This Strange Amigurumi Wheel was So Disappointing!

[@kendrabaker6622]

Buying yarn unnecessarily, but months of needing scissors but still haven’t bought scissors…. We are cut from the same cloth, you and I

[@Cathy-f7m]

Or you would be cut from the same cloth if you had scissors😂

[@dshe8637]

​@@Cathy-f7m 😂

[@pułkownikkaczodziobyzpodlasia]

Reminding you to get scissors!

[@StitchesGonnaStitch]

"So anyway I went and looked at the yarn" 😂😂😂 Subscribed obviously without needing to hear any more...

[@dshe8637]

As a British crocheter, I think we're long overdue for a total conversion to US terms. The slip stitch never was a full 'single' and nobody wants to do lines of it. Time to standardise!

[@ericathefae]

I appreciate that you show these "bad" experiences just like you would the positive ones. It helps to remind us what crafting actually is - full of both ups and downs.

[@SkeinSpider]

Cheers and I 100% agree about the ups and downs. I think it'd be a bit disingenuous to present everything as 'sunshine and rainbows' all the time when that's not exactly realistic.

[@juaniskay03]

After all the disappointment you had you turn the bird look better ❤

[@AprilDukes-q4v]

Nothing has ever resonated with me as deeply as hearing, “So, anyway, I looked at the yarn.”

[@melodymalone4076]

Here in the USA we had a similar product pre-covid times by Red Heart and it was geared towards people who wanted to try amigurumi without buying too much yarn as it gave you enough to make 2 but our patterns were made decently compared to the hell you just endured. I want the pattern that you got as its much cuter than the flamingo pattern we got.

[@sophiarafferty]

wow I thought itd be like that granny square yarn, this is just more work haha

[@KayVCornett]

We have had similar concept yarn here in the U.S. from the company Red Heart and here the patterns are not on the label you have to download them from Yarnspirations. Our patterns are written so the same animal in two different color schemes using the same yarn so perhaps your kit is supposed to be done twice with the pinks being reversed in one of them, which is why there is almost the same amount of each of them. They have since discontinued this format and gone to kits more along the lines of the Woobles Kits. I found the discs give enough yarn for about 3 of whatever pattern they go with.

[@openorwap5412]

So, it's a solid yeah-nah from me. I foresee tears, f-bombs, and yeeting if I dared to dabble. Thank you for taking one for the team 😆👍🏽🧶

[@SkeinSpider]

Tears, f-bombs and yeeting sums it up nicely 😂😂😂

[@ASquareGranny]

“In my defense…” 😂. I’ve never seen this type of ami kit. Very interesting & fun video! 🧡

[@28pinkdancer]

as soon as i saw how much grey was included in the skein vs how much grey was used in the photo of the bird on the label, I knew there would be major issues with this "kit"

[@SkeinSpider]

Yeah, it's a shame the images on the website where I purchased them focused mostly on the label rather than the yarn cake itself. Might've been a red flag if I'd seen it earlier.

[@dshe8637]

It's not always easy to judge, because the centre is going to look bigger than the outer

[@ZombieMinion1992]

Having tried the red heart, granny square yard. I’m really glad that’s not how this project is laid out because your attention would be so important and frogging and un frogging and Amigarumi is so much worse than trying to frog and re-crochet a granny square.

[@karenhawkins8061]

I'm in UK and haven't seen these yarn wheels anywhere, and I now know to give them a wide berth. Already crocheting a Mimikyu for a niece's birthday

[@ladybootsttcc7703]

Someone just recently told me that buying yarn from a grocery store like meijer isn’t buying yarn, it’s buying groceries- and I can’t argue with that…

[@brionnaimhoff4963]

The back loop only during the decrease rounds was likely a typo; there is a front loop only decrease that I use for all my amigurumi. It helps hide any holes/gaping that comes with decreasing

[@cjkagdis]

Just curious, could back loop only add texture to make it look like ruffled features? In the placement, it seems to be a typo, but it might be a thing to consider.

[@bjootieboob8303]

@@cjkagdisThis was exactly what I was thinking. Perhaps the backloop stitches in the decrease was to create a kind of feather texture. But who knows 😅

[@SkeinSpider]

Yeah, I assume it was a typo. Perhaps carried over from the single round where working in the back loop was required. Might've been a bit of copy/paste going on and they forgot to delete it 😂

[@YarnZombiee]

came here to say just that , amigurumi decrease

[@carolinesandford4439]

Checking the shop's website shows that the kit is made in China - so I'm going with Bad Translation fairy strikes again. From the greasy shine on it, the yarn looks a lot like the nasty stuff that sometimes comes free with a magazine. Well done for persevering, you masochist!

