30+ Amigurumi Crochet Patterns: Cute and Easy Projects for Beginners – Cream Of The Crop Crochet

Introduction to Amigurumi

The Japanese art of amigurumi (ah-mee-guh-roo-me) is the incredibly popular practice of crocheting adorable cuddly animals and stuffed toys. It’s a compound of the Japanese word ami meaning “crocheted or knitted,” and kurumi, which literally means “wrapping” in the sense that the stuffing in the doll is wrapped with knitting or crochet.

Amigurumi has become increasingly beloved in the west since the 2000s, but its popularity is deeply rooted in the kawaii culture of Japan all the way back to the 1970s. These crochet toys are often small and made with lightweight yarn.

Whether this becomes your new passion, or you just want to give it a try, amigurumi projects are a fantastic next step in your crochet journey!

How is Amigurumi Different from Crochet?

Amigurumi is a subset of crochet and specifically involves crocheting stuffed toys. There are some techniques that you will only use for amigurumi, but most of it is things you probably already learned on your crochet journey.

If you need any help with the basics, check out our Amigurumi masterclass to learn all the stitches and instructions you need, plus get some easy patterns to practice with.

How to Read an Amigurumi Pattern

Listed below are some of the most common abbreviations of basic crochet stitches you’ll find in amigurumi patterns:

ABBREVIATION	DESCRIPTION
ch	chain
dc	double crochet
hdc	half double crochet
inc	single crochet increase
inv dec	invisible decrease
rnd(s)	round(s)
sc	single crochet
sl st	slip stitch
st(s)	stitch(es)

The Basics of Amigurumi

There are a few stitches and techniques that you have to learn before you create your first amigurumi: the single crochet (sc), magic circle, single crochet increase (sc inc), and single crochet decrease (sc dec).

If you don’t already know how to single crochet, the link above will give you the rundown, or you can check out our Crochet Fundamentals course to learn about all the basic stitches and so much more.

As for the rest of the basics, let’s get into it!

How to Crochet a Magic Circle

The magic circle (aka magic ring) is what you’ll be using to begin almost every part of an amigurumi. It gives you a clean beginning with no holes for that seamless look.

Begin with your palm facing up with two (or more) fingers extended. Wrap the yarn around your fingers to form an X, with the tail end laying over the working end.

Flip your hand over so you can see two parallel strands of yarn. The tail end should be the one on the right.

Moving the hook from right to left, insert your hook under the strand to the right, and over the strand on the left.

Grab the yarn on the left and pull up a loop, rotating your hook upwards as you do. Make a slip stitch to close the circle.

After working your first round of single crochets into the magic ring, pull on the tail end to bring the stitches closer together and tighten the loop.

Increasing and Decreasing Stitches

As soon as you’ve finished your first round of single crochet stitches, you’ll begin increasing in the next round to begin to form the shape of your amigurumi. When a pattern says to sc inc in the next stitch, this means that you’ll be working two single crochets in the same stitch.

Decreasing works the opposite way, where you’ll be working one single crochet in two stitches. This can be done in two ways:

Single crochet 2 together or sc2tog is the more common way of decreasing. You insert your hook under the first stitch and pull up a loop. Then, insert the hook into the next stitch and pull up a loop. With three loops on your hook, yarn over and pull through all the loops.

Some amigurumi crochet patterns will tell you to invisible decrease or inv dec. You can do this by inserting your hook into the front loops of the next two stitches and pull up a loop. With two loops on your hook, yarn over and pull through all the loops. This creates a nearly invisible decrease for that seamless finish!

All of these techniques are detailed in our guide to single crochet if you need photo tutorials or more information on how they are done.

Working in Joined Rounds vs. a Continuous Spiral

Working in joined rounds means that you’ll be making a slip stitch at the end of every round. This creates a visible seam along your amigurumi, which is fine if it doesn’t bother you.

Alternatively, if you prefer a more seamless finish to your amigurumi, then working in a continuous spiral would be the option for you. However, you’ll need to keep your stitch markers handy to keep track of the ends of your rounds because it won’t be visible as you stitch.

Our Amigurumi Masterclass goes into further detail about each of these topics as well as provides you with free patterns to start your amigurumi journey with!

Supplies for Crocheting Amigurumi

Yarn

Amigurumi are traditionally small, so lighter weight yarns are preferable. This way, you can add more details in a small space. Knit Picks Brava Sport is a great weight 2 (also known as light weight) yarn for amigurumi as it is hypoallergenic, machine-washable, and has a wide range of gorgeous colors.

