Spider-Man wasn't always one of my favorite superheroes; I always thought he was a little too goofy and awkward, and I wasn't really interested in his stories. Then I became an adult and realized that his is the most relatable Avenger, nay, superhero, and both Tom Holland's Spider-Man and the Spider-People from Into the Spider-Verse have cemented Spider-Man (and Spider-People) as one of my favorites.
This kit cost me $18.60 (originally $21.88 but I had a 15% off coupon and I got free shipping since I bought another kit at the same time) and was shipped from the UK. I appreciate that you have the option to select UK or US terminology for the pattern, though I don't mind patterns in UK terms as it's easy enough to 'translate' them.
This kit includes a physical copy of the pattern, printed in landscape orientation and folded like a pamphlet. The pattern was easy to follow, and actually ended up being easier than I thought it would be! The blue patches on the sides are separate pieces sewed onto the red upper half of the body after it is finished, and the head and body are all one piece.
Along with a physical copy of the pattern, this kit includes red and blue cotton yarn, a small amount of black yarn, white and black felt, and a metal 3mm crochet hook. It does not include stuffing, but that's not a big deal since stuffing is readily available (in a pinch, you can even use fabric/yarn scraps for stuffing, shredded paper, cotton balls...there are a lot of options!).
I was admittedly not happy with how my Spider-Man turned out using the included yarn. It felt too loose and easily deformed, even though I actually used a hook a bit smaller than the included and recommended 3.00mm (I used a C/2.75mm hook since I prefer to use my Clover Soft Touch hooks and don't have a 3.00mm as it's not a standard US size). The pattern is quick to make, though, so it was easy to make a second Spider-Man using my own yarn.
And I'm much happier with it! I don't think this is an issue with the kit, or even the yarn itself since I'm pretty sure it's the same yarn that was used to make the sample plushie used for the pattern photos; I think it's just an issue with how I crochet and/or stuff my plushies.
While I prefer the Spider-Man made using my own yarn, I do like the colors and chest spider embroidery on the one using the materials from the kit. Paradoxically, simple patterns like this require greater attention to detail as even slight imperfections (such as the color change on the legs and the chest spider) are much more noticeable than in more complicated designs (this holds true for almost anything). I would be interested in revisiting this pattern at some point to try to make a plushie that combines what I like from these versions.
The kit includes plenty of yarn and felt to complete the plushie, even if you make a few mistakes. I don't think there's enough to make another Spider-Man (the kit is meant to only make one), but I would be interested in trying while using a smaller hook (like a B/2.25mm or 2.00mm), as this might also help with the stretching/deforming issue.
Overall, this is a good kit; the pattern is easy to follow and the finished plushie is cute, though any mistakes will likely be obvious as it is such a simple, clean pattern. I'm on the fence about the included yarn since I like the color and feel, but the plushie I made using the recommended size hook has issues with loose stitches and deformation (again, though, this is probably more an issue with me than the yarn).
Amigurumi Barmy/Liz Ward has a lot of superhero (and not superhero!) patterns and kits available in their Etsy shop, so I recommend checking it out if you're interested!
<3 Thank you for reading!
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