My First Charity Amigurumi!

Some time back in July, I was approached by someone from Team wonder and ACRES to help assist in making some amigurumis for sale for charity. I have always wanted to participate in something like this but truth be told, I did not really like crocheting bowls or hats or coasters. So this time, when I heard it was for amigurumis and the pattern was relatively quick, I was all for it!

What is ACRES?

ACRES is a pioneering Singapore-based charity with a sole aim to advocate for an end to animal cruelty in our own backyard. With Singapore's first facility dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade and injured native wild animals we speak up for more animals via our five focus areas: Tackling Wildlife Crime in Singapore, Humane Education, Promoting Cruelty-Free Living, Community Outreach, and Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation. It stands for ACRES: Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Singapore).

Since our founding in May 2001, ACRES has helped effect several environmental shifts that pushed Singapore forward in the animal protection movement. Alongside collaborative efforts with governmental agencies, we seek to nurture a responsible society from grassroots level to the individual homes where animals are treated with compassion and respect.

Team Wonder is a group of students from Temasek Junior College who work closely with ACRES to raise funds for the organisation's wildlife rescue and rehabilitation cause.

Yarn Provision

There was a fixed pattern which they intended for all volunteers to make and to standardize the final amigurumi, they provided everyone with the same portion of yarn to create the animal. They provided this brand of yarn called milk cotton yarn which is readily available in my part of the world and very cost-effective. To be honest, I have been always been quite curious to test it out so it was a good opportunity for me as well. I was skeptical about its quality but it turned out not too bad, only it was slightly thicker than what I was used to. Usually I’m more accustomed to using a 2.0mm hook but this time I whipped out my 3.0mm hook for this.

It was technically enough yarn for 3 pieces of the animal, wait for what it is at the end! So they provided 3 little keychain hoops to attach to the final pieces. The grey yarn was for the eyes while the other 2 balls were for the head and body. They also provided some stuffing for it!

Making the Body

I loved the variegated colour, also something I was not used to using. Pretty pretty right? There were 2 separate pieces to join at the end, bet you can’t guess what animal this is? I ended up with a dome after completing this section. They were kind enough to provide the pattern as well as the free video on how to make it, I will link it at the end of the blog post for anyone interested in making for themselves!

This was the other piece using the white yarn, crocheted continuously. There are 4 little limbs here, easier to guess what is the animal now? It worked up pretty quickly for each piece and the pattern was pretty simple.

Pretty easy to guess what it is already right? I think they did send different volunteers different sets of coloured yarn so we could make different shell colours. Mine turned up to be this pretty variegated pink colour.

Final Assembly

Ta-da just before the assembly! Easy to guess what animal right? It was such a fast pattern to complete I made 4 of them in 1 shot! Managed to squeeze one more out of the yarn (they intended for 3) so I was short of 1 keychain. They had a whole bunch of other Singaporean crocheters who were all showing their final pieces in a group chat, it was good fun. Some of them finished so quickly, they could help with another more complex dolphin pattern, which I unfortunately, could not make in time for their deadline.

The final little turtles at the end! It was all good fun in the end. To see how to make this pattern, check out the youtube video they linked me up with here. They do sell a variety of other little trinkets but now they are selling the final turtles and dolphins amigurumi too!

These are how they turn out with the keychains, there was some rumbling discussion on where was the best place to attach the hoops. They suggested over one of the feet but it looks nicer like this right attached to the shells :)?

Do support them here on their instagram, they put up a form collecting orders, I think it’s a wonderful cause and it is possibly the most meaningful amigurumi I have ever crocheted!