylic yarns to use. But how do the speckles look worked up? This is a big question for many crocheters because the effects of speckles and other coloureffect yarns, don’t always translate in the same way in crochet as they do with knitting. Many a times have I tried a yarn I fell in love with in a knit swatch only to be disappointed with how my crochet swatches worked up. Below you’ll see my swatches working with the Cake Pop Speckle and Snow Day Speckle. I started my swatches with a few rows of single crochet then a few rows of half double crochet and ending with the double crochet stitch.

    Brava Worsted Speckle in Cake Pop Speckle in a crochet swatch
    Brava Worsted Speckle in Snow Day Speckle in a crochet swatch

    Both swatches worked up beautifully and I love the way the speckles show up in the swatch. I think they translate well for crocheting because the speckles themselves are longer and more like mini streaks of colour. This helps the colour work with the bulkier nature of crochet and still give you those gorgeous pops of colour you want with a speckle yarn. I loved this yarn so much, I started a design with the Cake Pop Speckle the day it arrived and I can’t wait to share it with you soon.

    Thanks for checking out my yarn review. Have you tried WeCrochet Brava Speckle yet? What did you think? What would you make with it? Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

    If you’re intersted in giving Brava Speckle yarn a try, check it out HERE.

    Two crochet swatches made with speckled yarn side-by-side with a furls odyssey crochet hook

    Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see all my newest content, behind the scenes sneak peeks and be the first to know when I’m hosting giveaways.

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheLoopyLamb
    Instagram:    www.instagram.com/TheLoopyLamb
    Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/theloopylamb
    Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: The Loopy Lamb on YouTube
    Newsletter: Sign up for my newsletter!

    While you’re here, you may like checking out some of my other reviews:

    read more
  • Crochet Book Reviews

    Cute Crocheted Wild Animals Review

    /
    Image of cover of Cute Crocheted Animals by Emma Varnam with text indicating a book review
    This page may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    I’m back this week with another amigurumi pattern book review. This week I checked out Cute Crocheted Wild Animals by Emma Varnam. I’m going to share my review with you so you know what it’s all about, give you an idea of what you can find in the book so ultimately, you can decide if you think it’s going to be the book for you.

    Thank you to our friends at GMC Books for providing this book to me free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

    Pin this Cute Crocheted Wild Animals Review for later Save

    Cute Crocheted Wild Animals contains the patterns for several different animals, each with a male and female version and they each have their own outfit and accessories. The accessories and clothing can be used interchangeably between the dolls. The animal patterns included in book are:

    • Peggy & Jeff (Zebras)
    • Molly & Billy (Monkeys)
    • Maisie & Sidney (Pandas)
    • Ada & Roger (Lions)
    • Barbara & Cyril (Elephants)
    photo of roger the lion from inside the Cute Crocheted Wild Animals Book being reviewed.

    The toys in this book are adorable and I love that each toy is made in both a female and male version so you can get the most use out of this book no matter who you’re making for. The wardrobe section includes a series of different accessories like a hammock, beach ball, flowers, pillow, teddy bear and more. These additions help build the personalities given to each animal and provide additional toys for little ones to use to play with their new friends. The patterns are written in the UK terminology but you can find a conversion chart in the resource book located in the back of the book.

    The resource section it thorough and coveres basic stitches, seaming, using a pom pom maker and more. It even covers blocking which was great. because even little amigurumi garments can benefit from a blocking. There was no gauge information included in the book that I could find. The only thing close to that I could find was a recommendation to use the same hook and yarn in both your toy and your garments for the toys. As someone that regularly designs clothes for toys, I agree, that is a great tip to include but gauge information would really ensure makers are successful. I know I personally have made a toy, put it down for a few days and then went to make clothes for it without checking my gauge and was furious with myself because the clothes didn’t fit. The given size for each doll is 12″ but again, without gauge information, don’t be surprised if your size varies from that.

    Amigurumi monkey wearing clothes in an image from the book being reviewed.

