the definitive amineko tutorial,

[nartz.livejournal.com]

FIRST TIME POSTER ALERT!!
a little bit about me: i've been lurking here for absolutely ages and i'm happy to be making my first post now now now. :)
i'm from singapore and i think our yarn supplies here are very limited.. :( (rip off spo*light).

ANWWWW,
i finally finished my amineko, around last week but i've been lazing around to finally get it online.

i'm an absolute newbie to crochet and i only know the chain stitch and the single crochet, which btw, seems to be more than enough really. i'm also a diy learner as i know absolutely NO ONE who crochets left-handed. cheers to the many many online sites available with illustrated pictures, which in some ways, gets rid of the left-hand right-hand impediment.

so here's my amineko, name yet to be decided

so here he is, nameless the cat. my mom's taking it w her to guangzhou when she goes over for work for the next two years.



i sewed the legs abit too wide apart.. looks pretty vulgar when you put the tail in between..

and my attempt at translating the tutorial, which has thus far worked for me.
i roughly figured this all out by myself while reading v garbled english translations of the original pattern here. so i hope it works for you.
i do hope you'll get back to me on how i may improve the tutorial too :)
i know i have some problems with the crochet lingo and phrasing but i'll try my best.
(and rest assured i'll never take it off and make you buy it in future because this was free for me, it will be free for you too.)

any yarn, any hook size works, and also a yarn needle and embroidery thread for the eyes and nose.

abbreviation definitions:
r - row
ch - chain stitch
[ ] - marks the total number of stitches you should have for that row
and be sure to use a row marker and occasionally count your stitches to make sure youre on the right track!

HEAD (using main colour)
r1 - ch6 then join to make a round [6]
(the following rows, add sc where indicated but please do also do normal sc-ing in the unmentioned stitches!)
r2 - 2sc in every sc [12]
r3 - 1sc , 2 sc in every 2nd sc [18]
r4 - 2sc, 2 sc in every 3rd sc [24]
r5 - 3sc, 2 sc in every 4th sc [30]
r6 - 4sc, 2 sc in every 5th sc [36]
r7 - 5sc, 2 sc in every 6th sc [42]
r8 - 6sc, 2 sc in every 7th sc [48]
r9 to r15 - 1sc in every sc [48 each row]
r16 - 6sc, decrease at every 7th sc (ie. join 7th and 8th stitch so that they make one stitch for the row) [42]
r17 - 5sc, decrease at every 6th sc [36]
r18 - 4sc, decrease at every 5th sc [30]
r19 - 3sc, decrease at every 4th sc [24]
r20 - 2sc, decrease at every 3rd sc [18]
finish off and leave an allowance of at least two hand span lengths (or a comfortable length to later join the head to the body w the yarn needle).

BODY (using main colour)
r1 - ch6 then join to make a round [6]
r2 - 2sc in every sc [12]
r3 - 1sc , 2 sc in every 2nd sc [18]
r4 - 2sc, 2 sc in every 3rd sc [24]
r5 - 3sc, 2 sc in every 4th sc [30]
r6 - 4sc, 2 sc in every 5th sc [36]
r7 to r23 - 1 sc in every sc [36 per row]
r24 - 4 sc, decrease at every 5th sc [30]
r25 - 1 sc in every sc [30]
r26 - 1 sc in every sc [30]
r27 - 3 sc, decrease at every 4th sc [24]
r28 - 1 sc in every sc [24]
r29 - 1 sc in every sc [24]
r30 - 2 sc, decrease at every 3rd sc [18]
r31 - 1 sc in every sc [18]
r32 - 1 sc in every sc [18]
finish off and leave and an allowance.

ARMS (make two)
r1 - start with contrasting colour, ch6 then join to make a round [6]
r2 - 2sc in every sc [12]
r3 to r5 - 1 sc in every sc [12 per row]
r6 - change to main colour, 1sc in every sc [12]
r7 - 2 sc, decrease at every 3rd sc [8]
r8 to r28 - 1 sc in every sc [8 per row]
finish off and leave ample allowance.

LEGS (also make two)
r1 - using contrasting colours, ch6 then join to make a round [6]
r2 - 2 sc in every sc [12]
r3 - 3 sc, 2 sc in every 4th sc [15]
r4 to r6 - 1 sc in every sc [15 per row]
r7 - change to main colour, 1 sc in every sc [15]
r8 - 2 sc, decrease at every 3rd sc [10]
r9 to r24 - 1 sc in every sc [10 per row]
finish off and leave ample allowance.

EARS (make two using any colour you like, cos cats sometimes have different coloured ears (aww). done in the round still.)
r1 - 4ch, join to make a round [4]
r2 - 2 sc in every sc [8]
r3 - 3sc, 2sc in every 4th sc [10]
r4 - 4sc, 2sc in every 5th sc [12]
r5 - 5sc, 2sc in every 6th sc [14]
finish off and leave ample allowance.

MUZZLE (using contrasting colour, done in the round)
r1 - 7ch, join to make a round [7]
r2 - 2 sc in every sc [14]
r3 to r10 - 1 sc in every sc [14 per row]
r11 - 1sc, decrease at every 2nd sc [7]

FINISHING YOUR CAT!
- before stuffing the cat, youre advised to stitch on the eyes on the head. i played mine by ear but roughly around the middle of the head should do it. you should also sew on the nose and the mouth before attaching the muzzle onto the head.
- stuff the head and the body with stuffing stuff (for me i used an old pillow) but the site also advised that you fill the body with some heavy material (ie. pellets) first (i didnt do that though). i left the legs, arms, muzzle and ears empty.
- joining! join the head and the body together, but before you finish off its best to do a final stuffing of more material so that your cat isnt limp especially between the head and the body. remember the golden rule of stuffing: enough is never enough.
- legs: sew them onto the front of the body leaving about a 3 to 4 stitch space between them lest it looks too vulgar
- arms: symmetrically at the two sides of the cat should do it.
- ears: the japanese tutorial says 'position of ear w taste' but i wouldnt recommend actually tasting the yarn (hoho.. lame joke sorry) but i did mine a little after the middle line of the top of the head at an angle
(sorry i dont have pictures for all of these..)

THENNNNNN, 'Acquiring name, you will love. Also it is pleasant to take the snap photograph, is.' , you shall name the cat and snap photographs of it and put the link here to tell me if it works!

posted to craftgrrl and my own lj.