Sweet Valentines...Amigurumi Cupcake

Happy Valentines Day!

It is so easy to get tied up in questions about love and commercialism, and normally I'd jump all over the chance to be cynical. But today I am going to ignore those questions and admit--I do love Valentines Day and all the fun that goes with it. Growing up, Valentines Day was less about romantic love and more about finding fun little gifts for the members of our family. When we came to the breakfast table on Valentines Day, there would be a small gift or two in our place. My mom would always make us a heart shaped 'hole in one'--toasted bread with a hole cut in the middle and a fried egg cooked into it. Now, I do the same thing with my children.

The girls asked for cupcakes, so they each got an amigurumi cupcake. And all three kiddos received Pokemon dolls. The store-bought kind. Because whether or not Valentines Day inspires them to love their family a little more, Pokemon are the current crush.

This little cupcake was made for a 'One Tiny Thing' swap.

As a Valentine gift to you, I am going to explain how I made him.

Frosting:

R1:Create magic circle, sc6 (6)

R2: 2sc in each sc (12)

R3: *(1sc in first sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat five more times (18)

R4: *(1sc in next two sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat five more times (24)

R5-8: 1sc in each sc around (24)

R9: *(slst in first sc, 1hdc, 1dc,1hdc in next sc) repeat 11 more times around.

Tie off yarn and weave in stitches.

If the cupcake is not going to be given to a small child, use thread to sew on glass bugle bead 'sprinkles'. If the cupcake is going to a child, no sprinkles are necessary.

Base:

R1: Create a magic circle, sc6 (6)

R2: 2sc in each sc (12)

R3: *(1sc in first sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat five more times (18)

R4: *(1sc in next two sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat five more times (24)

R5: In back loops only, 1sc in each sc around (24)

R6-14: 1sc in each sc around (24) (You may do more or less rows, depending on how tall you'd like your cupcake to be.)

Tie off yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing to frosting.

Assembly:

If adding a face, position safety eyes and secure them in place. Use embroidery floss to sew on mouth.

Begin to sew the base to the frosting, sewing through each sc in the base and the loops from the sc in R8 of the frosting. (Or just sew it in however it makes sense to you.)

When you have gone 3/4 of the way around, stuff the cupcake. Finish sewing. To tie off the yarn, run the needle into the cupcake near your last stitch, then down through the base near your original magic circle. Go back up through the top of the frosting. Being careful not to let the contrasting stitch show, go back down through the cup cake, tie off and hide stitches. This last step will help the cupcake keep its shape.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comment section and I will do my best to clarify.