For DK yarns, Premier Yarns Premier Anti-Pilling Everyday DK has excellent washability and is suitable for direct contact with sensitive skin so you can always keep your creations close!

Basic Stitch from Lion Brand is an excellent choice if you need a worsted weight yarn as there are so many colors to choose from and the yarn itself is treated to resist pilling.

Crochet Hooks 

For amigurumi, it’s important to have tighter stitches than you normally would expect so that your stuffing doesn’t fall out. Going down a hook size from the normal range is recommended. Your pattern should tell you the best hook to use with the yarn weight it calls for

The Clover Armour Hook Set has a full range of crochet hook sizes so that you can experiment with and adjust your hook size as you make your amigurumi!

Toy Stuffing

An amigurumi wouldn’t be complete without the stuffing! To get the appropriate amount of fluff and squish ability, Polyfil Stuffing is going to be your new best friend! If you want to add more weight or just want harder stuffing, then you can also opt for Poly Pellets.

Safety Eyes 

Your animals and toys are going to need some eyes. Although it’s possible to crochet or use felt for the eyes, using safety eyes can really elevate the product.

Note: Avoid using safety eyes for crochet toys that are intended for babies and toddlers (below 3 years old) and animals as they are a choking hazard.

Stitch Markers

Since we’ll be working in the round, it’s easy to lose track of your stitch count. Use a ring marker to make where you start a new round to avoid an accidental increase or decrease.

Scissors

Every crafter needs a dedicated pair of yarn scissors for their projects! With amigurumi, you are often changing colors a lot so it’s great to keep a little pair of scissors handy for trimming your yarn when you change colors.

Yarn Needles

Aside from weaving in ends, you’ll also need your needles for attaching multiple parts of an amigurumi project together.

Optional Materials

These other notions and tools can help you add more detail to your amigurumi, but they aren’t required for every project.

Amigurumi FAQ

Is Amigurumi Suitable for Beginners?

Absolutely! Amigurumi is commonly made with basic stitches, specifically single crochet. As long as you know how to single crochet in the round and increase, you’re golden!

It might look complicated at first, but there’s nothing in the world that you can’t figure out as long as you keep trying.

What’s the Best Yarn to Use for Amigurumi?

Usually, amigurumi patterns call for sport or DK weight yarn because you can get more details into a small space if your stitches are smaller. Some projects call for worsted weight yarn which can help you make slightly large projects.

But for those who want to make a large and cuddly project, you can go even bigger with bulky or super bulky yarn.

As for the material, cotton and acrylic are the most common options as they have great stitch definition. Chenille yarn is a favorite among amigurumi crafters for the extra fluffiness it adds.

How Many Stitches Do I Start With?

Most amigurumi projects start with a magic circle and 6 stitches worked into the circle. In the first round, you work an increase into each stitch and increase regularly from there to form whatever shape you are making.

How Do I Attach Safety Eyes?

If you’re crocheting toys and stuffed animals, you’ll most likely use safety eyes and their backings. Lion Brand has an incredibly detailed tutorial on what safety eyes are and how to use them on your amigurumi!

Amigurumi Patterns for Beginners

As promised, we’ve got more than 30 different FREE amigurumi crochet patterns for you to practice on! These are all beginner-friendly but gradually increase in complexity as you scroll along, so feel free to start with whichever one fits your skill level best!

Basic Amigurumi Shape Patterns

Beginner-Friendly Amigurumi Animal Patterns

If you want to crochet even more toys for the little ones in your life, then you might be interested in this list of easy-to-follow crochet animal patterns!

Amigurumi Food and Drink Patterns

Decorative Amigurumi Patterns

Amigurumi Crochet Toy Patterns

Can’t get enough of these crocheted toys? We’ve got 20 more amigurumi toy patterns waiting for you right here!

Are You a Beginner Crocheter Who Needs More Help with the Basics?

If you’re ready to dive into crochet amigurumi but feel like you need to brush up your skills a bit, our Crochet Fundamentals course covers everything you need to know. From yarn and hook selection to basic stitches, shaping, and finishing techniques, these videos will increase your confidence quickly.
And if you’re ready to learn more about amigurumi, our Amigurumi workshop is a great next step. It covers all the stitches and techniques you need to get started, plus free patterns to practice and build on.

If you want to see more crochet posts, please go to my other pages: 35+ Easy & Fun Crochet Projects for Beginners, 30+ Crochet Octopus Patterns, 20 Free Crochet Dragon Patterns