What is Amigurumi?

Have you seen the adorable crochet stuffed toys known as amigurumi? Have you wondered, what is amigurumi, and how you can learn to make it yourself? You’re in the right place!

Let’s review what is amigurumi and learn a bit about the history of the craft.

Amigurumi is a Japanese word used to describe the knitting or crocheting of stuffed yarn creations. The word comes from ami, meaning crocheted or knitted”, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll.

While the art of amigurumi has been known in Japan for several decades, it first started appealing to other countries in the early 2000s.

Amigurumi can be anything big or small, made of yarn and filled with stuffing. Amigurumi is often seen in the form of animals, dolls, food, flowers, and more! Amigurumi plush is a great item for gifting, and is a really popular item to be sold at craft markets or vendor events.

You can find all of my free amigurumi patterns right here on my blog!

How is Amigurumi made?

Amigurumi is typically crocheted out of yarn or thread, but can also be knitted. Be sure to sign up for my free amigurumi course to learn about the skills for creating amigurumi, including basic stitches, crochet patterns, and more.

Amigurumi can be worked as one piece, or it can be made with multiple pieces that are crocheted or sewn together. Amigurumi is typically crocheted in a continuous round (a spiral).

What is Amigurumi For?

Amigurumi is most often made as children’s toys, but are also made for aesthetic and/or decorative purposes. Although amigurumi has originated in Japan, it has become popular around the world for people of all ages.

Evolution of Amigurumi

Especially in recent years, amigurumi has evolved from the traditional methods of using lightweight yarn and smaller hook sizes, to using a variety of yarn weights and fibers. Amigurumi is now very popularly made in chenille or velvet yarns, with a larger hook size, creating larger plush stuffed animals.

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