Crochet is far from a new process. Some of the earliest patterns date back to the 1800s. Both crochet and knitting have enjoyed a huge renaissance in the past few years bringing new ideas and a wonderful array of yarns to work with.

Gone are goofy, floppy, hole-filled, under-stuffed, toys. Crocheters are utilizing Amigurumi and other modern techniques to create countless new, clever and whimsical creatures. Granny squares and doilies never looked so good and crochet clothing has gone from old-fashioned cardigans to high fashion and even the runways of the finest fashion houses.

I’ve been crocheting since my grandmother taught me some 40 years ago. While I’m a mixed media artist, who enjoys dabbling in all sorts of materials and techniques, crochet is a bit of my first love. Not surprisingly, The Crafty Tipster does have more crochet-related content.

Please take a look around and try some of the great vintage and modern free crochet patterns listed here. And as always we look forward to seeing what you do with these patterns and would love to be able to share your favorite patterns as well.

Crochet Flower with 9 Petals

This free crochet flower pattern makes up fairly quickly and creates a pretty flower that would make a great addition to a crochet hat, purse or sweater. The size of your crochet flower will be completely dependent upon the thickness of the yarn you use. My flower was made using a typical 4-ply worsted acrylic and is around 4 inches wide.

Continue ReadingCrochet Flower with 9 Petals

Crochet Amigurumi Octopus Pattern

This little Amigurumi Octopus is easy to make and only uses the chain and single crochet stitches. There are two versions - stuffed and unstuffed. And while I used buttons for eyes you might want to crochet or embroider your eyes. This amigurumi project is also a great stashbuster as it takes only a small amount of yarn to make. So without further adeu, let's get started.

Continue ReadingCrochet Amigurumi Octopus Pattern