I heard friends and readers asking me how to do amigurumi, including patterns, materials, tools & tips etc…. you will find all the answers in this post: How To Amigurumi!!!
Frankly speaking, just like all other crafts, to make a decent looking amigurumi is not easy but it is not hard as you thought too. You need skill, skill comes from knowledge and practice…. and to success in crafting, you need patience and the “never-give-up” attitude – do it again and again until you are satisfied with the result.
Amigurumi (編みぐるみ?, lit. crocheted or knitted stuffed toy) is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures. The word is derived from a combination of the Japanese words ami, meaning crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll. Amigurumi are typically animals, but can include artistic renderings or inanimate objects endowed with anthropomorphic features.
(source: Wikipedia)
Where can I find the pattern for the French Bull dog you have pictures of on this page? It’s so cute! Thanks!
Hi Reva,
The French Bull dog pattern is from Ami Ami Dogs: Seriously Cute Crochet
Hi, where or how can I buy an amigurumi book? I cannot find one here in the Philippines. I love to make amigurumi items.
Hi Betty, you can buy them from Amazon or try google online bookstore that can deliver the book to Philippines.
Where is the pattern? What book I’m confused
I’m new to crochet, but have now knit three Amigarume dolls successfully. The charts are a new challenge…would you recommend that I just rewrite them out so they are written patterns? As I’m having a hard time keeping track of where I am. The chart with rows and stitches is easy to follow, but the chart is a challenge, hard to tell where to start and stop and what’s going on. When you crochet to a chart, how do you keep track of where you are? Do you rotate the book as you read it? And use a highlighter or sticky to point to stitch you’re on?
Thank you for this page, it does help!
Nicola
Loving crocheting, want to crochet little Pugs 🙂
Hi Nicola, good question. When I am new to crochet, I have the exact issue when reading chart. I used a pencil to lightly mark the last stitch I did for the crochet. I remember I didn’t rotate the book but if you think this work, go ahead with it as long as it eases your reading. Happy crochet 🙂
Hello great article with neat tricks, i like what you did with the clear eyes! I have the book and i have run into two problems with the pattern and i hope you could help me out? First at the nose you have to make 4 stitches in one loop at the end of the chain, i don’t know how to do this neatly and i get a massive hole which looks ugly. Any tricks to hide that? Second i don’t understand how to start up with the ear (and other body parts) first i make the single cortchets on the starting circle, but i am not sure where i need to do the slip stitch and when to close the circle. I’ve made some ears but i feel like they are not as perfect as in the book. Thanks a lot already!
Try to use tighter chain stitch tension to reduce the appearance of big hole.
As for the second question, I can’t answer without knowing what is the pattern, do you mind contact me via the contact form? A picture or 2 will be great to let me visualize your question. Thanks.
To eliminate the “big hole” at the beginning of the crochet, go to youtube and look for “crochet magic circle” or “crochet magic loop”. It makes it so that you can pull up the beginning circle and make the hole disappear after you do the first round of stitches into the magic circle. Hope this is clear. I use this method and it works like a charm 🙂
try as I might, I cannot seem to get the mouth to come out correctly at all. I have probably made four or five of them so far and they look nothing like the pictures. Any suggestions?
The mouth is a separate piece and if you crochet it correctly and stuff it nicely, it should come out the same. Would you mind send me a photo via contact form?
I sure will!
Since I am a beginner, do u think I would be able make these if I bought the book?
You will need more practice though 🙂
Милый песик))))
Просто чудо!
Translation (by Google):
Cute dog))))
It’s a miracle!
Hi, I like your posts very much, very inspiring. I don’t know anything about chroceting. Do you have suggestion where should I start learning, e.g good video tutorial or book, etc?
Hi Elyna,
Youtube would be a great source of online learning. You can search for some good basic crochet book for reference too.
Bonjour,
Je viens de parcourir vote blog très interessant.
