Little bears, friendship gifts and tiny creatures to love – everything you need to know to get started with amigurumi crochet.
Amigurumi comes from Japanese and roughly means "crocheted or knitted stuffed toy". Usually these are round, three-dimensional figures worked in single crochet, stuffed and then finished with details like eyes, little ears or tiny arms.
The best part: you only need a few basic techniques to get started – and after one or two projects you'll develop a feel for how flat rounds suddenly turn into a little bear or bunny.
Smooth yarn without fuzz, so the stitches stay clearly visible and the shape turns out neat.
Usually 1–2 mm smaller than recommended on the yarn label – this makes the stitches tighter and keeps the stuffing inside.
Washable craft or pillow stuffing to fill your figures evenly.
They lock in place from the back – for baby toys, embroidered eyes are the safer choice.
Essential so you don't lose track of the start of the round when crocheting in spirals.
A blunt needle with a large eye for joining pieces and weaving in ends neatly.
Almost every amigurumi starts with a yarn loop that you pull tight at the end – this creates a center without a hole in the middle.
Unlike flat projects, you usually work in continuous rounds without turning chains – a stitch marker helps you keep track.
Targeted increases and decreases create the round shape of the head, body and limbs – the pattern tells you exactly where.
Finally, the pieces are stuffed evenly and sewn together invisibly with the tapestry needle.
The perfect start to amigurumi – from the first stitch to the finished bear in one weekend.
A sweet Easter gift with movable little arms.
Perfect for practicing increases and decreases.
Crochet a small practice ball with a magic ring and increases before you begin your first project.
Firm, tight stitches make sure the stuffing won't show through later.
Write down the stitch count at the end of each round – that way you'll spot mistakes right away and won't have to rip everything out.