4 Skills You Need to Make Amigurumi

Do you love amigurumi, but think it looks way too hard? I totally get it.

It LOOKS hard because the stitches are smaller and tighter and usually there’s several pieces that need to be sewn on. But you only need 4 skills (yes, only 4) to be able to make an amigurumi.

That’s it.

So if there’s a cute amigurumi pattern you’ve been eyeing, I hope this article will give you the confidence to give it a shot. You CAN do it.

Skill 1. Crochet

This may sound completely obvious and you might be thinking, “Um…duh”

And you’re right, it is obvious. But it’s also important.

If you already know how to crochet, I bet you’ve made a hat or a scarf, or even a blanket (kudos, my hands hurt just thinking about blankets).

And if you’ve made those things, I bet you know how to single crochet, which is the PRIMARY stitch used in amigurumi.

Sure there are tons of types of amigurumis with all sorts of stitches, but 100% of them at least use the single crochet stitch.

My point is, if you’re nervous about trying an amigurumi pattern, DON’T BE. You already have the most important skill!

Skill 2. Know how to sew

Chances are that if you crochet or knit, you know how to sew, whether that is joining granny squares, seaming a sweater, or weaving in your ends. You’re handy with a needle.

Amigurumi are often created in several parts that are seamed together.

There are a bunch of different joining techniques, but that is a topic for another post. For now, just know that if you can do a basic mattress stitch, you can make an amigurumi.

Skill 3. Patience

I think this could be said for any craft, but amigurumi in particular take a lot of patience.

Crocheting and sewing, that’s the easy part.

Pinning everything together in just the right place can be frustrating to say the least. And sometimes you’ll be absolutely positive that it looks perfect and you’ll sew everything on. Then you look at your finished toy and realize the eyes aren’t level or one arm is more forward than the other…

It’s super annoying, especially if you’re a perfectionist like me.

But please don’t get discouraged. And honestly, as makers we see every flaw and imperfection, but no one else does.

Here’s a photo of a toy I made for my stepdaughter’s 6th birthday.

I didn’t realize until I finished it that the other ball of yarn I used was much smaller than the original, so the legs don’t match AT ALL.

Guess who thinks it’s the coolest toy she’s ever gotten? You guessed it. My stepdaughter.

Kids especially don’t care if one ear is wonky or if one leg is fatter than the other. So give yourself some grace and remember that those little imperfections can disappear as your skill grows.

Skill 4. Knowing how to read a pattern

If you crochet intuitively, make up designs as you go, and never follow patterns, that’s amazing. You can disregard this tip and keep rocking your craft.

Patterns are great though. Maybe you see a design on Etsy that you just HAVE to make, but you’ve never made an amigurumi before. Or you have, but it looks crazy complex.

Well this is where this skill comes in. If you don’t know and would like to learn how to read and pattern, check out this article, How to Read a Crochet Pattern.

Not everything has a free video tutorial and patterns are filled with information.

Even the most complex amigurumi pattern will likely have incredibly detailed instructions, tons of photos, and maybe even video content to help.

Summary

If you can:

• Crochet
• Sew
• Have patience
• Read a pattern

then you can make any amigurumi pattern you want! And remember it doesn’t have to be perfect the first time. Chances are everyone will love seeing what you make.

I hope this article inspired you to try out that pattern you’ve been eyeing. If so and you want to share the finished project with me, tag me on Instagram or Facebook.