5 tips that you must know for amigurumi

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In this post, you will find 5 tips that you must know or wish to know before you start making amigurumi toys. I wish I had known them before I started my amigurumi journey. Scroll down, and let’s start.

I have shared on a few occasions that what got me into crochet was making toys. When my daughter was born, I stumbled upon a crochet toy, and my curiosity got the best of me, so I looked it up on google and found Ravelry. I have spent countless nights searching through the wonderful patterns of talented designers till I decided to give it a go.

Throughout the years I have been crocheting, I learned useful tips and tricks that I would like to share with you, as I know some of them are real game-changers for crochet dolls. Some of them I learned from my mistakes, and some of them through other designers. I hope they will help you too.

When making crochet toys, there are a few basic stuff that we should pay attention to. If you are new to amigurumi, that is even better because you will learn from someone who’s already been in your place.

Amigurumi tips for stunning results every time

After you know all the important amigurumi tips, it is time to crochet one. You can check out our Free crochet gnome Crochet a Long ( CAL ) and can join us for growing your collection of amigurumi.

Learning with friends is more fun, don’t forget to share the amigurumi tips with friends so much more people can enjoy it.

Pin it on your Pinterest boards for later here.

Marking your stitches

When making amigurumi, it is essential to keep track of your stitches, so you will have your toy shaped exactly as it is in the pattern you are working on. Most of the amigurumi patterns are worked in continuous rounds, and if you miss or mistake your stitch, it will change the look of the part you are crocheting. The best way to do that is to use a stitch marker to indicate your first stitch. But me being old-fashioned, I love using a long piece of yarn to indicate my first stitch. I pull the yarn through my every first stitch, and it helps me keep track.

Stuffing

When I started crocheting dolls, the main problem for me was that I used not stuff them well enough. My dolls’ heads were not standing straight, and the shapes of my body parts were odd. But a good friend of mine who is a master in amigurumi told me that I need to stuff my parts well, but it is important not to overdo it. If you put too much stuffing, it will stretch your stitches, and the stuffing will show through the gaps. We don’t need that, do we?

Before closing the parts, you are working always check if they are stuffed enough. You will see a big change after doing this.

Invisible decrease

Increasing and decreasing are the main part of an amigurumi shaping when we need to have a more detailed look. A few years ago, I learned that there is something called – invisible decrease. That, my friends, was the cherry on top of the knowledge I wished I had known when I first started. When you are making the original decrease, we insert the hook through the stitches we need to decrease, while when you are making an invisible decrease, we insert the hook through the front loops of the stitches, we are decreasing without yarn over.

Invisible decrease- Insert your hook through the front loop of the first stitch, then insert it through the front loop of the second stitch, yarn over, pull through the first 2 loops on your hook, yarn over, pull through the 2 loops on your hook.

Also, the invisible decrease prevents the gaps that appear when we work with the original decrease. You can use invisible decrease not only for toy making but whenever you are working with a single crochet stitch.

How to make an invisible change of colors

Crocheting toys may require some change in colors we are working or even we may need to work with 2 colors at the same time for more intricate patterns. There is a way to avoid the messy-looking change of colors. There are 2 ways! The first method will show you how to change colors for any of your projects, and the 2nd one will show you how to change colors when you work with 2 colors, for example, when you are making the body.

Method 1: Changing colors which can be applied to every project you crochet from now on. Before you finish the last step of your stitch, attach the new color to your hook, drop the color you have been working with and pull the new yarn through your loops. You will have a neat and clean stitch in the previous color, and the next stitch will be worked with the new color preventing the messy look.

Method 2: Changing colors when you are not working in continuous rounds for amigurumi. Usually, at the end of each round, you must join your rounds with a slip stitch. This method is better than the previous one if you need a clean edge. For this, make your last stitch, take your new color, insert your hook in the joining stitch and, pull the new color through the stitch, then pull it through the loop on your hook. Tie with a knot the new and old colors together at the back.

How to make a perfect finish

Before I learned how to make a perfect finish, I used to make a slip stitch at the end of my work, but after learning how to make a perfect finish, I use it all the time. When you make flat pieces, hats, or appliques and you need a clean finish, this method is just for you.

To make the perfect finish- after finishing your last stitch, take the loop off your hook, take a tapestry needle and insert your needle through the loop. Now take your needle and insert it through the front to back in the next stitch, then insert the needle through the loop of your last stitch. Pull it through tightly and you will see that now you have a new V representing your stitch instead of just only one loop. See pics below.

You are welcome to share your projects made by our patterns with the community and us. We will be thrilled to see your creations, and you are very welcome to share them on our FACEBOOK PAGE HERE or our FACEBOOK GROUP or on INSTAGRAM by using the hashtag #gnomeCAL2023 and #passionatecrafterr

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