I know it's pretty cliche at this point, but I think cacti are super cute! It's convenient, then, that they're also super fun to crochet!
Since they're made of simple shapes, they're quick and easy to make regardless of your skill level, and you can play around with textures/embellishments if you're looking for more of a challenge. Crocheting cacti is a great way to get into amigurumi if you're just starting, and a great way to take a little break from more complex projects if you're more advanced. Which leads us to today's kit under review: the Darn Good Yarn DIY Cactus Amigurumi Knit & Crochet Starter Kit
This kit is available from various online retailers, including directly from Darn Good Yarn. I purchased mine from Amazon for $15, and it was shipped to me from Darn Good Yarn. It's listed for $19.99 on their website, but I'm assuming you can use coupon codes on it, so you can probably get it for a similar price to Amazon if you're interested in purchasing from them directly.
An interesting and somewhat unique aspect of this kit is that it includes the patterns and tools needed to either knit or crochet the three little cacti. I've seen stand-alone patterns that come in either knit or crochet, but I don't think I've seen a kit that also includes the tools needed for both.
This kit includes everything needed to create the three cacti shown on the front, except for a scissors.
You get three colors of green (weirdly labelled as lime green, dark green, and blackish green; why not call them lime, emerald, and dark green?), brown, vermillion, pink, and yellow yarn, a really good amount of stuffing, four double pointed knitting needles, a crochet hook, a darning needle, and a double-sided pattern sheet with crochet on one side and knit on the other.
I don't know much about knitting supplies, but the included double pointed needles are made of bamboo and seem to be of acceptable quality. The crochet hook and darning needle, however, are made of plastic and I'm not a fan of them. I substituted my own C-hook (Clover Soft-Touch) and metal yarn needle.
My package also included a card with more info about Darn Good Yarn and their mission; I do appreciate supporting a business that provides safe, sustainable jobs for female artisans globally and helps recycle waste materials.
I like how the instructions included a color photo of what the finished cacti would like either crocheted...
...or knitted.
Along with the patterns, the instruction sheet also included abbreviated directions and diagrams for the various stitches used. There was a lot of inconsistency among the diagrams, as if they were pulled from different sources, and I don't know how helpful they would be for someone just starting out.
I can't speak for the knitting pattern as I can't knit (it is a mystery that eludes me), but the crochet pattern could be improved on. Overall, the pattern is fine and is easy enough to follow, and I was clearly able to make what was advertised on the box, but there are some parts that are missing steps (such as going from Round 2 to Round 4, without any information on what happened to Round 3).
The pattern also doesn't use a decrease stitch. At all. Instead of decreasing, you're supposed to just skip a stitch. I'm not sure if this was done to make the pattern 'easier' or if it's because it was originally written as a knitting pattern and then 'translated' to crochet, but I've never seen another pattern do this. I used decreases for my amigurumi instead of skipping stitches, so I can't say for certain how that changes the appearance, if at all.
And here are my beautiful cacti! I made all three included in the pattern, and then made up my own fourth plant (it's a String of Pearls) using the material I had left over. I added a small circle of cardboard to the bottom of the pot before stuffing to make the base more level, and they can all stand up on their own.
Even after making a fourth cacti, I still had a good amount of material left over, especially stuffing!
They're super cute, but they did turn out way smaller than I expected; they're all around 3" (7.5cm) tall. I was hoping to maybe display them on my desk at work, but they're the perfect size for a keychain, so I might add some hardware and give them to friends as gifts.
Overall, I think this kit is worth it, especially for $15, as you get plenty of materials to complete the project, with enough left over for mistakes or to just play around with. I would recommend using your own crochet hook and yarn needle, though, as the ones included aren't the best (especially the yarn needle, but I also really don't like working with thick, chunky plastic needles, so I am biased).
The crochet pattern is acceptable, but it might be difficult to figure out what to do when a step is missing if you're a beginner, and I'm not sure why they chose to not use decreases. I do really like that you get a crochet and knit pattern, though, and I actually considered trying to knit this kit instead as I do want to figure out knitting (...I just really want to learn how to knit socks).
Also, did I mention that the little cacti are adorable? Because they're adorable.
Thank you for reading! <3
Comments
Post a Comment