Je voudrais si je peux avoir le tutoriel de ce petit chien.
Je suis famille d’accueil et c’est pour offrir aux enfants qui sont à la maison.
Merci beaucoup
Translation (by Google):
Hello,
I just go vote blog very interesting.
I wish if I can get the tutorial of this little dog.
I am a foster family and that is to provide children who are at home.
thank you very much
Hi muriel,
You have to buy the book for the pattern. Sorry, I can’t publish the pattern here without permission.
Hi, I was wondering if you have any other tutorials on the ami dogs? Because I have the book, but I’m having trouble figuring out the patterns, and I’m not a beginner crocheter. It’s the ears, body, and legs I can’t figure out
Yeah me too. I’ve tried quite a few times. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. It would be nice if someone made a tutorial video on how to do the body, legs, and ears.
hmm…. I did a quick search on youtube, can’t find any video on the making, sorry about this. Do you have problem in crocheting the parts or attaching them together?
Both. I’m having a bit of trouble with getting the right shape and properly attaching the parts together. Also, do any of the parts need to be closed off? In the book it looks like the mouth is just attached to the face without sealing it off. But the head looks like it might be sealed off but I’m sure since it’s not specifically mentioned.
Hi! i have that book too, where can you get the noses and eyes featured in the book?
I got them from Planet June, the link is within the post 🙂
I love your post and thank you very much for including me on the post.I also have some free ami pattern n my blog.
hi, i really like your post, really help me 🙂
but now i’m having a trouble about getting the bigger amigurumi by increasing the stitches, i’m crocheting an amigurumi about 20 cm, and i can’t just using the different yarn weight or hook.
so, can you help me how to double the pattern so i can get bigger amigurumi?
thanks alot!
This is another topic which include more detail on amigurumi design for advance level. By increasing yarn weight only can’t get you a very big ami. The correct way is to increase the stitches.
What I normally do is, I repeat the increment of the circle base until it reaches the desire diameter, for example: original pattern ask for increment of 6 sts in a round, and repeat for 3 times, I will repeat it to 6 times or until I get the diameter I want. Use that ratio for the rest of your pattern. This is only estimation, you have to try it out. And, remember don’t do the increment stitch on the same “column” of the previous increment to prevent your circle becoming a hexagon.
You can refer to “Cuddly Crochet” (book #9) or “Big Book of Animal” (Book #12), they are big amigurumi pattern.
ooo i see
i’ll try it tonight
thanks alot
i’m doing the calculation now 😀 you’re really help me a lot 🙂
You are most welcome. It is just the theory, you have to try it out 🙂 Good luck.
I could kiss you for this! What a brilliant reference post, it will come in very habdy. Thank you so much!
Thanks so much for including my book, Cuddly Crochet, on your list of suggested books!
I also have free amigurumi patterns available on my site: http://www.freshstitches.com
Great post!
Thanks, Stacy 🙂 I have included you free pattern link in the post as well.
These are so incredibly adorable!!
Hi Amanda, thanks a lot for the compliment 🙂 They are so cute that I can’t stop making.
I have this lovely book, however, it is not a traditional patten book. It does not give you the instructions on how to make the parts! Am I reading the book incorrectly?
Thank you,
Sheila
I didn’t get the English version, so I am not very sure about the detail. But, look at the reviews in Amazon, it has pattern, not a written instruction but in crochet chart / diagram instead.
I did bought “pirated” books accidentally which didn’t come with pattern, I was so angry and went back to the book store to ask for refund. That’s why I trusted Amazon since there is a review section for you to expect what to expect about this book. Can you give me the ISBN # of the book you bought?
Thank you for the reply! You are correct, it is not in written pattern, but diagram! I have not yet learned to crochet via diagram. I do know that my book is not a “pirate”! thanks gain. Love your site!
Sheila
I have included the abbrev and symbol conversion in the post, you can try it out. Not difficult at all.