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What is Amigurumi?
A Guide On How to Make Your Own Amigurumi
If you are a knitter or a crocheter you may be familiar with the word ‘amigurumi’, but what exactly is it?
Amigurumi is the art of crocheting or knitted stuffed toys. The word itself is a combination of two Japanese words, ‘ami’ (編), which means “crocheted or knitted”, and ‘nuigurumi’ (ぬいぐるみ), meaning “(sewn) stuffed doll”.
The art of amigurumi became significantly popular in Japan during the 1980s and has been a staple of kawaii culture ever since. With very few resources required to complete most projects, amigurumi is easy to pick up; you only need to know a few simple stitches to create a wide range of projects. An amigurumi craze spread to the Western world in the 2000s and has since become one of the most popular crafts projects ever. You can choose to make amigurumi by knitting or crocheting, though crocheted amigurumi is generally considered the easier option to master.
Things to Consider When Knitting/Crocheting Amigurumi
How to progress from beginner to advanced amigurumi
If you’re a beginner when it comes to amigurumi, we recommend starting on a smaller project that uses a heavier weight yarn, such as 8-ply, and a larger hook size, ideally 3.5mm or 4mm. There are amigurumi pattern designs for almost anything you can think of, from animals and objects, to your favourite pop culture icons. Here are our compilations of our favourite Star Wars amigurumi and dinosaur amigurumi patterns. Most patterns should provide you with details on the size and requirements for completing your project.
Starting your first-ever amigurumi project may seem like a daunting task, but perseverance is key to the arts of knitting and crochet, and amigurumi is no different!
Polyester, wool, or cotton are the most popular choice of materials for stuffing amigurumi projects, but any other material can be used if you have a different preference. Create a tight gauge using smaller hooks and tighter stitches, such as a single crochet or double half crochet, to prevent the stuffing from showing through it.
Now you have a good understanding of what amigurumi is, and how you can approach your first project, here are some of the resources you’ll need to get started!
Yarn: we recommend Cygnet 100% Cotton Double Knit Yarn.
A set of crochet hooks: the Tulip Pink Etimo Rose Ergonomic Crochet Hook Set is the perfect set for beginners to start with.
Stitch markers are often necessary when working in the round.
A pair of embroidery scissors.
Something to stuff your amigurumi project with; polyester, cotton, or wool are ideal
Safety eyes or buttons (or you can stitch in the eyes yourself)
Practice makes perfect when it comes to mastering amigurumi. But don’t worry, you won’t be a beginner for long! Check out the Crafty Llama YouTube channel for further tips, tricks, and tutorials on how to knit and crochet different patterns.