Amigurumi Toys

I can't put into words the wonder and excitement that comes into a little ones eyes when they are given a new toy.  That also goes for furry little ones as well as human little ones.  Today I finished a new toy for my little furbaby Tuffy.  He knew it was for him and could hardly sit still while I put the final stitches in to secure the last tusk.  Yes I said tusk.  The toy is a walrus.

Tuffy and I call him Wally Walrus.  He is about 8 inches long and has a squeaker in him as do most of Tuffy's toys.  Tuffy has over a dozen toys and all but a few have squeakers in them. I have made several Amigurumi toys for him and they seem to be just the right size for him.  I use the patterns in Vanna's Choice Easy Crochet CRITTERS.  It has 10 amigurumi designs in it that feature Vanna's Choice yarns by Lion Brand Yarns.  The pattern book is put out by Leisure Arts.

I love to knit or crochet doll clothes and stuffed toys/dolls and have made many through the years.  I wish I had taken pictures of all that I did but unfortunately didn't think to do so until recently.  Here is a picture of a couple of toys I made for Tuffy last year and you can see they are well loved and played with but it gives you an idea of how well the patterns from the above book work for dog toys. 

If you can't tell it is the monkey and the alligator from the above book.  I didn't think that the toys would make it more than a week or two but they have lasted about 9 months so far.  They get lots of wear and tear even though I continually remind certain persons that they weren't made as a tuggy toy (and I had to sew a new ear back on monkey, also gator doesn't have bumps on his back anymore, lol).  As I stuff the critters I also put in a squeaker which comes in a package of several that are made by KONG as replacement squeakers.  I found mine at PetSmart.  The squeakers really hold up well chew after chew.  The eyes and noses I have put on with a sharpie permanent marker because I fear that Tuffy might hurt himself on any plastic kind of eye/nose and if I would stitch it on it wouldn't stay long at all because he likes to pull at any thing like that.  I have also washed all his toys in the washing machine and dried them in the dryer with no ill effects to the squeaker or the toy.

Believe it or not these little amigurumi toys are perfect for giving for baby showers or anytime.  Think how cute they would be in an Easter basket.  They are small enough that they might fit into one of the really big plastic eggs that are on the market today.  I really have fun making them and giving them as gifts to all my favorite little ones.

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