Assembling Amigurumi

Submitted by Kim Werker on 14 March 2006 - 4:56pm.
byline: 

by Kim Piper Werker

When I made my first amigurumi, I used a Japanese book. Not being a reader of Japanese, I did a whole lot of squinting, head scratching, and page turning. After a few hours of that I realized how useless it was and I just started crocheting. How simple the patterns are! The head and body openings have the same number of stitches, so they're just sewn right up, nearly seamlessly. Here's how:

  1. Line up the slip stitches of the head and body.
    line up the slip stitches
  2. Thread the long tale from either the head or the body onto a yarn needle. Shove the other tail into the stuffing so it's hidden inside the body when you're done sewing. Insert your needle through both loops of the first stitch on the head.
    insert your hook in the first head stitch
  3. Insert your needle through both loops of the first stitch on the body. The stitches are slightly offset from each other.
    Insert your needle through the first body stitch
  4. Draw the yarn through both stitches and pull so it's snug, but not so tight that it distorts the fabric.
  5. Repeat steps 2-4 to whipstitch the head and body together.
  6. Don't weave in the yarn end as you normally would. Rather, stick the needle through to the other side of the neck and pull the yarn through. Following one of the whipstitches you already made, stick the needle back through the neck. Tug on the yarn so it's taut, and cut it close to the doll. When you let go, the end will get sucked into the doll and will be hidden.

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Thank you!! This is the one thing I HATE about Amigurumi...your directions made it easy!! I look forward to my next one now instead of dreading the assembly :)

Submitted by TracyRee (not verified) on 5 April 2006 - 7:33am.

Thanks for sharing with us... :)

Submitted by Jullie (not verified) on 26 November 2006 - 6:31pm.

I love that you show how to assemble the amigurumi...is it the same technique for attaching limbs? I've been having trouble with making separate pieces...i started out (self-taught) just sort of making it all one piece, but the little ones look better when all the parts are made separately and then assembled. Is there a trick to leaving a good "limb hole"?

Thanks...
Jen

Submitted by Jen (not verified) on 3 December 2006 - 8:11pm.

Hi Jen - I don't leave holes for the limbs. I just sew arms, legs, ears, snouts (whatever) onto the outside of the head or body. So easy! - Kim

Submitted by Crochet Me Admin on 3 December 2006 - 8:13pm.

I really enjoy your style and I have just one question. I crochet the given number of stitches but when it comes to reducing I find that my stitches seem to be bigger or stretched to compensate for the loss of space. I dont like the look, it looks like the form of the body does taper for the head but it looks like you would be able to see the stuffing even though my stitch are the same tension. Would it be a better idea to use a smaller hook while I am trying to make the top of the body smaller for the head? Would using a smaller hook make my stitches smaller enough so that reducing them wouold not show anything through?

Submitted by Linda (not verified) on 30 April 2007 - 1:40pm.

Hi Linda - I don't recommend doing the shaping simply by changing hook size; it won't come out looking right. You might want to use a smaller hook overall, though, so that your stitches are very tight and the decreases don't leave as big a gap. Good luck! -- Kim

Submitted by Crochet Me Admin on 30 April 2007 - 4:54pm.

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