[@celarts5752]

My best idea for why they might be doing back loop only for the bottom is so it sits nicely and has a flat bottom, idk though

[@readingwritingrebellion]

I picked up some of these a while ago at an outlet store. Much like you, thought it was a neat idea and the bee wheels I found were cute. I also found a hamburger one and I think I might have picked it up thinking I could use the yarn for something else. I see that isn't going to happen and that making the bee is going to be a major pain in the ass.

[@SkeinSpider]

I almost grabbed the bee as well. Kind of glad I didn't at this point. Would definitely recommend re-purposing the yarn for a different project.

[@cherachapin3826]

These kits were completely designed as a way to condense all the packaging and put out a cheap product with a novelty idea that appeals to individuals that have no idea how to crochet. In a normal amigurumi kit, you have a nice book.with instructions, a hook, and several smallish balls of yarn and a bag of stuffing. This kit requires no special packaging with divisions. However, I could see this being a cute yarn cake for a baby blanket. Definately not worth the price 😂 I did buy a bumble bee one a few years ago because it was on clearence for $2.00 I used it to make a doll blanket for my daughter's raccoon stuffy❤

[@jenlouSG1]

I love this!! This lincraft product was the first thing I ever bought for crochet and it was awful. I came back to try again after 3mths and again 6mths after starting. I've been crocheting 18months and still have not finished that stupid galah. Everyone of your thoughts I thought too haha

[@fikanera838]

What a shame! The bird looks adorable to me, & the presentation is so appealing, but neither of those things make up for the poor kit quality.

[@cathyveile6536]

You are so patient to finish this. I also have done other kits. The yarn seems to always be aweful. And when you looked at the hook size and said cancelled yes I would have stopped there. You are a talented person. Thank for showing this. I'm sure you just glad it's done. I hope you can get your Money back for the other one 😊

[@brief402]

I wonder if you weighed the left over yarn? Maybe the excess is to be able to make multiple? But also selling the _exact_ amount of yarn needed as per the patten would be so small that it wouldn't look "appealing" or the purchase price would be so small it wouldn't make sense to give it the shelf space in relation to other products?

[@Coxoul]

Saw these and got excited. Bought a few, started with the bird, got the body and beak done and haven't touched it since. The yarn couldn't be comfortably contained, which sends me mental, and was rough on the hands. From what I had completed all excitement to complete had drained out of me.

[@jaynnnewell4722]

I can see the appeal, as someone who didn’t really do amigurumi, it would be nice to have smaller amounts of the colors rather than having to buy full skeins that I would struggle to find uses for after, plus this has less packaging than a full kit. I do wish it included stuffing though! I don’t keep any around, and as cheap as poly fill is, I’d then have a big bag left over to find more uses for (which again, it’s been years since I’ve needed any, I don’t do these often). It’s super cute, but knowing the yarn is so splitty sucks.

[@KenZchameleon]

In my experience, dec BLO are used for rapid decreases so the gaps between rounds is minimized. This really is only in amigurumi, not hats or anything. I have biceps tendinitis and my shoulder will tell me very strongly when I need to stop crafting (knit, sew, crochet). So I feel the frustration of a project taking longer. I hate cheap splitty yarn 😑

[@ephemeralmoments5075]

I almost clicked out of the video but when you said “anyway I went to look at the yarn..” I came back to hear more lol

[@invaderstim8804]

Don't worry about same sizing for a future recreation! Make a big galah with thicker yarn and a bigger hook!

[@fionascheibel977]

Backloop only decrease is supposed to be a less visible option but im not sure how it helps for that bird.

[@BadSamaJama]

African Grey, Sun Conure, Gray and Lutino Cockatiels, Eclectus, and Scarlet Macaw... those are my favorites... I'd love to see any and all

[@nikkibishop8025]

Hot take: small hooks are great, big yarn and hooks make my arms hurt. Have you have support under hands/arms for those big boys!

[@Melindrea]

Same for me--the pain most relevant to crochet is in my finger joints, and I've realised that as long as the hook has a handle ... I kind-of really like working with smaller hooks.

[@rubynkitchen8730]

I drafted a pattern that used a BLO section to add a patch of a different color, and the texture difference was interesting to play with before I finished the whole thing... I wonder if that's why those last body rows were BLO?

