Craft Talkin' Book Review: Knit Mini Amigurumi Cats! by Anna Hrachovec

For far too long, amigurumi has been the province of nearly always crochet. It gets forgotten, I think, that amigurumi is the Japanese word for knitting OR crocheting small stuffed objects, so I was delighted to see this sweet little book of knitted amigurumi cats by Anna Hrachovec. Knit Mini Amigurumi Cats! is a must buy for all those knitters out there who have cats, it's the perfect gift - and, if you're a knitter yourself, and you love knitting little things, this book is jam packed with hilarious little projects!

To really get the most out of this book, you need some double pointed needles. If you're a magic loop fan, that will work too, but I think it's worth saying right at the start, that DPNs are a must for teeny weeny kitties like these. The book is full of stash busters! Anna recommends you dig into your stash and use whatever you find - just think how gorgeous a ginger cat would look in something variegated! - and although the projects in the book are knitted in fingering weight (UK 4ply) yarn, you certainly can use bigger yarn and needles to make bigger cats and accessories! This is very much a recipe situation, and part of the fun is in the exploration - if you've got needles in bigger sizes, you can definitely zoom out into chunkier territory!

The patterns begin with the cats themselves. Loaf cat, sleepy cat, clean cat, yikes cat (which is a cat yowling) - and a kitten. As if they were not cute enough, then come the accessories, and my favourite section - Cats in Containers! I defy anyone not to want the bag cat - but there are cats in shoes, a cat in a sink and a cat in a cup! Cute!

The Cats at Work section is hilarious, and contains, for the Mouse Catcher, a super sweet little mouse pattern. The last section, Delicious Cats, contains perhaps the most amigurumi-esque projects - cat smores, shrimp cats, and even a soft serve ice cream cat - honestly, I get the feeling that once you start, you won't be able to stop! A ittle side note - if you're making these kitties for children, make sure that they are safe - with embroidered faces, and not stitched on buttons or anything that could become a choke risk.

If you know a knitter with a cat, (and let's face it, everybody does), this is the perfect gift!

Merion

Knit Mini Amigurumi Cats! is available to order now at the link here!