FREE UK Delivery on Orders Over £30
Swipe to the left

Sirdar Happy Chenille Review by Irene Strange

Print
By Irene Strange 4 years ago

As an amigurumi designer I have a soft spot for all fluffy and textured yarns, they can really make a toy project come to life. In the past I have experimented with different yarn types to get the perfect finish for a particular animal. Nothing says cuddly quite like a soft and fluffy amigurumi. So you can imagine my excitement when Sirdar announced the newest addition to the Happy yarns family, the Happy Chenille!

The cheerful colours of the brighter shades go well with the more delicate pastels, and there’s plenty of neutrals - it’s a great colour palette for all kinds of designs. I especially like the zingy greens and bright corals, they have such a summery vibe!

This is the first DK weight chenille yarn I’ve tried, and I have to say I’m very happy with the way it worked up. The amigurumi have a soft plush-like feel, with increases and decreases blending well into the overall shape. The finished toys feel very squishy, an instant hit with the little ones! At 15gr each these balls feel very light, but 38 metres goes a long way in the world of amigurumi. I feel these will be perfect for combining different colours for medium size amigurumi, adding details to projects, or small single colour makes. I’m already imagining so many possibilities!


Working with chenille isn’t that different from other yarns, but does need a little more care when starting the project and weaving in the ends. Take care not to yank at it when making magic rings or the fluffy fibres can get bunched up! Using a stitch marker will help keep track of the different rounds too.

Why not have a go combining the Happy Cotton and the Happy Chenille yarns with my quick amigurumi Happy Planet project!

Happy Planet

You will need:

  • 1 ball of Happy Chenille - Tutti Frutti (032)
  • 1 ball of Happy Cotton DK - Seaside (784)
  • Tiny amount of Happy Chenille - Cheeky (015) for pink cheeks
  • Tiny amount of black embroidery thread for mouth
  • Pair of 10.5mm safety eyes
  • 3.5mm hook
  • Toy Stuffing
  • Large tapestry needle


The pattern is written in UK crochet terms, the following stitches are used:

double crochet (dc)

double crochet decrease (dc2tog)

Slip stitch (slst)


1. Body

Make in Happy Chenille and 3.5mm hook. Work in a round without joining chains.

Rnd 1: Start with a magic ring, 6dc into ring, pull ring tight [6]

Rnd 2: 2dc in each st around [12]

Rnd 3: (2dc in next st, 1dc) repeat 6 times [18]

Rnd 4: (2dc in next st, 2dc) repeat 6 times [24]

Rnd 5: (2dc in next st, 3dc) repeat 6 times [30]

Rnd 6: (2dc in next st, 4dc) repeat 6 times [36]

Rnd 7: (2dc in next st, 5dc) repeat 6 times [42]

Rnd 8: (2dc in next st, 6dc) repeat 6 times [48]

Rnd 9 - 16: 1dc in each st around - 8 rounds total.

Rnd 17: (dc2tog, 6dc) repeat 6 times [42]

Rnd 18: (dc2tog, 5dc) repeat 6 times [36]

Rnd 19: (dc2tog, 4dc) repeat 6 times [30]

Add safety eyes between Rnd 13-14, about 12sts apart.

Rnd 20: (dc2tog, 3dc) repeat 6 times [24]

Rnd 21: (dc2tog, 2dc) repeat 6 times [18]

Add plenty of toy stuffing.

Rnd 22: (dc2tog, 1dc) repeat 6 times [12]

Rnd 23: dc2tog 6 times [6]

Fasten off, carefully pick up all the front loops with a tapestry needle and pull tight to close. Weave in the end.


2. Hoop

Make in Happy Cotton and 3.5mm hook.

Ch48, join to work in a round, taking care not to twist the chain. Work in a round without joining chains.

Rnd 1: 1dc in each st around [48]

Rnd 2: (1dc in next st, 2dc in next st) repeat 24 times [72]

Rnd 3: 1dc in each st around [72]

To add more thickness to the hoop try adding a layer of surface slip stitches between the rounds like so:

Rnd 4 (optional): slst in each st along all previous rounds finishing at the starting chain.

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Leave the hoop as a separate element or gently secure it to the body in your preferred position.

Using the pale pink yarn embroider some cheeks either side of the eyes.

To finish the toy embroider a happy smile in-between the eyes with the black thread.


You can find more of Irene Strange' excellent amigurumi creations over on her Instagram. And to see the full range of the Sirdar Happy Chenille yarn and Sirdar Happy Chenille books take a look here and get inspired!