Amigurumi for Beginners: How to Crochet Stuffed Animals

Amigurumi is the Japanese craft of crocheting small stuffed animals, dolls and toys. It looks complicated, but it is one of the easiest ways for a beginner to learn crochet, because almost every amigurumi uses only one stitch, single crochet, plus increases and decreases. If you can make a small circle, you can make a bear, a chick or a mushroom.

This amigurumi for beginners guide covers everything in order: the supplies, how to read an amigurumi pattern, a basic ball pattern you can turn into dozens of shapes, how to stuff and close a piece, how to add eyes and sew parts together, and the best easy first plushies.

What is amigurumi?

The word comes from Japanese: ami means crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi means stuffed doll. Amigurumi pieces are worked tightly in the round, usually in a continuous spiral, so the fabric is dense enough to hold stuffing without it showing through. Each part (head, body, arms, ears) is made separately, stuffed, and sewn together.

Because the pieces are small, amigurumi is quick, portable and uses very little yarn. A mini animal can take a single evening, which makes it perfect for gifts, keychains and selling at markets.

Amigurumi supplies for beginners

• Yarn: cotton or acrylic in DK or worsted weight. Cotton shows every stitch clearly and keeps its shape; acrylic is softer, cheaper and easier on the hands. For your first amigurumi, avoid fluffy, chenille or very dark yarn, because you will not be able to see your stitches.
• Hook: 1 or 2 sizes smaller than the yarn label suggests. Tight stitches stop the stuffing from peeking through. Typical sizes are 2.5 to 3 mm for DK and 3.5 to 4 mm for worsted.
• Stitch marker: essential, because you work in a spiral with no visible start to each round. A locking marker, a safety pin or a scrap of contrasting yarn works.
• Fibrefill stuffing: polyester stuffing is light, washable and easy to shape.
• Safety eyes (6 to 12 mm) or black embroidery thread.
• Yarn needle with a blunt tip for sewing parts together, plus pins to test placement.

Yarn weight	Suggested amigurumi hook	Typical finished size
Fingering / sport (1 to 2)	2 to 2.5 mm	Mini, 3 to 7 cm
DK (3)	2.5 to 3 mm	Small, 8 to 15 cm
Worsted / aran (4)	3.5 to 4 mm	Medium, 15 to 25 cm
Chunky / velvet (5 to 6)	4 to 6 mm	Large, cuddly plush

The same pattern made in thicker yarn and a bigger hook simply comes out bigger. That is an easy way to turn one pattern into a keychain and a cuddly toy.

The 5 techniques every amigurumi uses

1. Magic ring

Wrap the yarn twice around two fingers to make a loop, insert the hook, pull up a loop, chain 1, then work 6 single crochet into the ring. Pull the tail to close the centre completely. If the magic ring feels fiddly, chain 2 and work 6 sc into the 2nd chain from the hook instead; the hole will be slightly bigger, but it works.

2. Single crochet in a spiral

At the end of a round, do not join with a slip stitch. Just keep going into the first stitch of the last round, so the piece grows as a spiral without a visible seam. Put your stitch marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go.

3. Increase (inc)

2 single crochet in the same stitch. Increases make the piece wider.

4. Invisible decrease (dec)

Insert the hook through the front loop only of the next stitch, then the front loop only of the stitch after it (3 loops on the hook). Yarn over, pull through the 2 front loops, yarn over and pull through the last 2. It hides much better than a regular sc2tog. If you are new to these terms, our crochet stitches for beginners guide explains each one step by step.

5. Fasten off and close

Cut the yarn leaving a 15 to 20 cm tail. To close a hole, thread the tail through the front loop of each remaining stitch and pull tight, like a drawstring. To sew a part on, leave a longer tail.

How to read amigurumi patterns

Amigurumi patterns are written one round per line. Here is how to read a typical line:

Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x6 [18]

• Rnd 3 is the round number.
• (sc, inc) is the sequence: 1 single crochet, then 1 increase.
• x6 means repeat the sequence 6 times around.
• [18] is the stitch count at the end of the round. Always count. If your number is wrong, it is much easier to fix now than three rounds later.

Other notation you will see: "Rnds 5 to 8: sc in each st [24]" means work four plain rounds. "BLO" means back loop only, often used where a base turns into a wall, like the bottom of a mushroom stem. "Change to colour B in the last stitch" means you finish the last yarn over of the previous stitch with the new colour for a clean colour change.

