How to Crochet Amigurumi

"Amigurumi" means "knitted (or crocheted) doll" in Japanese. They are simply tiny, cute stuffed toys made from scraps of leftover yarn, a little polyfil stuffing, and any decorations you want to add. They are a very good beginner project, especially for an older child, or for someone with small children, because they make up quickly, can easily be made childproof, and only require single crochet and slip stitches, plus the ability to sew a few parts together. Here is a very simple pattern and a few resources for the beginning crocheter!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Small amounts of worsted weight yarn
• A crochet hook of a size that will make tight stitches with the yarn you have chosen (such as an aluminum hook size G or H, for worsted-weight yarn)
• A tapestry (or yarn) needle
• An embroidery needle (optional)
• Embroidery floss, buttons, sequins, wiggly eyes, or other decorative embellishments (optional)

1. The simplest amigurumi are just a head and body. Usually, the head is larger than the body. The head will be like a round ball or an egg shape, and the body will be a cylinder. Arms and legs will be smaller cylinders, and ears, noses, etc. will just be smaller parts, such as crocheted half circles or small triangles.
   
   To begin making the head, from the top down:
   
   Wrap the tail of your yarn around the index and middle fingers of your left hand, (right if you are left-handed), twice, to make a sort of double loop. Holding the loop open with your index and middle fingers, draw up a loop with your crochet hook by reaching through the middle of the double loop on your fingers, and hooking the strand of yarn coming directly from the yarn ball or skein.
2. With the loop on the hook, pull up and hook the same strand of yarn, only on the other side of the double loop. Pull it fairly tight so it holds the double loop together in one spot. This slip stitch simply gets the hook and yarn into the most convenient position for making single crochets.
3. Crochet 6 single crochet stitches in the double loop. This will be your foundation row. Be sure to crochet quite tightly throughout the project, so the stuffing won't show between the stitches.
4. Grab the tail, or the end of the yarn furthest from the yarn ball or skein, and pull it tightly so that the 6 stitches you just made become a ring. Try not to leave a hole in the middle, or the stuffing will leak out when the amigurumi is assembled.
5. Mark the last of the 6 stitches so you know where the end of the round is going to be. Crochet 2 single crochets into each of the 6 stitches you have already made. This way, you have increased the number of stitches to 12. (A good way to mark rounds is to loop a contrasting scrap of yarn through the last stitch in the round, then move it to the end of the next round when you come to crochet a stitch into it.)
6. Mark the last of the 12 stitches you have made. Continuing in a spiral, increase evenly by 6 stitches in each round until you feel as though the head is half the size you want it. It will look like a little skullcap at this point.
7. The way to increase evenly is to start the next row by crocheting two stitches in the first stitch of the last row, then just crocheting one in the next, then two in the next and one in the next, and so on, until you have 18 stitches. Since you are working in a spiral, and not ending each round, it's a good idea to mark the end of each round so you know when you need to change your increasing strategy. The next round, make 2 stitches in the first stitch, then just one in the next 2 stitches, then 2 in the next one, and so on. Each round, add another stitch between the doubled up ones. That way, you will always increase by six stitches, and the increases will be even.
8. When you get to the end of a round and feel ready to move on and begin decreasing to make a ball shape, begin by crocheting 2 or three rounds without increasing or decreasing at all--just one single crochet into each single crochet in the rounds. Continue to mark the ends of the rounds as you go.
9. Begin to decrease gradually by 6 stitches at a time. The way to decrease is: pull up a loop in the next stitch after the end of the round you just finished, without actually making a stitch. Pull up a loop in the NEXT stitch, then finish making a single crochet stitch in that stitch by pulling both loops through, the same as if you were making the usual kind of single crochet stitch, only with 2 loops to pull through. Make regular single crochet stitches between decrease stitches, the same way you made increse stitches, only backwards, ending the last round with a decrease in every stitch. But before you arrive at the final round, stop and stuff the head, so that you have room to get your finger or a pencil or something into the head at the neck end. Continue, until the last round, and finish off by cutting the yarn and tucking the end of the yarn inside the end. Incidentally, if you used several colors of yarn for this body part, you never have to weave in the ends, as you can just tuck them inside as you go along.
10. To make the body, from the bottom up, begin as you did with the head by making a double loop over your fingers, drawing up a loop and making a slip stitch over it, then crocheting 6 single crochet stitches in the loop, then pulling the yarn tail to tighten them into a ring.
11. Crochet 2 single crochet stitches into each stitch in the round, and mark the end of the round. Increase by 6 stitches, evenly, in the next round. Mark the last stitch as before.
12. In order to make a cylinder instead of a ball, stop increasing when the circle is big enough for your amigurumi's body. Just crochet one single crochet stitch into each stitch as you go along. It's a good idea to continue to mark the ends of the rounds as you go so that you will know when the last round is done. It's okay to leave the top of the body, the neck end, open, as you will be sewing it directly to the head at the end, anyway.
13. Stuff the body and sew the neck end of the body to the neck end of the head with a tapestry needle (or yarn needle) and a length of yarn. Tuck the ends inside when you are done and the head and body are securely fastened together.
14. This is the simplest possible amigurumi. At this point, you can embroider, glue, or sew on face elements, hair, clothing, or any other embellishment you want. All amigurumi are supposed to be unique, so enjoy making it a one-of-a-kind creative expression.
15. If you want to add arms and legs and/or a tail, make simple cylinders, just as with the body, but smaller, by making fewer rounds--perhaps just one round, without any increases, just straight single crochets until you feel the arm, leg or tail is long enough. Stuff the pieces, using the same procedure as with the body.
16. Position the arms, legs, and tail, if any, where you want them to go, then sew in place with the tapestry needle and a length of yarn. Tuck the ends into the middle of the piece.

Tips & Warnings

• Start with a simple amigurumi for your first time, then add to it, or plan more elaborate ones for later.
• Add beans to the bottom of the body stuffing if you aren't making limbs, because otherwise, the doll will be topheavy. The beans will make it sit properly on its bottom. Plastic beads or other small, non-perishable objects may be used instead, if you fear mold or insect infestation.
• Sew the amigurumi to a keychain or dog clip so it can be attached to a backpack or zipper pull, if desired.
• If you don't have any polyfil, cut-up old, clean pantyhose work great; just be sure to stuff evenly.
• Be prepared to make several! They are so easy and charming, it's hard to stop once you've started!
• Do not add glued objects like wiggle eyes, sequins, or anything else that a small child might swallow, if the intended recipient is under 3 years old. Don't use sewed-on objects, like buttons, for the same reason. Glued felt pieces are okay, though, if they are very small, as they can pass through a baby's digestive tract without harming the child.