12 Easy Amigurumi Ideas for Beginners

Amigurumi (Japanese for “crocheted or knitted stuffed toy”) is addictive in the best way. Small projects are perfect for learning, because you finish quickly and see your progress. Here are twelve ideas, roughly from easiest to a little more challenging.

1. A ball or rattle: just increases and decreases. The perfect first project.
2. A heart: two small tubes joined together.
3. A strawberry or cherry: a shaped sphere plus a tiny leaf.
4. A mushroom: a cap and a stem, great for colour changes.
5. An octopus: a sphere head with chain or spiral legs.
6. A cactus in a pot: no face, no fuss, very cute.
7. A whale: one long body shape with a little tail.
8. A bear head keychain: practise sewing on small ears.
9. A chick or duck: learn to shape a beak.
10. A cat: ears, a tail and your first embroidered face.
11. A bunny: long ears and simple arms.
12. A gnome: a cone hat and a fluffy beard. Perfect for Christmas.

Tips for neat amigurumi

• Use a hook smaller than the yarn label suggests, so the stuffing does not peek through.
• Work in a continuous spiral and move your stitch marker up every round.
• Use the invisible decrease (sc2tog through front loops only) for smooth shaping.
• Stuff firmly, a little at a time, as you go.