Celebrating With Free Cupcakes! {Amigurumi Tutorial}

Exactly one year ago, I published my very first post with much excitement and trepidation! Honestly, I never thought Ami Amore would grow so much, so quickly! Blogging is harder than I originally thought it would be but it's so worth the time and effort it takes! I've met so many great people through this experience and I look forward to another wonderful year! Thank you all for your support! 

To celebrate, I made everyone cupcakes! Well, a cupcake pattern and tutorial anyway! This pattern is fun and simple, perfect for beginners. Cupcakes are a great way to celebrate almost any occasion!  

With a little inspiration and a lot of imagination, the variations that you could come up with using this tutorial are limitless! Add pearly beads, french knots, or straight stitches, all will look like different sprinkles. Add a pair of safety eyes and a little mouth and you'll have a cutie cupcake! Aww! 

Amigurumi Cupcake Pattern Tutorial

Difficulty: ❤♡♡♡ Beginner 
This is a wonderful beginner's project as it does not contain any difficult techniques. The magic ring is probably the only tricky point but is easily and quickly mastered. Planet June has a wonderful tutorial of how to do the magic ring. 

Materials You'll Need:
• Yarn in your choice of colors
• Crochet hook - D to F depends on yarn weight
• Stuffing - Polyfil
• Yarn or Darning Needle
• Scissors
❤ Optional - embroidery thread, beads, 5 mm safety eyes, keychain, or phone lanyard.

Crochet Terms:
This pattern is written in American terms, but for those unfamiliar with them, the British terms are in blue.

American                               (UK/British)

MR - Magic Ring                      (magic ring)

sl st- Slip Stitch                      (Slip Stitch)

ch - Chain                              (chain) 

sc - Single Crochet                  (dc- double crochet)

invdec - Inv. Decrease             (inv. decrease)

inc - increase                          (inc - increase)
hdc - half double crochet          (htr - half treble)

Notes: Finished Size: 1.25" x 1.5" (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm)  ❤  I use the joined-round method of amigurumi, most people do not.  This pattern is written for both spiral and joined rounds, use the method you are most comfortable with. 

WRITTEN PATTERN - The abbreviated pattern is at the end of this post if you'd like to work on it alone. It's a very simple pattern, feel free to jump to the end! 

Let's go!!

The Cupcake Bottom

Left: Rnd 1) In a MR, single crochet 6 times. Pull your ring tightly closed. This is important so it doesn't work it's way loose, leaving a hole in the bottom of your work.

Right: Rnd 2) Increase in each stitch, you should have 12 stitches at the end. 

 Left: Rnd 3) Single crochet in the back loop of every stitch. Your stitches will naturally curve inwards, creating a sharp turn and a flat bottom. Another 12 stitches at the end.

Right: Rnd 4) Single crochet in 2 stitches then increase in the next stitch. Repeat this pattern around 3 more times. You should have 16 stitches at the end of this round. 

Left: Rnd 5) Single crochet in each stitch. Tie off and hide your tail inside the bottom. 

Right: Finished Bottom! Note how crocheting in the back loops created a 90 degree turn, giving the cupcake a nice flat base to sit on! 

The Frosted Top

Left: Rnd 1) Choose a nice frosting color and in a magic ring, single crochet 6 times. Again, pull your right tightly closed. 

Right: Rnd 2)  Increase in each stitch, you should have 12 stitches at the end.  Rnd 3) Single crochet in the first stitch then increase in the next. Repeat this pattern around 5 more times for a total of 18 stitches. Rnds 4 & 5) For the next two rounds, single crochet in each stitch to the end, with 18 stitches in each round. 

Left: Rnd 6) To add the scalloped frosting edge: chain 1, in next stitch, half double crochet 1 stitch, chain 1 and slip stitch in the next stitch. Repeat around the bottom, about 8 more times. Tie off and leave a long tail for sewing the top to the cupcake bottom. 

