Hello crocheters!
A few weeks ago I started a series of YouTube videos called Amigurumi Basics. In these videos, I am showing you tips and tricks on how I make my amigurumi and I would love you to join me on this adventure!
However, I know that some of you do not have time to watch videos and much prefer to read blogs, so I have also decided to create a corresponding written post for each video that I release. The first topic I am covering is tools and materials you will need to create your very own amigurumi.
What I use to make my amigurumi
• Yarn: If you are on this blog, there are good chances that you love yarn, and you will know that there are just soooo many types of yarn out there. So, which yarn should you choose for making amigurumi? You can basically use any yarn, even scraps, to make your toys, but there are a few things you should keep in mind. 1) You should always use the same weight of yarn to make 1 toy, for example if you start with an 8ply/DK yarn, all the yarns you use should be 8ply/DK. 2) Unless it is recommended in the pattern, I would use the same fibre for the 1 toy. So if you start using cotton, I would use cotton for the whole toy. I actually really like cotton yarn, because it is super easy to see your stitches and make sure that you are on the right track (my favourite yarn to use at the moment is Ricorumi DK*, it comes in so many colours and the little 25g skeins are just too cute!). Acrylic yarn can be good too if you are using stash yarn (I know that I have soooo much acrylic yarn in my stash because they come in many different colours) and you can also brush acrylic to make it look like fur. Paintbox Simply DK* and Stylecraft special DK* have very wide ranges of colours and are great for amigurumi. 3) If you want you toy to be a certain size, make sure to check what yarn is recommended by the designer, as they will often also indicate how big the finished toy will be with a certain type of yarn.
• Hook: This is maybe one of the most important tool to make your amigurumi, I mean, of course, you do need a hook to crochet, but choosing the right one for you is so important because it will make the difference between a nice looking toy and a wonky one. The key with making amigurumi is to get a nice stiff fabric, with no holes, so that when you stuff your toys, the stuffing doesn’t get out. When you look at your yarn labels, there is usually a recommended hook size, and I would normally say to go at least half a size or a size smaller than what you use to make other crochet items. For example, I crochet very tightly and usually use a 5 mm hook to crochet with 8ply/DK yarn. For amigurumi, I use either a 3.75 mm or a 4 mm hook instead, so that I don’t get holes. The other thing to consider when choosing your hook is that it is very easy to cramp your fingers/hands when you make amigurumi, because you will try to pull your stitches as tight as you can. For this, I would recommend using an ergonomic hook, with a slightly thicker handle. I made the switch a few years ago and have never looked back! I personally prefer a hook with a silicone handle (like the KnitPro Waves*) but I’ve also tried proper ergonomic hooks and they are very good for smaller sizes (I own a 2.5 mm and 1.25 mm Addi Swing Ergonomic hook* that I love using with smaller cotton threads).
• Stuffing: To make stuffed toys, you will need stuffing! Polyester filling is one of the most common stuffing you can use, because it is generally hypoallergenic, which makes it great if you are going to sell the toys you make. But if you are just making toys for yourself, you can use pretty much anything to stuff your toys. I have used rice wrapped in film to give weight to some toys or to make hacky sacks. I have used yarn tails mixed with stuffing as a way to reuse bits of yarn that were too small. I have even used old clothes or old pillows to stuff giant amigurumi! You can be very creative with your stuffing, let me know if you’ve used any unusual material to stuff your toys!
• Stitch markers: Those are very useful to mark the beginning/end of your round. Because most pieces with amigurumi are worked in rounds, it is important to know when you’ve come back to your starting point. You don’t need to invest in expensive markers, a piece of scrap yarn can do the trick, but I love to indulge and buy cute markers for special occasions, or to support some of my online friends who sell them. Do make sure that you get markers that are removable however, as some markers only have a jump ring (great for knitting but useless for crochet!). For crochet, you will need either a safety pin opening or a lobster clasp. I’d love to know where you get your stitch markers from, please enable me!
• Needle and pins: These are absolutely necessary for sewing your amigurumi together! A lot of people aren’t huge fans of sewing, which I can understand because it takes so long, but making sure you have the right tools will make a big difference. For the needle, you need to use one with a big eye, so that you don’t struggle threading your yarn through. You can also buy needles that are slightly curved to help you reach the stitches you want to sew together. Pins are essential because this is how you know that your pieces are positioned properly. I normally use way too many pins (which I remove as I go) but I’ve found that it ensures my pieces are where I want them to be, and it also saves me time because I generally don’t have to unpick any sewing to reposition limbs.
• Safety eyes: Those are optional but I think they can really make an amigurumi look super cute! I have safety eyes with different colours, but I also really like plain ones. A few of my friends also use kawaii eyes and they really are too cute. Keep in mind though that safety eyes shouldn’t be used if you are making toys for very small kids (there is always a chocking hazard) and that overall, even with bigger kids, you should not leave them completely unsupervised if you are using them. If you are looking for alternatives to safety eyes, I am planning on making a tutorial for face embroidery very soon, or you can also use puff paint. I have not used it personally but it has been recommended to me, and one of my friends even said that she put it through the wash and it came out perfect, so that would definitely be something to look into.
I hope that you have enjoyed this post, please let me know if there are tools I have not mentioned and if there is anything you would like me to cover in this series.
Part 1 (tools and materials), part 2 (crochet in the round) and part 3 (crochet in the row) are now available on YouTube.
