Early FOs: Amigurumi Before Amigurumi Was Cool

Back when I saw the Amigurumi issue of Crochet Me for the first time, I remember thinking about how the stuff I made in Middle School must have been ahead of its time.

Now I have proof.

For my next installment of FOs I found in storage, I present amigurumi. Of course back when I made it, it wasn't called amigurumi. They were just crocheted stuffed animals.

This first one is from a pamphlet of crocheted animals that I used a lot. I don't remember the name, but I think it had "egg" in the title. These patterns were supposed to be stuffed with pantyhose eggs. However, after the first elephant, I realized the bodies were too big for the eggs. So I just stuffed them with Polyfil. Then I realized my embroidery sucked, so I started using googly eyes. (Everything is better with googly eyes.)

The dog was just one of several patterns in the pamphlets. I think it was one of the first times (if not the first time) I did colorwork. (Look at the face.)

A while back I asked Mom what her childhood dog, Goober, looked like. For someone reason her description reminds me of this dog, even though she says Goober looked nothing like my dog. I think this dog has a new name anyway.

This turtle is from the same book as Goober. I was really proud of the webbed "shell" attached to the top of the body.

I'm pretty sure the pink yarn is Caron Simply Soft and the purple is the long discontinued Dazzleaire. But I'm not positive.

This is a very different type of crocheted turtle. This pattern is one of those freebie patterns they have in displays at craft stores. This one was crocheted with baby yarn. It was my first experience with popcorn stitches.

It's supposed to be a rattle. Inside the shell is a margarine tub filled with beans (or rice or something like that.) Like the pantyhose egg animals, the tub didn't quite fit. Apparently I had loosened up my gauge by then, but I hadn't learned t0 pay attention to my gauge.

And no, I don't know where the nasty brown stain came from. It came with age. The lesson: be careful when you store your hand knits (and hand crochets.)

(BTW - I took more pictures in natural light, but somehow the pictures in the kitchen turned out better. I think the cardboard box was reflecting too much light. Any tips?)