Tag Archive for 'Amigurumi Bear'

Fuzzy Forest Friends

My holiday gift to family and friends this year were amigurumi bears with needle felted appendages. I thought they would make a festive tree trimming!

I had fun experimenting with a different material to create their fuzzy arms, ears, and legs. That, and I’ve always wanted to try needle felting.

Needle felting is an interesting technique- you take wool fibers and compress them by repeatedly stabbing the fibers with pointed, barbed needles of different gauges.

The fibers interlock and become compacted, holding whatever shape desired. Not only does it produce a finished piece, it’s also a great stress reliever!

I took the bears on a photo shoot to Lands End- the wave and wind carved headlands west of the Golden Gate. It is a breezy place filled with cypress trees, colorful native plants, and scenic overlooks.

I was lucky enough to photograph them on a rare, warm sunny day. I think the bears enjoyed spending a little time seaside before it was time to go into their gift boxes.

Crocheting is Cool

For years I have been fascinated with Amigurumi- the Japanese art of crocheting small stuffed animals or toys. They are super cute and always make me smile. I also thought it would be a nice way for me to expand my plush toy repertoire. The texture achieved from crochet is very unique, which is what I think makes amigurumi so alluring.

After a couple of hours watching YouTube videos on how to crochet, along with finding the simplest book, which happened to be a kid’s book, and some serious practice, I completed my first amigurumi bear!

He’s soft, cuddly, and pocket-sized! I think I’ll call him Chisai Kuma, which is “little bear” in Japanese.