Doll-A-Day 2023 #223: Amigurumi Dolls

  Today's dolls are amigurumi.

Amigurumi is a Japanese art, the name of which translates to exactly what it is: 'crocheted or knitted stuffed toy'. It's derived from the Japanese words ami, which means 'crocheted or knitted', and nuigurumi, which means 'stuffed doll'. Popular in Japan for years, it became well known to the rest of the world around the early 2000's.

  They, and the other amigurumi I've seen, are made from something more like string than yard or thread.

This one is my favourite of these three, I think.

She's about 2 and a half to three inches long.

From behind you can see that she's wearing a big hat.

  This little guy has a built in stand. In spite of that, he's hard to keep standing.

 

I think he came from a thrift store.

He's holding what I think is supposed to be a ball, but I always think it looks like an Easter egg.

  He's wearing little bibbed overalls.

  This one came from a flea market. You may have seen her when I got her HERE. She even had her own Day once, but it was a quick post with few pictures. You can see it HERE. I don't know what happened to her face. It was cleaner then.

She has a very suspicious expression.

  They all have what I think are silk faces. This one has a painted face though, and not just features that seem to be inked on, like the other two.

  I also have a few amigurumi animals, which are the oldest of my amigurumi. They're from way before 2000, I'm sure. I've found all them locally, at yard sales and maybe an auction. I assume they were made here too, but who knows? I have a dog, a cat, and a panda. They all have the loops to hang them from, and I use them as Christmas ornaments. At a yard sale once I bought a box of vintage sewing items, which included a million partially finished pandas. (Mostly faces.) They were obviously the work of the older lady who had owned the box. (The sale was being held by her daughter.)

  I can see the possibility that some of these local finds started life in Japan and found their way here. In the early 1980's  Honda opened a plant in Marysville, Ohio, which is about a half hour away. During the first decade or so a lot of the employees came from Japan with the company. Obviously they brought possessions with them, as they were going to be here for years, or permanently. A lot of those possessions, including clothes, toys, and household goods, found their way to thrift stores and yard sales.

  That's it for today.  Come back tomorrow, or wonder what you missed.

One More Christmas Present and Some Updates

  I have been busy. I got the Facebook page all updated with all the posts. I was WAY  behind. Don't forget that I occasionally post extra things on Facebook,like doll news stories, cute miniatures pictures, and all sorts of doll and mini related things.So don't forget to follow and like us on Facebook. You can click 'follow us on Facebook' in the side bar at the top of the page.
  Also,please don't forget to check the sales page. I still need to get rid of stuff! I haven't added to it for a while,but I will soon. And don't forget that most of the stuff that I posted out of those tubs of sale dolls is available if you took a liking to it! I really need the space,especially now that Fuzz has moved back home..
  I got another Christmas present that Ken forgot to give me! I found it in the back of the car after Christmas. I knew he had gotten it, because I put it in the cart! It's this set.

It's a crochet kit. The subjects are obviously meant to be The Beatles, but it doesn't say 'Beatles' anywhere on the outside of the box,although it does use their individual names. It just says 'the boys from Liverpool' and 'moptops'.

Inside is a different story. There's 'Beatles' all over. They must have not licensed the name,and got away with it by only having it inside where you can't see it unless you already bought it.
  The kit includes supplies,and a booklet.

  There's only enough stuff included to make one doll.

They use John as the example for the instructions,and then just vary those directions to make the other three, as if John is the scale by which all Beadles are measured. That's a popular opinion,but 'tain't necessarily so, as the song goes.
 

He's also the only one they have the directions for crocheting his guitar.

 

The other Beatles are made using pretty much identical directions,when the actual guys weren't. For example, all three have eyebrows made using a 2 ply yarn,when everybody knows Paul's eyebrows should be made with 1 ply yarn, and George's eyebrows should take at least a 4 ply. 
 

As well as the early Beatles in the dark suits, you can also make the Sgt. Pepper versions.

And I do mean YOU can,because I can't crochet! My sister tried to show me how when we were kids. More than once. Ivy and I got a how to DVD from the library which lost me completely. I went to a yard sale once where the nice lady named Skip who was having the sale sat me down and taught me to crochet. (She said I couldn't leave until I had crocheted a row.) I went home and managed a row,and promptly forgot how to do the next step. My mind seems totally opposed to crochet or knitting,which my sister also tried to show me how to do. She managed to teach our cousin Bobby how to knit,and he proceeded to knit a lovey baby sweater for our new cousin Jimmy. He was very upset that our Aunt Sue wouldn't let Jimmy wear it,just because it was knitted out of rug yarn. (Itchy!) I don't know what it is! My mind just doesn't work that way.
  Until next time...

Doll-A-Day 150: Tiny Knitted Doll and Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day from Planet of the Dolls and The World family! 

Tammy World and her dad Wally.

Your dad embarrasses you. That's his job. 

And Ken,your wife embarrasses you. That's her job.

 This is my first father's Day without a father. I hope I do better with it next year, but this is a bit close to the event. Ken's taking us out to eat for Father's Day when he gets home from work. That's his favourite thing, so that's the best way for him to celebrate. In an effort to save time today, I will post the goodies from yesterday's Flea Market tomorrow.But today's doll is a sneak preview.
 

She's about 2 and 1/4" tall.

 

To be fair, she may actually be a Christmas ornament, but I got a little boy recently who was very like her, and he didn't have the loop.

See you tomorrow.