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)
How To Amigurumi
I spent months to master the skill of these cutie doggie amigurumi, no joke! My friend showed me this French Bulldog and asked if I can make a couple for her and her another friend. I totally in love with it at first sight so I went straight to the book store and get the Japanese version of Ami Ami Dogs. Can’t help myself and bought another one of the same series from the author.
The first few I made didn’t come out exactly like the one shown in the book, rather, they are looking at the different view and the head is tilted down. The yarn I bought didn’t look right too for the color, the white is not white enough to bring out the contrast of this doggies. So, I crochet them again after getting the right color that I want. Since then, I couldn’t stop by just crochet 1 pattern. I made another few breeds when I can find the right yarn color off hand. Click the Next button to view them all.
Recommended Amigurumi Books (Amazon Store):
1. Ami Ami Dogs: Seriously Cute Crochet
2. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amigurumi
3. Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet
4. Vanna’s Choice: Easy Crochet Critters
5. A Zoo For You
6. Crobots: 20 Amigurumi Robots to Make
7. Creepy Cute Crochet
8. Amigurumi Toy Box: Cute Crocheted Friends
9. Cuddly Crochet: Adorable Toys, Hats, & More
10. Cute Little Animals
11. More Cute Little Animals to Crochet
12. Big Book of Animals
Free online amigurumi patterns:
1. Planet June
2. Crochet Pattern Central
3. Craftster
4. Roxycraft
5. Owlishly
6. Freshstitches Amigurumi
Shop online patterns:
1. Planet June Shop
2. Roxycraft Shop
3. Anapaulaoli Etsy Shop
4. Mygurumi Etsy Shop
5. Crochetbury Etsy Shop
6. TLGD doll Etsy Shop
7. Jenny and teddy Etsy Shop
8. Delicious Crochet Etsy Shop
9. AmyGaines ArtFire Shop
10. Voodoo Maggie ArtFire Shop
Pattern Reading
Read the chart or written pattern carefully and make sure you understand all the instructions.
Prepare all the tools and materials needed to make the amigurumi and get started.
Crochet abbreviation – written [chart] pattern
sc [X] – single crochet
sc inc [V] – single crochet increase
sc dec (sc2tog) [Λ] – single crochet decrease (invisible crochet is a better choice to prevent hole forming, photo tutorial, video)
ch [Ο] – chain
slst [ • ] – slip stitch
Choice Of Yarn & Hook Size
Read the pattern instruction and look out for recommended yarn weight and crochet hook size. If you would like to make it in a different size, you can try out with different yarn weight and hook size.
Yarn weight: These 2 dogs are made from the same pattern but different yarn weight, which turned out in a different size. The smaller dog is from baby yarn and the bigger dog is from medium worsted yarn.
You can use synthetic fiber yarn which is cheaper and has a better color choice.
Hook size: A size smaller from the recommended hook size works perfectly for amigurumi. For example, if the recommended hook size stated on the yarn label said size 3mm, use 2.5mm instead.
Other Tools
Besides crochet hook, you will need the followings:
1. Tapestry Needles, I used #13 for chunky yarn, #18 for medium weight yarn, #20 for baby yarn & #24 for lace thread. You might need a long needle for big amigurumi.
2. Scissors
3. Markers, or you can use a bobby pin to mark the first st of the row
4. Tweezers (blunt tip) or stuffing tool (see video how to use this stuffing tool)
5. All-purpose adhesive (transparent) for gluing eyes and nose, great for threading yarn through the narrow eye of the tapestry needle.
Stuffing & Weight
Stuffing: There is always a question of how much to stuff for the amigurumi, I stuffed mine until the amigurumi is firm and resemble the tubular shape of the amigurumi.
Weight: If you need to add weight so that the amigurumi stands better, you can use silica gel (in bead form), plastic beads for smaller amigurumi doll. A stainless steel bolt is good for a bigger amigurumi doll.
Eyes & Nose
Other names for amigurumi eyes are craft eyes, animal eyes or safety eyes. Basically, there are 2 types of attachment, stud type or sewn type. The photos shown are stud type, some came with back locking plates and for those don’t have, the eye has to be glued with all-purpose adhesive (not recommended if it is for kids under 3).
Normally, eyes come in either whole black or clear plastic with a black spot at the center. Select the suitable eyes and nose for your amigurumi.
I bought some of my parts and tools via this online shop.
You can also use beads, buttons and felts to make eyes and nose for amigurumi too.
Eye Color Customization
It is not necessary to buy a ready colored eye for amigurumi, you can always make add your own color to a clear eye.
For white, use correction pen (fluid type) and paint the back of the clear eye.
For other colors, use acrylic paint and paint the back of the clear eye.
I painted mine in green, brown, blue and white. You can even add design if you have a bigger clear eye, like adding iris stripes, circles, love shape, etc. to further enhance the effect of your amigurumi’s character.
Tension
Unlike normal crochet, in amigurumi your stitch tension has to be snugly tight to prevent “holes” forming, the holes will amplify after stuffing.
Change Yarn Color
In some patterns, you might need to change yarn color like those I did for the dogs, click here to get the tutorial on how to do it, or here for video.
Joining Parts
Now you have all the parts (heads, arms, legs, torsos) of the amigurumi ready, installed eyes and nose, stuffed to the fullest firmness. It is time to join them up by sewing.
Click here to see how to join, or here for a video.
Some patterns will show where to join, for those don’t, look closely at the photo of your pattern to find the correct place to join. Sometimes you might have to unpick the stitches and redo the joining if you find the position is a little off, especially the first attempt. Don’t give up, you are about to cross the finish line!
Other Tips
Needle threading
If you have difficulty in getting the yarn through the eye of the tapestry needle, put a small drop of adhesive (for example, UHU or quick-dry all-purpose adhesive but not super glue, please) at the yarn end, twist and make it pointy. Let it dry before inserting through the eye of the tapestry needle.
Tidying up the messy yarn ends
After stitching, make a small knot with an adjacent stitch. Insert the needle back to the body and come out from the opposite (the further the better). Pull the yarn a little before clipping so that both the knot and yarn end can hide inside the body.
Practise, Practise & Practise!!!
Practise is the best way to achieve perfect amigurumi. I did more than 10 in the total of these cute doggies to achieve a close to perfect result. Each of them still looks a little different even though they are from the same pattern.
![Amigurumi Unicorn [With Wings] Crochet Pattern](https://www.craftpassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/unicorn-chair.jpg)
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.