The Complete Idiot's Guide to Amigurumi Paperback – October 5, 2010

Generally, I don't buy books that start off with "The Complete Idiot's Guide To..." anything. Sometimes those books just aren't worth the money.BUT, June Gilbank's* new book  The Complete Idiot's Guide to Amigurumi  does not fit into that description.I am familiar with M's Gilbank's whimsical work through her blog site, Planet June. I've purchased a few patterns from her and have found the patterns to be well written and concise. Obviously, she tests these patterns thoroughly so there isn't that thought while you making something that "yeah, it's supposed to look like groundhog but it looks more like a monstrous snake". If the pattern is describing how to make a groundhog, you will achieve a groundhog that you can be proud of and show off.Plus the directions are easy. If it says "start off with a magic ring", that's what you do. And if you don't understand how to make a magic ring, M's Gilbank walks you through the procedure, complete with black and white close-ups so you can understand what is being produced. This is a great help for those of us that needs the visual to go along with the written word.M's Gilbank includes directions to make tubes, cones and circles so you can plan to make your own amigurumi design. Maybe you want to do one of your cat and you can't quite find any suitable pattern. With M's Gilbank's instructions, you will be able to figure out exactly what shape the body parts should be. You'll also be able to figure out, with M's Gilbank's instructions, where and how the color changes should be executed. She also offers various options to give your amigurumi a special look - maybe handmade eyes?There are a total of four patterns in the book - hamster, mushroom, boy and girl. Normally I'd say "only 4 patterns!" but it's not just about the patterns. "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Amigurumi" is just the starting point for your amigurumi adventures. You will be inspired to make up different amigurumis just to see how they will look.If you crochet, you should definitely buy this book. If you want to learn how to crochet, you should buy this book. And if you just want to see some cute toys, buy this book. This is a great book and I think every crocheter should own it. You will really enjoy this book.*no, I'm not her sister, agent, mother, friend, just a very satisfied customer

I got several books from the public library on amigurumi. This was the ONLY useful one. So much so that I returned it and bought one of my own for reference. I'm not a do it once and remember forever kind of person.Pros:- simple, easy-to-understand, illustrated instructions- covers a lot of ground with adequate detail- easy patterns that give an opportunity to learn skills in application, that tie into the instructions- gives conceptual ideas, not just instructions (this KEY for me, I need to know how to make closed form dome, any height I want, before I can successfully make a doll. I'm a macro learner that way)- stresses skills to follow patterns AND how to make your own designsCons:- the patterns given are not my aesthetic...at all...I think the boy and girl dolls are kind of creepy, but not in the good way. And the main project is hamsters, which are only good for making cat toys (boooooored already).- very few color pictures- very few ideas for other projects (well, that I liked that is)Conclusion:The BEST instruction manual for beginners that I've seen.NOT for experienced people looking for ideasNOT for beginners to crochet (at least not as a primary guide to learn crochet)But, um, it says the Complete Idiots Guide to Amigurumi right there in the title. So beginners of amigurumi are the target audience. I really hate it when people who are looking for one thing, then bash a decent book for providing something else.I've found cute ideas everywhere, internet, books, magazines, etc. Everyone with a cute doll wants to sell the pattern. And by learning how to make A doll, I can now make ANY doll. And I end up modifying all patterns any way (sometimes even on purpose).If you want a coffee-table-style-book, with patterns and beautiful pictures...buy one of those instead.If you want to learn how to make amigurumi, buy this one.

I'm entirely new to crocheting and, like an uneducated novice, I decided I want to skip scarves and blankets and start out with amigurumi. I like to collect small plush toys to display on my shelves and in my car, so I thought it would be fantastic if I could also make my own out some $3 yarn rather than buying a $20 factory made toy. Granted, I was smart enough to at least start out with basic techniques like chaining, making a square, and crocheting a round before I jumped into amigurumi.I was having trouble finding some good tutorials and instructions, book or online, on where to start. Even basic guides were proving complicated. It turns out it was little things, the basics of basics, that I wasn't getting. To my defense, I wasn't getting it because they weren't being explained. Things like looping, you can loop through the front or through the back, but no one ever mentioned that it is standard to loop through both the front and back together unless otherwise stated. This book fixed that.The book breaks down the basics of the basics,clearing up much of my confusion. The writer keeps the instructions simple and easy to follow, even using layman's terms so that an unfamiliar novice like me can keep up without having to reread the chapter 20 times and still not get it. The chapters are short and no paragraph is too long, so you won't run into the problem of being overloaded with too much information at once. Little helpful hints and tips are also provided throughout without being distracting.This book was a great help, it's a decent size and not terribly expensive. The author is thorough but clear and concise, true to the style of the Idiot's Guide. I definitely think it's worth the buy if you are starting out point blank like me or know someone who is.

After finding June's fab website, I was so inspired that I decided to buy her book. I have been crotcheting on and off since I was young however, I believe there's always something new to learn no matter how long you've been doing something. So, even though the book does cover a lot of basic stuff, I have still found it extremely useful as June provides lots of great ideas as well as hints and tips to help you get the best results possible from your Ami creations. For me, one of the most useful things I've learned is how to do the Magic Ring (I can't believe I've never come across this before!!). Brilliant! Both the book and the website have certainly inspired me to get stuck into making all these cute Ami critters as well as even trying to design my own patterns. Thanks June!

My book arrived as it should have and in great shape. I just want to say how super glad I am to have purchased this book ! I have always want to do amigurumi and now I can. This is a fab book for complete beginners and any crochet level also. There are very clear and direct instructions and photos. You learn everything from the basics up. It's so helpful and my go to book for amigurumi ! Do not hesitate to buy this book as you will love it. I can't wait to get started on the projects in there, which are super beginner friendly !

This book is very informative but I thought the paper used and the black and white photos were very poor quality. I have returned the book because it is a gift for someone wanting to learn to crochet and it didn't look attractive as a gift or appealing enough to make you want to get started.

Little bit disappointed, this book starts you from scratch re crochet, but the instructions for the 'magic ring' that is needed for amigurumi are not very clear. I also thought that there would be lots of patterns, unfortunately not. Those that were there were all in crochet short hand but no pictures to give you a visual idea.

I have recently started amigurumi, and this book is heaven sent, it truly is the idiots guide. Even though I have crocheted for more years than I care to remember June explains everything simply but without insulting your abilities. If you want to amigurumi have this next to you it's BRILLIANT!!!