Christen Haden

One of today's hippest craft trends is amigurumi (pronounced ami-gar-oo-mi): Japanese-inspired crochet and knit stuffed dolls that have inspired crafters everywhere to create gaggles of adorable creatures. Most patterns are for little kitties, bears, bunnies and the like, but here's an offering for those who prefer their cute a little less saccharine.

Author Christen Haden combines the infamous cuteness of Japanese crafts with characters more associated with horror flicks and bad action and sci-fi films. Patterns include zombies, ninjas, Vikings, vampires, aliens and skeletons, to name just a few. Even beginners will be inspired to share in the fun.