UPDATE: This CAL has ended but you can still find the free pattern here!
Welcome to Part 1 of the Crochet-A-Llama CAL! I'm so excited you're here and joining in!
Welcome to Part 1 of the Crochet-A-Llama CAL! I'm so excited you're here and joining in!
Today we will make the legs and the body, the legs will be made separately and then joined together to make the body, making it all one piece!
If you are just learning about the CAL head over here to find out all the details, it's never too late to join in and each part will be remain free here on the blog so you can crochet at your own pace.
Be sure to share your photos in the Grace and Yarn Crochet Group on Facebook, I'm excited to see the colors everyone has chosen! Feel free to make the girl or boy version (or both!).
Pattern
If you prefer to work with an ad-free printable PDF copy, one can be purchased for a low fee from my Etsy or Ravelry shop!
Many of you shared that this will be your first CAL, yay! If you have any questions feel free to share them in the group or send me a message, I hope you all have a blast making your own little llama!
If amigurumi is new to you, I have a Tips to Learning Amigurumi page that I think will come in handy. I've brought over some of the main tips below as a refresher if needed!
Scroll down if you're ready for Part 1 now, otherwise keep reading and I'll go through the materials, abbreviations and how to get started with a magic circle and color changes!
This CAL will be split into 3 parts:
Part 1 - October 29 - Legs and Body (this post here)
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You may make and sell items made from this pattern but please do not sell, share or reproduce the actual pattern. If you sell finished items online (Etsy, etc) please provide a link to the pattern and credit to me as the designer, thank you. I hope you enjoy this pattern!
Materials
- Size 4 worsted weight yarn
- 100g of main body color (I used Yarn Bee Soft and Sleek in Ivory for the girl and Vanna's Choice in beige for the boy version)
- Small amount of
- Light brown
- Color of choice for scarf/flower
- Crochet thread/embroidery floss for facial features
- 3.5 mm and 5mm crochet hook
- 12 mm safety eyes
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle (I love the bent tip needles!)
- Stuffing
- Stitch markers (a piece of scrap yarn works great!)
SC- Single crochet
SC INC- Single crochet increase
INV DEC- Invisible decrease
HDC- Half double crochet
DC – Double crochet
(Below is a little mini tutorial for making a magic circle, invisible decrease and invisible color join. Please note the photos are for reference and were taken from other projects, the concept will be used for our CAL)
Magic Circle
A magic circle (also called an adjustable loop) is the most common way to start amigurumi.
1. Leaving about a 4 inch tail wrap the yarn into a circle as in the photos below.
2. Hold the loop by placing your fingers over the part where the working yarn crosses over the tail.
3. Insert your hook into the circle, yarn over, pull through and chain 1
4. You're magic circle is now ready to start as your pattern instructs (ex: if round one says 6 SC you will complete 6 SC around the loop)
5. Pull your tail tight to close
Invisible Decrease
This is the preferred way to decrease in amigurumi, it keeps the decrease tight and avoids the 'bump' of a regular SC decrease.
An invisible decrease happens over two stitches, insert your hook into the front loop of the first stitch and then into the front loop of the second stitch (you will have 3 loops on your hook), yarn over, pull through two loops (you will have 2 loops left on your hook), yarn over again and pull through all loops on the hook.
You've just made an invisible decrease!
Invisible Color Join
When changing colors it can have a jagged look because we are working in rounds. This method helps the colors change smoothly.
When you are completing the last stitch before you are instructed to change colors you will complete the first half of the stitch with your old color and finish the stitch with your new color.
Meaning, you will insert your hook into your stitch, yarn over with the old color and pull through, now drop your old color and use your new color to yarn over and finish the stitch by pulling through all loops on your hook.
You now have your new color on your hook. I like to tie off my old color here.
As you start your next round, complete the first stitch as a slip stitch instead of a sc. When you come back around to start your next round be sure to sc into your slip stitch as a regular stitch.
Ready to start? Here we go!
Legs and Body-
Legs: Make 2 - Using light brown with 3.5mm hook
Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC
Round 2: SC INC in each stitch (12)
Round 3: SC in the first stitch, SC INC in the next stitch, rep around (18)
Rounds 4-8: SC around (18)
Change to body color
Rounds 9-22: SC around (18)
Fasten off (when you finish the 2nd leg do not fasten off, proceed to round 23)
*Round 23 joins the legs together and starts the body*
Round 23: Chain 3 and attach to the first leg with a SC, SC in the remaining stitches around the leg, when you reach the chain make a SC across each of the 3 chains, SC in the remaining stitches of the next leg and SC across each of the 3 chains again (42 SC)
You will end up crocheting across each side of the chain, this acts a "bridge" to join the two together.This completes your join and is where your next round will start.
Rounds 24-40: SC around (42)
Round 41: SC in the first 5 stitches, INV DEC, rep around (36)
Round 42: SC in the first 4 stitches, INV DEC, rep around (30)
Round 43: SC around (30)
Round 44: SC in the first 3 stitches, INV DEC, rep around (24)
Rounds 45-50: SC around (24)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing
Part 1 of your llama is complete! Join us back on Wednesday for part 2 where we'll make the head and facial features!
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