Right: Edging Step-by-Step:  (Step 1) If you are using the joined rounds method, simply begin with 1 chain. For those using the spiral rounds method, close your piece with a slip stitch then chain 1. 

Left: (Step 2) In the next stitch, make a half double crochet. (Step 3) Chain 1.

Right: (Step 4) Slip stitch in the next stitch. Repeat these 4-steps around the edge to the end, about 8 more times. 

Left: The completed cupcake top! Remember to leave a long tail for sewing. 

Right: Thread your yarn needle with the tail, and insert it through the stitches on cupcake's bottom as shown. 

Left: Pull your needle through and push it from the inside - outward of the top as shown. Sewing this way will cause the top edge of the brown bottom to be hidden inside the red frosting's top creating a realistic cupcake! 

Right: As you sew, pull your thread tightly and evenly. This will prevent stuffing from coming out and create a sturdy, attractive finished piece. 

Left: With only about an inch wide opening left, stop and stuff your cupcake. I used a pair of scissors to push my Polyfil inside. 

Right: Sew your opening closed and hide the tail inside the cupcake. Cut the string and ...

You're Done!! 

WRITTEN PATTERN 

American                               (UK/British)

MR - Magic Ring                      (magic ring)

sl st- Slip Stitch                      (Slip Stitch)

ch - Chain                              (chain) 

sc - Single Crochet                  (dc- double crochet)

invdec - Inv. Decrease             (inv. decrease)

inc - increase                          (inc - increase)

hdc - half double crochet          (htr - half treble)

Amigurumi Cupcake Pattern 

Cupcake Bottom:

Rnd 1- In a MR, sc 6 [6]

Rnd 2- Inc in each st [12]
Rnd 3- sc in each st, back loops only [12]
Rnd 4- (sc 2 then inc) x4 [16]
Rnd 5- sc in each st [16]
❤ Tie off and hide the end inside the bottom.

Frosted Top:

Rnd 1- In a MR 6 [6]
Rnd 2- Inc in each st [12]
Rnd 3- (sc then inc) x6 [18]
Rnd 4&5- sc in each st [18]
Rnd 6- Edging: Ch 1, hdc in next st, ch 1, sl st in next st. Repeat around, about 8 more times. 
❤Tie off and leave a long tail for sewing the frosting top to the cupcake bottom. Sew the bottom under the frosting's top edge to that the brown top edge isn't visible. Stuff when there's about an inch wide opening left. Finish sewing the cupcake closed. Hide the tail inside the cupcake and you're done! 

The finished cupcake is quite small. Add a key chain or phone lanyard and take your handiwork with you or gift it to a friend for their birthday! Also, since Christmas is coming soon, make a whole bunch in your favorite colors and designs, add ornament hooks, and hang them on your mini Christmas tree! Have fun!

Thank you for a great year of blogging! 


If you enjoyed this tutorial and found it useful, please subscribe to my blog or subscribe on BlogLovin'. Thank you!! 

As this is an original Ami Amore pattern, kindly do not claim it as your own. You may place a link to this pattern from your site, but please do not repost it onto your page. Remember to share a picture of your own amigurumi heart! 

Amigurumi WIPs and Sewing Projects

(Caution! Word and Picture Heavy Post Ahead!)

Am I the only one who feels like this summer is going by too quickly? Wasn't yesterday the 4th of July?

It was a gorgeous day to pick blueberries! It was so cool that I needed my sweatshirt, at the end of July too! In total, my husband and I picked over 14 quarts of berries! Freezing them is the best option and I can't wait to break out a couple bags this winter! Blueberry cobbler anyone? 

Looking back over the last few weeks, I feel like I accomplished little but I know it can't be not true. Ever feel like that? I think it's because I haven't made many new designs for my shop. I did sell many narwhals and whales (yay!) whose pattern is now etched in my memory - permanently. I can't complain, they are simple to make and apparently really popular!

