Kate Bruning’s site Greedy for Colour is a must-bookmark for those crocheters who love tiny things, amigurumi projects, and bright colors. There are dozens of projects available, with written instructions as well as plenty of photos to guide you on your own journey of making these adorable creations. If you’ve ever wanted to try amigurumi, then we’ve got the perfect project for you, straight from Kate’s website: a crocheted RV, which you can make into a mini dollhouse, a Christmas tree decoration, a centerpiece, or a stuffed toy.
While the instructions may look a little daunting at first, it doesn’t have to be difficult. Read through the pattern, and then take it one line or two at a time. You don’t need to do all the stitches at once, you just need to put one after the other as you follow along with the pattern. This is something I have to tell myself quite often, as I tend to want to rush ahead and get the thing done, but it’s always more aggravating going about it that way, so take a breath, relax, and do a little at a time. You’ll be done in no time.
To make this cute little caravan, you’ll need the following materials: two skeins of cotton dk yarn (one in white or cream and one in a vintage color such as light green or light blue), and three skeins of 4 ply yarn in black, silver, and pale blue. You can, of course, change up the color palette, but be sure and check your colors against each other in order to ensure that they are complementary. You’ll also need two crochet hooks (the pattern recommends sizes 3.5 and 2.5mm), a black button, a needle, thread, and scissors. If you want to stuff the RV, you will need some type of stuffing. You can also leave it empty, or fill it with potpourri, old t-shirt scraps, or foam pellets.
Once you’ve gathered the materials, you’ll need to look over the pattern and be sure you know the stitches, which include: chain (ch), stitch (st), slip stitch (sl st), and single crochet (sc). If you’re using more than one color, you’ll need to organize them and switch between “color a” and “color b” and so forth. It might be helpful to put them in ziploc bags and mark them as such so you don’t get confused while in the middle of the project.
You’ll be making parts of the RV (the two sides, then the door and windows, etc.), then sewing them together, so be sure you have a regular sewing needle for affixing the button, and a tapestry needle to sew the RV’s seams together. After you finish sewing it together, you can embroider a name underneath the window to further cement it in nostalgia territory.
Does this little RV tickle your fancy? If you want to create your own mini travel van, you can find the full pattern with photos at Greedy for Colour. You may want to follow Kate’s blog, as there are dozens of tutorials to try, from Christmas decorations to toys to miniature food. Enjoy!