[@SkeinSpider]

There's certainly interesting things you can do by working in the BLO, like the examples you give,. I'm just not sure that's what they were going for here given that the majority of the BL rounds are under the body and aren't visible. Plus from what I can see of the image on the label, they actually haven't worked in the BLO 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

[@rubynkitchen8730]

@@SkeinSpider Yeah, it's disappointing that the picture didn't match the written pattern. Very frustrating!

[@raidermomcathy2043]

I would have automatically assumed they worked the way you thought also!

[@Baronvonkame]

I empathize so much, I’m only a newer crocheter but I bought a similar kit with small gauge and it’s torture to motivate myself to finish 😅

[@Lillybe]

My favourite birds are European Robins. But I think a Greenfinch or European Goldfinch always look striking in the garden. Love seeing them amongst the browns and blacks of the native birds.

[@pallasitematrix1614]

I'm sorry that was such a frustrating experience for you. Honestly, I think the idea of having the kit like that isn't bad; you get enough yarn to make multiple, and I feel like having them cut apart makes them more beginner friendly. I've watched people really struggle with getting the all in one granny square yarn to line up- people who have been crocheting for years, I think this kit only makes sense for people who want to get a feel for amigurumi, but don't want to commit to buying multiple skeins of yarn for their first project. It's just sad that it seems like a lot of the kits also go for the worst possible yarns, which makes them not beginner friendly at all.

[@Kayari]

I really hope these kits weren't someone's first intro into making amigurumi because oof. Like tbh it kind of screams 'we've got woobles at home' except by woobles at home, they mean found at the bottom of the bin, dusted off, and declared: 'eh, good enough' As for bird species, i have a soft spot for eclectus parrots and magpies (both European and Australian)

[@SkeinSpider]

I can absolutely see how this could put someone off amigurumi and that's kind of a shame. Eclectus parrots are gorgeous!! And then there's the option of crocheting both the male and female versions 🤔

[@juaniskay03]

I love the hummingbird ❤

[@jessicapruett676]

Thank you SO very much for this video, and my gosh how timely?! Which kits *would* you suggest, and for which talent range, please?

[@SkeinSpider]

To be honest, I'm probably not the best person to make kit recommendations as I've only ever used one previous to this video. There is a creator though, The Faded Wildflower Crochet or @Tfwcrochet who's done a bunch of kit reviews, you might have some luck if you try her channel.

[@R.M.MacFru]

I'll finish watching the vid in a moment, but, yeah, I've seen those things. A friend of mine gifted about 4 or 5 different ones to me for my birthday this year. Have I done anything with them yet? Nope. They are currently residing in my yarn storage boxes. Birds? Cardinals, hawks, and Indigo Buntings.

[@ericathefae]

About suggestions for birds: what about a big moth? (Yeah, I know, not a bird at all... but it got wings?)

[@themaddtatter6679]

The concept of this kit has so much potential that unfortunately was not met

[@leannestalker9808]

I would .ove to see a rooster

[@gumisora]

I was doing a crosstitch proyect, i stoped for the lack of yard provided! And I have it in a bag for more than 4 years! (Before quarantine) boring in quarantine I didn't wanted to do it, and now being at stay in home the same! 😂😂

[@mythicalcreaturecomforts]

Black cap chickadees are my favourite bird, but hawks, ospreys, and snowy owls are right up there for me too

[@alexisconnergaming6793]

If I remember correctly, I beleive that crocheting in the back loops only when crocheting should make the decreases less "bulky" for lack of a better term. So the decreases sit nicely and are a bit easier to crochet. I think i've seen someone decrease in the front loops only for a nearly invisible decrease.

[@sisselsworld]

I’m a Norwegian crocheter and I found this video really interesting. I don’t think we have those kits here in Norway, but I could probably find it online 😊

[@MinnieMay9]

I have a few of these but haven't used them yet. I also thought it was going to be that you kept working and the colors changed for you.

[@fionascheibel977]

They have been around for years. The brand name changed at some stage. They used to come in a slightly thicker gauge at first also

[@marywishuknew6663]

The blo may have been to create texture on the bottom.

[@marywishuknew6663]

After zooming in on the label I don't see the texture on their picture of the bird that blo would create.....