Aside from crafting, this summer has been eventful for my husband and I. Blueberry picking with family, hung out with friends, and prepared dinner with different family members at our apartment. My husband's brother and his wife recently had a baby girl, graduated from college, and moved home from WA; all within six weeks!  Definitely a big change and adjustment that has brought many busy moments for everyone. It's so wonderful to have them home! Their little girl is my very first niece and I'm smitten! She's so sweet and adorable! Yes, I've made her a few hats and no, I didn't take any pics. Shame on me too, because the hats turned out great! Ah well, I have many more that I'd like to make and I'll be sure to share about those :] 

The dressed-up amigurumi dolls that I have in my shop are selling well so I made two more, but I've hit the "Now what should they wear?" wall. Help! I need some inspiration and suggestions! 

The next project that I've been causally working on is this lovely bear.  I've tried to made larger, more doll-like ami's in the past but each one was a total flop. Not this one though! I'm so happy how she's been progressing! She does need a nose and mouth and once that's been perfected, I'm looking forward to making other animals based on this pattern. Also, I'd like to sell a pattern set of 3 to 4 different animals and their outfits. It'd be easier for me to write up a set of patterns than individual ones, I think. <-- Key phrase: I think. I have no idea if that's true!

And now, an official Ami-Flop!  Meet Cowboy Pig! 

Yeeeah, not so cute.  I was trying to make a joined-leg body with some space between the legs but the body is way too short. Or his head is too small, not sure which. He's kinda cute, but I don't know, just not really "there"- if that makes any sense. Ah well :] Moving on...

Sometimes my hands wear out from crocheting or I get bored with my work so I dabble in other crafts that I find more interesting or calming.  At the moment I'm really enjoying sewing and embroidery. Up first: My blog binder. It all started with a desire to be a better blogger, which meant I needed to get serious about organizing my posts, ideas, and plans. I looked all over the internet for tips to organize my blog and there were tons of options from post outlines to planners, to printables. 

(Left) What started it all: The Post Outlines. The best one I found was this one at BridgettEdwards.com; I loved her helpful accompanying post too! Her form is the closest to what I wanted but I decided to create my own that would be best suited for my needs and style. I used Word to create them from a list of points I used most often when writing my posts. And of course they needed a holder, so a piece cardboard and three yards of washi tape later, I had a nifty envelope.

(Right) All my organizing-stuff needed to be kept together and I didn't want to use a plastic 3-ring binder. Yuck. Something soft with lots of room and pockets would be much better! I spent a whole Saturday sewing this thing together and it's one of my better sewing creations. If I could go back, I would use a different fabric for the front, this pattern is pretty in small doses but the whole cover is too over powering and the embroidery can hardly be seen.

(Top) I love the inside! You can't see them but the beige fabric has little white stars all over it! There's a large pocket on both sides, with another pocket on the left - you can't see it, it's under the Post Outline's envelope. 

(Bottom) Filling my binder was easy. I found the perfect journal at Target for $10. The cover is a soft faux-leather in the prettiest blue! It's been super handy for planning my life, posts, and projects. The TOPS comp book was also from Target for $.50- great deal and I wish I had bought more than one! It contains my filled out Post Outlines, writing tips and ideas, and patterns. The Sharpie pens were also from Target for $1.50 and come in many colors. 

All in all, I love my binder but regret the cover fabric choice. But it's handy, sturdy, and travels well; what more could I ask for? 

Second Sewing Project: A Needle Book

I love Japanese crafts, (amigurumi is just one of them) and the Japanese Kawaii & Zakka style. Amy, from NanaCompany, has perfected this style down to an art form.  Her pieces inspire me to become a better designer! I love her work! If you've never heard or seen her work, do check out her beautiful blog!  

It was her lovely tutorial I used to create this needle book. The embroidery is my own design.

The book was a serene and relaxing project where I could let my mind wonder and just enjoy the process. 

Every time I open it to take a needle, the clouds, balloons, and happy colors make me smile :]

I hope everyone's enjoying their summer! What projects are you working on or have completed?