Are you ready to dive into the art of amigurumi? 🌊 Today's guide is Ilaria Caliri, the creative force behind @airali_gray, offering three brand-new amigurumi patterns for free. Don't miss our insightful Q&A with the master herself!
Welcome to "Meet the Designer," where we celebrate the creative minds behind our favorite patterns and collections. This time, it’ll be ALL about amigurumi! We’re excited to feature Ilaria Caliri, a designer based in Italy, who has crafted three brand-new amigurumi patterns with the cutest sea theme! 🦀🐠🐚 (and good news, they’re completely free to download!)
Ilaria is an amigurumi expert with more than 100K Instagram followers at @airali_gray. 👀 She definitely is one to follow if you aren’t already familiar with her adorable designs!
Are you ready to learn more about Ilaria’s thoughts behind the new Under the Sea pattern collection? And are you interested in knowing more about her work with amigurumi? Join us as we dive straight into this Q&A 😍🌊
1. How did you first get involved with amigurumi, and what about it captivates you the most?
“I learned to crochet as a child but set it aside until I encountered amigurumi in my early 20s. The idea that the basic crochet stitches I knew could transform into adorable 3D creatures seemed like magic. I just had to learn how it worked! I immediately grabbed a pattern and quickly understood that it was all about geometry. I've been experimenting with it ever since!”
2. Why were you drawn to the "Under the Sea" theme, and how did you choose the specific sea creatures for your designs?
"The 'Under the Sea' theme is a constant source of inspiration! I was thrilled to see it included in the proposals from Hobbii, as I love designing adorable sea creatures.
It’s not the first time I've designed little sea creatures, but it remains an inspiring theme. The variety of fish, with their vibrant colors and shapes, along with the fascinating marine mammals and crustaceans, featuring intricate shells and claws, offers a treasure trove of design possibilities!
When it came to selecting the three little creatures for this mini collection, I aimed to capture that diversity while offering a mix of easy, medium, and challenging patterns. I designed the patterns with a rich color palette and a variety of shapes to make the crafting process fun and engaging."
3. How did you approach the creative process for the amigurumi sea creatures?
“My creative process always starts with sketching, keeping in mind that these sketches need to become crochetable shapes. Although I experiment, I remember that it's not just about illustrating—the final product must be a usable pattern.
Paola the Seashell was a fun challenge! A simple sketch doesn't guarantee a simple pattern. Capturing the stair-like shape at the top took some trial and error.
Luigi the Goldfish, with its asymmetrical body and textured fins, presented another hurdle. I wanted to keep the pattern beginner-friendly, so the key was finding ways to make it interesting without overly complex instructions.
Finally, Rachele the Crab! Her legs and claws are the focal points. The body uses an oval shape to add variety to the collection, the claws are designed to appear slightly open, and the legs have a natural bend achieved through increases and decreases.
Once the sketches are finalized, comes the translation into crochet stitches. This is where experience truly comes in handy. Trial and error are inevitable, and sometimes "doing and undoing" is the only way to achieve the desired result!”
4. Could you tell us a bit more about the three patterns?
“Paola the Seashell has a stair-like shape at the top that isn’t complicated to make, but it requires reading the instructions carefully and using a stitch marker. Please use it this time!"
"Luigi the Goldfish's forte is the textured fins, which use back loop stitches to create ridges and shallows—a simple technique with impressive results."
"Rachele the Crab might take a bit longer due to some sewing involved at the end. But don't view it as a challenge—it's a fun exercise that combines crocheting and sewing to create a delightfully chubby crab!"
"The yarn chosen for this collection is Hobbii Baby Cotton Organic. It's a fine cotton yarn that's incredibly soft and comes in a variety of the cutest colors. It was an easy choice!
The patterns primarily use single crochet stitches, with some back loop and front loop stitches for added texture. Each one features unique details that make them enjoyable to crochet and might introduce you to new techniques.”
5. What advice do you have for crafters who are new to amigurumi but eager to crochet one of the new patterns?
“Here are a few quick pieces of advice: Take your time, and have fun with each stitch! Use a stitch marker, and check the stitch count at the end of each round. Unraveling crochet stitches is very easy! If something doesn't look quite right, simply unravel and try again. Don't get hung up on perfection—embrace the little imperfections and enjoy the process!
As for your first project, I recommend Luigi the Goldfish. He begins with a basic amigurumi circle, and his body is straightforward to shape using the pattern. Plus, the fun fins offer a chance to learn a new technique!”
6. What yarns do you find particularly well-suited for crafting amigurumi?
“Hobbii offers a great selection of yarns that are perfect for amigurumi. If you enjoy working with fine yarn for smaller projects, then Hobbii Baby Cotton, like the one I used in this collection, is a fantastic choice.
For crafters who prefer vibrant colors, I recommend exploring Hobbii Rainbow 8/4 or Hobbii Friends 8/4. And for those who love creating larger amigurumi, consider the 8/6 or 8/8 thickness yarns. Just remember to adjust your crochet hook size accordingly and use bigger safety eyes too.”
7. Lastly, could you share your top three tips for fellow crocheters working with amigurumi?
“1 — Mark your rounds with a contrasting yarn tail. If a mistake happens, this hack makes it super easy to undo until the desired stitch.
2 — Take your time to add toy stuffing thoroughly in all sections and corners. This step is just as crucial as crocheting itself and contributes significantly to the final shape and stability of your amigurumi.
3 — Before permanently sewing pieces together, use sewing pins to position them precisely. Remove the pins while sewing, only when you get close to them, so they help you keep the little pieces in the right spots.”
Ready to start crocheting?
Now that you've received Ilaria's best tips and hacks for amigurumi, are you prepared to dive into her beautiful patterns?
Download the patterns for free here:
Be sure to share your final pieces and look for inspiration under the Instagram hashtags #AiraliDesignxHobbii and #HobbiiUndertheSea!