[@SkeinSpider]

I thought that might be what they were going for too at first but like you, I couldn't see any evidence of it on the label. Plus, it'd be kind of weird that the texture was only created on the bottom section and therefore hidden when the bird was sitting down 🤷‍♀️. I don't know lol, I'm sticking with the 'it was a typo' theory.

[@ScrltFox]

I was thinking the BLO was possibly for texture? Like the bottoms of feathers on birds? I feel like that would be lost on yarn this small though.

[@debbiespain7245]

Scissors I have as many as hooks. The color wheel amigurmi I have a few of these I bought a few years ago from Joann’s, but they are called amigurmi. I have a flamingo and not sure what else. Still haven’t made them yet, need to get on that.

[@khills]

Gallah. Always enjoy gallah patterns. 😁

[@ZimVader-0017]

The only store near me that sells yarn never gets any of these gimmick yarns. It's a small store that sells other stuff other than yarn, so it makes sense. I don't think I've even seen that brand either.

[@AgdaFingers]

I can't believe yarn companies getting rich (or trying to) with unnecessary (IMHO) products like these. Not everybody has the same tension - even under similar circumstances. It really isn't THAT hard to join a new color the old way - a lot of these "products" are claiming to make crocheting easier, but that isn't so. Save your money for more yarn colors :)

[@chriskaleidoscope]

I use this yarn to make lined notion pouches.

[@MissMaryanne1]

As a beginner myself I would've gotten very frustrated, also my favourite birds are kea, kiwi, takahe, galah, rosella and kookaburra

[@beadedwindsocks]

The color wheel you are using, reminds me of the Red Heart amigurumi wheel from about 4 years ago. Is it possible, it is a similar product?

[@velvety2006]

you do have a good defense XD You bought it to see if it worked or not so you could tell us whether it is worth the money or not XD

[@goblivid]

Ouchies, I really felt your pain on this one >.< Was it fingering yarn? For the amount of detail they actually achieved, I don't know why they couldn't give you worsted weight and a 4mm hook, would take less than half the stitches but achieve pretty much the same outcome.

[@Teerae11]

I'm not an ami maker but I have seen some maker's and they did front loop only while decreasing ??? Am i correct ?? So the blo is weird, but I like this video cuz I respect you and ur knowledge so I think I will never buy one of those cuz of splitty yarn , I don't think I wud of known that it is UK terminology lol great video 📷 !! Thank You for struggling on this for us our here , Thank You !! Oh btw blue jay bird !! Or colorful parrot 🐦🦜

[@SkeinSpider]

Yeah, an invisible decrease is usually worked across the front loops only. Working in the back loops only for one round will give you a sharp 'corner', so that would've been understandable but it's very weird that the instructions said to do it for multiple rounds.

[@Goldfinch593]

..."so anyway... I went over to look at the yarn"... 🤣

[@ducky4889]

I think the back loop thing might be for texture

[@incoref]

blo could be there to create different texture

[@KnotCraftyKara]

Why risk temptation? So i looked at the yarn...😅 sounds like my brain trying to be logical but glitch and it's too late got more yarn 😂❤

[@meiloslyther]

Giving a little benefit of doubt to the pattern, maybe the BLO section is a stylistic choice on the part of the designer? But yeah, I saw something similar (if not the same thing) at Ollie's (an American discount closeout store) a few years ago and wasn't interested enough to buy one. Glad I didn't!

[@kyttynkross1121]

"so anyway, I looked at the yarn" Yeah. That checks out. Maybe look at the scissors next time too, lol But I hate that IMMEDIATELY upon beginning this pattern, you have given yourself half collapsed and very easily tangle-able hollow yarn rings. If I were to get one of these kits, I would have to wind up those loose rings into balls, otherwise, I would just get them tangled up, because never once in my life have a I finished an amigurumi in a single sitting. That stuff is gonna get thrown in a travel bag for 6-12 business weeks (or permanently). But also, what's wild to me is that they had to TIE THESE DIFFERENT YARNS TOGETHER in order to make them into a single cake, only for you to cut them apart. Why not just sell them as separate balls? Is it just the eye-catching factor of the cake/wheel? because yarn cakes are "in" right now? Like I genuinely don't understand what the POINT of this concept... I feel like a crafter was not involved in this project at all. oh interesting. I've watched a lot of creators try to follow ai patterns and I've noticed an interesting trend is that a lot of them have random rows worked in backloops-only for... no real discernable reason. And a lot of them don't define their colors (like you talked about). Did it have specific instructions on how and where to attach the different pieces? A lot of AI patterns just say "attach to front" and little else; where as most amigurumi patterns I've done by people tell you to mark specific stitches or work in front/back loops and tell you in the pattern as you go "this is where you'll attach the arms later; mark this with a stitch marker" or later in the instructions "attach beak at row 7, between stitches 10 and 12" or something. a lot of ai patterns also have issues adding up their stitches at the end of a row and have stitches that are unaccounted for. Was any of this present in this pattern? I would be so very disappointed to find that Ai has worked its way into retail fiber arts already. But it would not surprise me for big businesses to be jumping at any chance to make more money with less effort, especially preying on newer artists who don't know better. And it really disappointing that a project like this is aimed at beginners and may very well turn them away from the craft entirely. :C edit: So i went looking for more reviews of this product and can't find any because the name (color wheel amigurumi) is so generic that all it get are references to the color spectrum wheel as "spin the wheel" amigurumi challenges. Only by typing in the brand did I find their ad for this product, but still not one other video.