    The patterns themselves were clear and easy to follow. Experienced amigurumi crocheters shouldn’t have any issues crocheting the cuties found in Cute Crocheted Wild Animals. Overall, this book is chock full of adorable amirugumi patterns with the added fun of having a full wardrobe to provide additional fun for makers and children alike.

    If you’re intersted in checking out Cute Crocheted Wild Animals by Emma Varnam, you can find it HERE.

    Two amigurumi pandas in a book, next to some furls crochet hooks

    If you enjoy crochet pattern books, you can check out some more of my crochet book reviews on my blog:

    read more
  • Product Reviews

    We Crochet Spring & Summer Yarns for Crocheters Review

    /
    Collage of yarn with text indicating Spring and summer yarns review of yarns from We Crochet
    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own

    Spring is in the air and that means people are putting away those super chunky and wool yarns to make way for light and breezy summer yarns. I don’t know about you but I don’t think I have ever been this excited for spring and summer projects. Our friends over at We Crochet sent me some of their spring and Summer Yarns to review and I’m so excited to share them with you. This week I’ll be doing an overview of each of the yarns I’m reviewing and each week, check back here for a more detailed, in-depth review of each of the yarns here. My hands are itching to get hooking up some dreamy spring makes so let’s get started.

    This yarn was provided to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

    Pin this for Later Save

    Lindy Chain

    three balls of Lindy chain yarn with a furls crochet hook in a flat lay

    Lindy Chain is a fingering weight yarn that’s a 70% linen, 30% Pima Cotton Blend. Great for garments, bags, spring and summer accessories, Lindy Chain makes a beautiful, light-weight fabric that will get softer as you wash and wear it. Available in 26 colours. Check it out HERE.

    CotLin

    hand holding a ball of cyan cotlin with a crochet swatch and furls crochet hook

    Oh CotLin, how I love thee. CotLin is one of my favourite yarns on this list. It’s a DK weight yarn that’s a blend of 70% Tanguis Cotto, 30% Linen. I’ve been working on a garment design with this yarn and it is L-O-V-E. I’ve already done a detailed review of this yarn, including why I think it may be one of the best yarns for summer HERE. Available in 44 incredible colours HERE.

    Comfy Worsted

    Comfy worsted yarn on a grey crocheted fabric with a hand holding a furls odyssey hook

    Comfy Worsted is another of my favourite yarns on this list. It’s a worsted weight 75% Pima Cotton/25% acrylic blend yarn that is oh so soft. It’s dreamy. I used this yarn to design my first garment pattern, the Comfy Spring Cardi and it is incredible next to skin. Great for garments, bags, accessories and even amigurumi. Available in 33 great colours HERE. It is also available in fingering weight HERE. Check out my detailed review of this yarn HERE.

    Watch the Video Version of this Spring and Summer Yarns Review Here:

    Shine Worsted

    three different colours of one of the summer yarns being reviewed: shine worsted

    Shine is a very soft worsted weight yarn that’s a blend of 60% Pima Cotton and 40% Modal natural beech wood fiber. The Pima Cotton brings that great soft touch while the beech wood fiber brings along that shine, for which this yarn is named. Available in 30 different great colours HERE, this yarn can be used for a wide variety of different projects. Shine is also available in sport weight HERE.

    Snuggle Puff

    Snuggle Puff yarn, one of the spring and summer yarns availble from We Crochet

    Probably the softest yarn on this list, Snuggle Puff is an Aran/Heavy Worsted weight 70% Pima Cotton/30% Nylon roving yarn. It’s fluffy and super lightweight. I’m working on a large amigurumi design with it and it has been an absolutely joy to work with. Available in 16 different colours HERE.

    Billow

    Billow is a Bulky weight 100% Pima Cotton yarn that is lushiously soft. If you’re into chunky makes and you are bummed to put away those bulky winter yarns, then you’re going to love Billow. Billow has a thick and thin texture in the strand which I’m not normally a huge fan of but between the gorgeous colours and lovely softness, this yarn is calling me from my shelves to come and play. Available in 18 different beautiful colours HERE.

    I really enjoyed checking out these spring and summer yarns for crocheters and I hope that I’ve introduced you to something new. If you’ve tried using these yarns, I’d love to hear what your experience was and what you made with them. Let me know in the comment section below.

    Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see all my newest content, behind the scenes sneak peeks and be the first to know when I’m hosting giveaways.

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheLoopyLamb
    Instagram:    www.instagram.com/TheLoopyLamb
    Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/theloopylamb
    Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: The Loopy Lamb on YouTube
    Newsletter: Sign up for my newsletter!

    While you’re here, you may like checking out some of my other reviews:

    read more
  • Crochet Patterns

    Free Crochet Chick Pattern – Chick Jagger

    /
    Chick Jagger, a crochet chicken cupped in a hand with text indicating this is a free crochet chick pattern
    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    I am back this week with the regular yarn free crochet chick pattern that I promised last week when I released my Sir Clucksalot toy (find the free crochet chicken pattern HERE). Sir Clucksalot is made with faux fur yarn and I know that some one you aren’t ready to dip your hooks into that yet so I wanted to create a regular yarn version of Sir Clucksalot for everyone to enjoy. This week’s free crochet chick pattern is named Chick Jagger.

    I named this guy Chick Jagger because, compared to his fluffy brother, Sir Clucksalot, he is a smoothe operator. He drives all the hens wild with his smoothe moves and he is a big deal around the chicken pen. I cannot resist a good chicken pun or giving my little toys a bit of a personality and back story.

    Save this Free Crochet Chick Pattern for Later! Pin it here Save

    Whether you’re new to making amigurumi or just looking to improve your toy making, you may be interested in checking out some of my amigurumi tips and tricks for making the best amigurumi toys you can:

    Chick Jagger

    two crochet chickens being cupped in hands next to a furls crochet hook

    Skill Level: Easy


    Terminology: U.S. Terminology

    Supplies:

    If you’re planning on buying the materials for this project, please consider doing so through this affiliate link. It helps to support the blog at zero cost to you and allows me to continue to bring you great free crochet patterns like this one.

    Abbreviations:

    Here’s Some Tutorials You May Find Helpful for This Pattern


    Finished size:

    • Approximately 3” tall (not including frills) by 4.5” wide from wing tip to wing tip

    Gauge:

    • 10 sts x 12 rows = 2 inches

    Disclaimer:

    Feel free to sell the item created by this pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: https://www.theloopylamb.com.  Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, or claim this pattern as your own original design.  Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items.   

    I’d love to see your finished items!  Please share your finished makes by tagging the pattern on Ravelry, sharing it to our Facebook page or Instagram.  Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest 

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheLoopyLamb
    Instagram:      www.instagram.com/TheLoopyLamb
    YouTube: The Loopy Lamb YouTube Channel
    Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/theloopylamb
    Newsletter: Sign up for my newsletter!


    Notes:

    • This pattern is worked in continuous rounds (unless stated otherwise).  Do not join at the end of the row, unless indicated.  A stitch marker is used to keep track of the beginning of the round.
    • For a cleaner SCDEC, do your SCDEC under the front loops only of each stitch rather than under both loops.  This is often referred to as an invisible decrease. Find my tutorial HERE.
    • Gauge is not vital to the project but it may affect the amount of yarn needed for the project. 

    You can purchase an inexpensive ad-free PDF version of this crochet chick pattern for a small fee HERE on Ravelry and HERE on Etsy.

    Amigurumi chick being held in a hand next to a Furls odyssey crochet hook and brava worsted yarn

    Free Crochet Chick Pattern – Chick Jagger

    Body:

    Round 1: Using your White, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)
    Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12)
    Round 3: (SCINC, SC 1) x 6 (18)
    Round 4: SC 1, (SCINC, SC 2) x 5, SCINC, SC 1 (24)
    Round 5: (SC 3, SCINC) x 6 (30)
    Round 6: SC 2, (SCINC, SC 4) x 5, SCINC, SC 2 (36)
    Round 7: (SC 5, SCINC) x 6 (42)
    Round 8: SC 3, SCINC, (SC 6, SCINC) x 5, SC 3 (48)
    Rounds 9 – 18: SC around (48) – Place safety eyes in Round 11 with 5 sts between them.   
    Round 19: SC 3, SCDEC, (SC 6, SCDEC) x 5, SC 3 (42)
    Round 20: (SC 5, SCDEC) x 6 (36)
    Round 21: SC 2, (SCDEC, SC 4) x 5, SCDEC, SC 2 (30)
    Start stuffing, adding a bit more stuffing with each round.  Stuff firmly.
    Round 22: (SC 3, SCDEC) x 6 (24)
    Round 23: SC 1, (SCDEC, SC 2) x 5, SCDEC, SC 1 (18)
    Round 24: (SCDEC, SC 1) x 6 (12)
    Round 25: (SCDEC) x 6 (6)

    FO leaving a long tail.  Weave the tail through the FLO to close the opening.  Weave in ends.


    Wings (make 2)

    Round 1: Using White, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC (6).
    Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12)
    Rounds 3 – 5: SC around (12)

    After completing Row 5, join your last stitch to the first stitch with a SL ST.  FO leaving a long tail to sew onto the body.  Do NOT stuff.  Sew wings onto either side of the body, lining the top edge of the wing up with the bottom of the eyes and sewing through both layers of the wings at the same time.

    Chick Jagger, made with this free crochet chick pattern, cupped in two hands

    Beak:

    Round 1: Using Brava Worsted in Canary and a 3.5mm hook, make a MC.  SC 4 into the MC. (4)
    Round 2: (SCINC) x 4 (8)
    Rounds 3 – 4: SC around (8)
    Join last ST to first ST with SL ST.  FO leaving a long tail.  Do NOT stuff.  Flatten the piece and sew onto the face.

    close up of the crochet chick's feet



    Feet (Make Two)

    Row 1: Using 3.5mm hook and Brava Worsted yarn in Canary, CH 3. In 2nd CH from hook, SC.  SC in next ST. Turn. (2)
    Row 2: CH 1. SC in each ST. Turn. (2)
    Row 3:  CH 1. SCINC in each ST. Turn. (4)
    Row 4: CH 4. SL ST in the 2nd CH from the hook.  SL ST 2. SL ST in the next SC of Row 3.  CH 5. SL ST in the 2nd CH from the hook.  SL ST 2. SL ST in the next SC of Row 3. CH 4, SL ST in the 2nd CH from the hook.  SL ST 3. SL ST in the last SC of Row 3.  SL ST down the side of the foot, placing a SL ST in the end of each row. 
    FO leaving a long tail to sew onto body.  Sew feet onto the bottom of the body so the toes just peek out the front.

    profile image of the amigurumi chick showing it's frills

    Frill 1:

    Round 1: Using Brava Worsted in Red and a 3.5mm hook, make a MC and SC 6 into the SC (6)
    Round 2: SC around (6)
    Round 3: (SCINC) x 6 (12)
    Round 4: SC around (12)
    Round 5: (SCDEC) x 6 (6)
    Round 6: SC around (6)
    FO leaving a long tail to sew onto the head.  Flatten piece, do NOT stuff.

    Frill 2:

    Round 1: Using Brava Worsted in Red and a 3.5mm hook, make a MC and SC 6 into the SC (6)
    Round 2: SC around (6)
    Round 3: (SCINC) x 6 (12)
    Round 4: SC around (12)
    Round 5: (SCDEC) x 6 (6)
    FO leaving a long tail to sew onto the head.  Flatten piece, do NOT stuff.

    Frill 3:

    Round 1: Using Brava Worsted in Red and a 3.5mm hook, make a MC and SC 6 into the SC (6)
    Round 2: SC around (6)
    Round 3: (SCINC, SC 2) x 2 (8)
    Round 4: SC around (8)
    FO leaving a long tail to sew onto the head.  Flatten piece, do NOT stuff.

    Frill Assembly:

    Sew the frills on to the top of the head in a line placing Frill 1 closest to the face with Frill 2 and Frill 3 following behind Frill 1, in that order.

