Guide
Amigurumi Basics for Beginners
Amigurumi - the Japanese craft of crocheting small stuffed creatures - leans on a small, repeatable set of techniques. Learn these and you can follow almost any amigurumi pattern.
Last updated August 3, 2026
What you'll need
- Worsted weight (medium, weight 4) yarn is the most common starting point, though amigurumi is worked at every weight.
- A hook one or two sizes smaller than the yarn label recommends - a tighter fabric hides the stuffing better than a looser, standard-gauge fabric would.
- Polyester fiberfill stuffing.
- Safety eyes, or embroidery floss for stitched-on eyes.
- Stitch markers to track the start of each round, and a tapestry needle for assembly.
Core techniques
- Magic ring - nearly every amigurumi piece starts here, since it closes the center hole completely. See the magic ring stitch page.
- Single crochet in a spiral - most amigurumi bodies are worked in continuous rounds without joining or chaining up, using a stitch marker to mark round starts.
- Increases - 2 single crochet worked into the same stitch, used to widen a piece.
- Invisible decrease - the standard amigurumi decrease, chosen specifically because it's far less visible than a regular decrease. See the invisible decrease stitch page.
Reading amigurumi patterns
Patterns are usually written round by round, with a stitch count in parentheses at the end of each round - for example, "(6 sc)" after round 1. Check your actual stitch count against that number before moving on; amigurumi shaping depends on exact counts more than most other crochet, since even one stray stitch will visibly skew a round shape.
Stuffing and assembly
- Stuff firmly enough that the piece holds its shape and doesn't cave in, but not so firmly that the stitches stretch and gap.
- Stuff small parts like limbs as you go, a little at a time, rather than trying to pack stuffing in after the piece is closed.
- Use the long tail left from a magic ring or a piece's final stitches to sew parts together - pin or hold pieces in place first and step back to check placement before stitching.
- Weave in ends thoroughly and securely; amigurumi gets handled, hugged, and occasionally chewed on, so ends need to hold up to more wear than a stationary piece like a blanket.