amygurumi

I don’t have a lot of information about the history of amigurumi, but from what I understand the craft came out of Japan within the last ten or so years. The name means “knitted or crocheted doll”, but has really been extended to cover a range of items sharing a few commonalities:

• Items are knitted or crocheted, but crochet seems to be much more common.
• Gauge is very tight to produce well-defined stitches that make a rather rigid, unyielding fabric ideal for holding in stuffing (fiberfill or polypellets).
• Though “dolls” are popular, a more accurate description might include animals, figures, character goods and other objects. Often, objects are given cute faces (such as a cupcake, ice cream cone or coffee mug with eyes and a smile).
• Objects often (though not always) adhere to a cute (or “kawaii”) aesthetic. This seems to have grown out of the larger Japanese pop culture and references character goods (San-X, Sanrio, others), manga and other illustration.
• Items are often crocheted in the round using a spiral technique, though many patterns employ joined rounds. Crocheting in the round produces a three-dimensional object which can itself be any shape (round, oval, square, etc.).
• Items can be entirely crocheted or embellished with buttons, beads, felt, cloth, etc.

Google “amigurumi” or search for it on Etsy; you’ll find myriad examples of this popular craft. One of the reasons why I believe amigurumi has taken off (at least in the U.S.) is because of its stark contrast to “traditional” knitting and crochet. Many popular U.S. craft outlets (Michaels, Jo-Ann Fabrics, etc.) and local yarn stores tend to carry books catering to apparel and home décor interests. Amigurumi projects are attractive because they are fun, youthful, exuberant. They also require relative few materials and can be finished quickly (at least in comparison to an afghan or sweater). In general, they just require less of a commitment and embody the best of quick, easily consumable pop art.

The other atttraction of amigurumi is that, once mastered, the skills required can be used to produce a huge range of projects that can easily be designed without a pattern. It’s a viral craft: there are many online resources, and many crafters end up designing and sharing (or selling) their own patterns. The community is growing, and consequently there are many social outlets for discussing tips and techniques. Amigurumi is a wonderful reflection of the DIY craft aesthetic that has found a home online.

This entry was posted Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 12:35 pm and is filed under Amigurumi. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.