    Don’t forget to check out Chick Jagger’s brother, Sir Clucksalot HERE

    That’s it’s! You’re all done your Chick Jagger! I hope that you enjoyed this free crochet chick pattern. I’d love to see your finished makes! Don’t forget to tag me or use #theloopylamb when sharing online so I can see them.

    Other Free Crochet Patterns Available Here:

    read more
  • Crochet Book Reviews

    Crocheted Dogs by Vanessa Mooncie Review

    /
    Cover of Crocheted Dogs by Vanessa Mooncie with text indicating a crochet book review
    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    This week I checked out a new to me book called Crocheted Dogs by Vanessa Mooncie. I have reviewed some other books by Vanessa Mooncie previously that I thoroughly enjoyed (find the other reviews here: Crocheted Birds and Simple Crocheted Hats) so I couldn’t wait to see with was in store for me in Crocheted Dogs.

    Thank you to our friends at GMC Books for providing this book to me free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

    Pin this Crocheted Dogs Review for later Save

    I have been a big fan of Vanessa Mooncie’s work for a long time. A photo she posted online of her crochet barn owl had me falling head over heels with her realistic designs and the unique techniques she uses to achieve complex structural shapes with ease. Ok, I’ll stop before I get into full-on fan girl mode. She’s really skilled and I have a lot of admiration for her. Anywho… back to the book. Crocheted Dogs contains the patterns for 10 different dog breeds. She did a great job picking which breeds to select because many of they’re all incredibly popular pet and show dog breeds. The dog breeds included in Crocheted Dogs are:

    • Dachshund
    • Border Terrier
    • French Bulldog
    • Labrador
    • Chihuahua
    • Dalmation
    • Spaniel
    • Yorkshire Terrier
    • German Shepherd
    • Poodle
    Image of amigurumi dogs found in Crocheted Dogs by Vanessa Mooncie

    These dogs, looks like real dogs. They aren’t a humanized version of an dog or a dog that looks like a doll. These are meant to look as close to their real-life counterparts as possible. Theey are all incredibly cute and well-done. As a daschund owner, it was nice to see them incuded in the book but I have to say, the Spaniel pattern is the one that stole my heart. The Spaniel is just beautifully executed and the most realistic-looking dog in the book. I’ve never been huge on spaniels but that dog is the one I’ll make first, just because it’s gorgeous. All the patterns in Crocheted Dogs are written in the U.K. terminology but a conversion chart to help you convert those to U.S. terminology is in the back of the book.

    two different dogs from Crocheted Dogs by Vanessa Mooncie: a spaniel and yorkshire terrier

    The one thing that made me chuckle a bit about this book is that there is a section called “Getting Started”, which is the reference section, located at the back of the book. Not a huge deal but just something that I found amusing because I’m a nerd. If you’re reading how to do the stitches in the resource section, don’t rely on the illustrations. Read the words as they’re more accurate. Looking at the illustrations may be confusing if you’re a beginner or misunderstand what the arrows are trying to show you. I know I had to look at the instructions for the slip stitch multiple times until I figured out what it was showing me. It’s always hard to clearly show stitches with illustrations. The resource section covered different embroidery stitches, stuffing your toys, attaching pieces and more.

    crochet dachshund from the book being reviewed next to some yarn and a furls odyssey crochet hook.

    One of the things I enjoy seeing in Vanessa Mooncie’s books, are the crochet charts. These charts have assisted me on multiple occasions as I was getting used to using short rows for shaping pieces on toys. Stitch charts are included for each piece of each toy and as I mentioned above, can be helpful when working on some of the shaping in these toys. The patterns are clear and easy to follow for experienced amigurumi makers. I’d recommend that makers have some amigurumi experience before attempting the patterns in this book to avoid frustration.

    Overall, I think it’s another beautifully-done book by Vanessa Mooncie to add to one’s collection. We have familiy that breeds and shows dogs so dogs are a big part of our lives and I know I’ll be making many of the crocheted dogs from this book.

    If you’re interested in checking out Crocheted Dogs by Vanessa Mooncie, you can find it HERE.

    If you enjoy crochet pattern books, you can check out some more of my crochet book reviews on my blog:

    read more