Basic amigurumi pattern: a ball

Nearly every amigurumi head and body starts the same way. Make this ball and you have learned 80% of amigurumi:

1. Rnd 1: 6 sc in a magic ring [6]
2. Rnd 2: inc in each st [12]
3. Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x6 [18]
4. Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) x6 [24]
5. Rnds 5 to 8: sc in each st [24]
6. Rnd 9: (2 sc, dec) x6 [18]. If using safety eyes, place them now between rounds 6 and 7, about 6 stitches apart. Start stuffing.
7. Rnd 10: (sc, dec) x6 [12]. Stuff firmly.
8. Rnd 11: dec x6 [6]. Top up the stuffing, fasten off and close the hole.

The rule behind it: each increase round adds 6 stitches, and the number of plain stitches before each increase goes up by one every round. Decreases work the same way in reverse. Once you see this, you can design your own shapes:

• Bigger ball: keep increasing to 30, 36 or 42 stitches before the plain rounds.
• Egg or chick body: add more plain rounds in the middle.
• Cylinder for arms and legs: increase to 6 or 12 stitches, then work plain rounds for the length you want.
• Cone for a gnome hat: start with 4 sc and add just 1 or 2 increases every other round.
• Mushroom cap: increase to a wide flat circle, work a few plain rounds, then switch to the back loop only for the underside.

How to stuff and assemble a crochet stuffed animal

1. Stuff firmly, a little at a time. Pull stuffing into small tufts and push it into the edges first. Under-stuffed amigurumi look lumpy and sad; over-stuffed pieces stretch the stitches and show the filling. Stuff until it feels firm but the fabric is not straining.
2. Shape as you go. Squeeze and roll the piece in your hands while stuffing to round it out.
3. Pin before you sew. Pin the head, arms, ears and tail in place and look at the face from a distance before sewing anything. Small changes in position change the whole expression.
4. Sew open pieces with a whip stitch through the last round of the part and a stitch on the body, all the way around. Closed pieces like arms are sewn on with a few stitches through the top.
5. Hide the ends: push the needle into the body and out the other side a few times, pull gently, and cut close to the surface so the tail disappears inside.

Safety eyes or embroidered eyes?

Safety eyes give a clean, professional look and have a plastic washer that locks them in place from the inside. They must go in before you close the piece. Place them between two rounds, check the face, then push the washer on firmly.

Safety note: for babies and children under 3, embroider the eyes and nose with yarn instead of using safety eyes or buttons, which can come loose and become a choking hazard. Also avoid small sewn-on parts and long loose loops on toys for little ones.

Easy amigurumi projects for beginners

Start small. A mini amigurumi finishes in an evening and uses every technique: the magic ring, increases, decreases, stuffing and closing. Here is a good order to learn in:

1. A ball or a stuffed heart: one piece, no assembly. Our Little Heart Keychain pattern is free when you join our newsletter.
2. An amigurumi keychain: a small crochet plushie with a keyring attached. Keychains are quick, use scraps, and make great gifts. Try the Mini Owl Keychain or the Animal Keychain Bundle.
3. A mushroom or gnome: two or three pieces and simple shaping. See the 12 Mushroom Patterns and the Rainbow Gnome.
4. A small animal with a few parts: the Cute Chick is a gentle first step into sewing on wings and a beak.
5. A set of mini animals: once you have made one, the 28 Tiny Beasties collection gives you a new mini project every evening.
6. A character plush: when you are confident with assembly, try a bigger piece like Larry the Land Turtle.

Common amigurumi problems and fixes

Problem	Fix
Stuffing shows between stitches	Go down a hook size, or try the yarn-under single crochet (wrap the yarn under the hook instead of over), which makes tighter, X-shaped stitches.
The piece is inside out	Amigurumi has a right side with little V shapes. If you see horizontal bars, push the piece through the magic ring to turn it.
Stitch count is wrong	Usually a missed first stitch. Move your marker every round and count at the end of each line.
The piece twists or leans	Normal for spiral work. It mostly straightens out once stuffed.
The colour change leaves a jog	Change colour in the last yarn over of the previous stitch, and slip stitch the first stitch of the new colour for a smoother line.
Parts look crooked	Always pin and check before sewing.

Ready to make your first one? Our amigurumi patterns include a photo for every step, and beginner patterns are marked with a Beginner sticker.

Frequently asked questions