[@Jasmine-pt7cp]

Dang I'm never this early. The yarn is so pretty buts it's sad you have to pick it apart. 🤣

[@SkeinSpider]

The colours are really nice but unfortunately the poor quality ruins the prettiness lol.

[@nicolelavigne1700]

It's a "kit" with a gimmick. Instead of little skeins of yarn with the amounts you need in a bag they tied them together and wound it in a cake so you can see the colours. In your defense you, you are testing this out to share with us if it's worth while so totally forgivable to cave for yarn in this case. We thank you for your sacrifice. I will say I think the end result is pretty cute and I like the bird. Not enough to be worth going through all that torture or buying crummy yarn to get a confusing pattern though. I look forward to seeing your take on this concept.

[@aerynea]

BLO is unfortunately common in amigurumi, it's an aesthetic choice mostly and I ignore it whenever possible

[@redwolf2557]

😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄

[@marshaarrowood688]

2 pairs? Only 2? I have 7 pairs of scissors.

[@audradonthaveone6708]

I don't think it is a kit, woobles come to mind for that. it's more of a color way, so you don't have to buy all the colors separately.

[@jennar4933]

I bought some of these when our lincraft closed like 5 years ago for $2 each. They’re still in the drawer. This justifies my decision to leave them there.

[@dees3179]

I thought the question at the beginning was going to be ‘have you seen …….my scissors’. But then you started talking about yarn. Must just be me that always misplaces scissors. 🤦🏼‍♀️ Vindicated when you immediately wanted another pair of scissors.

[@SkeinSpider]

😂😂😂😂

[@hollymarks1125]

I will tack the other one lol

[@cathyveile6536]

Also when the instructions are confusing it takes away the joy of crochet

[@laurenh2333]

I bought a couple of these when they first came out, I was very underwhelmed. The yarn is poor quality, felt unpleasantly plasticy to my touch and stretched and snapped with the least tension. I made one and the rest went into the shame pile

[@angelaporch2984]

Yes Leigh those kits are crap. I bought like three of them before I tried it biggest mistake I made

[@brigette3004]

Invisible decrease

[@lisafieldman2400]

My only guess regarding the strange pattern choices. They have taken another person's pattern, changed a few things to avoid being prosecuted for stealing intellectual property. May be wrong, but considering the rest of it, it sounds like a money grab. Jmo

[@BadSamaJama]

Thats how I do my decrease because it makes them less bulky and less obvious... but only the decrease ones and not the regulars AND not BLO, in front loops only... I like the idea but need more tweaking... UNFORTUNATELY, It seems like a money grab from a money hungry person, that doesn't crochet, created it though

[@batty-bites3185]

this kit literally doesn't seem like any crocheters were involved in the making of this kit lol did ai make this? i thought at the start with the yarn all being continuous like that it was gonna say okay we're gonna crochet all the things of the middle color first and so on but WHAT even is this kit?

[@tamarf4596]

How annoying! Especially since you have to limit your crochet time, and you ended up wasting that time on a shoddy peoject! I'd be curious to see this pattern in plush yarn.

[@WoodsteadCreative]

Sounds like an AI written pattern 😕

[@kay_ann]

those kits are a total rip off targeted at naïve newbies 😂 and i'm pretty sure that pattern is AI generated.

[@cocoscrochet6380]

Hi Leigh 🤗 I felt your pain…ouch! We’ve all been in similar situations…and the question is always…why?! 🥰🧶🤩