Many of my friends are pregnant, and I thought handmade stuffed animals would make perfect gifts. I have been searching for knit amigurumi patterns and there are many, but the online resources for knit amigurumi are severely lacking. So I did some further research.
Knit amigurumi are worked as flat pieces of fabric that are seamed together and stuffed to create the desired shape. Increase and decrease stitches give the rounded shape when stuffed. Knit amigurumi can be made from one piece of fabric or multiple pieces sewn together.
I come from a crochet background, but have recently taken up knitting. I am always looking for ways to expand my skills, and stuffed animals seemed like the perfect project.
Several years ago I actually made crochet stuffed toys for some darling toddlers, and I wanted to replicate them with knit versions. However, I was extremely disappointed with my online search results. It was so hard to find information about knit amigurumi. So I’ve compiled all my research into one place, in the hopes of helping anyone with the same questions as me.
Knit Amigurumi Construction
In order to knit amigurumi, you must be able to imagine what shape you are knitting. That can be difficult because amigurumi are 3D. But when they are knitted, they begin as a flat piece. Some stuffed animals are knit in a single piece and others have multiple parts. They do not become 3D until the very end.
For a basic understanding of the construction, this is the process. I will have a more detailed description that follows.
- Knit amigurumi pieces
- Seam the sides together
- Stuff
- Sew parts together into final shape
Knit stuffed toys start out as any other knitting project, with a cast on. The number of stitches to cast on will vary depending on the pattern and size of piece you are making.
Next, a series of knit and purl stitches will make up the remainder of the rows. The shape of the adorable body, head, and limbs will come from increase and decrease rows. Remember, your fabric will not look like much at this point. When the piece is complete, cut the yarn with a long tail. Continue for the remainder of the pieces.
Now time for seaming. You can wait until each piece is knit before seaming, or do one piece at a time. Pick up the long tail and thread the needle. Use the needle to take the loops off of the knitting needle and pull taught. This will close the top portion of the part. Then start to carefully seam both sides of the fabric together. The stitches can’t be too tight, otherwise you will see them. But they can’t be too loose or the doll will lose stuffing.
Keep an opening for the stuffing before sewing the piece completely shut. Stuff as full as you want. It may be easier to stuff as you seam for some parts, especially if the doll was knit in one piece.
Next, the opening will need to be sewn together. Tie a knot at the end and hide the piece of yarn inside the amigurumi part. Trim the excess yarn.
The final step is to sew all the pieces together to complete the look of the doll. It is a good idea to determine the best placement of the parts by holding them up to the main parts before sewing together.
Once all the pieces are attached, you can add more details if you want, such as an embroidered nose.
These steps are generalized to help you imagine how a knit stuffed animal would come to life. Now lets take a look at what you might need to complete this project.
Materials
The materials required to knit stuffed animals are quite simple. If you have ever tinkered with yarn crafts before, you will probably have everything already.
Yarn. A popular yarn weight choice is DK, or size 3 of the Craft Yarn Council’s standard yarn weight system. But you could play around with any thickness of yarn you want. It just depends on how bulky or slim you want the fabric to be.
Knitting needles. You can use straight, circular or DPNs, whatever you are comfortable with. If you are not following a pattern, choose a size needle smaller than suggested on your yarn for a tighter stitch.
Scissors. These are necessary to clip the yarn from the ball and to snip the excess yarn at the end.
Yarn needle. This is necessary to seam the parts of the amigurumi together. I might suggest you try a bent tip needle because it is easier to see what stitches you are picking up.
Stuffing. Any type of Polyfil or polyester stuffing will suffice.
Safety eyes. While not actually necessary, they are worth mentioning. They make adorable beady eyes.
Tips for Putting Together Knit Amigurumi
- If you use safety eyes, buttons or embroider the eyes, secure them before stuffing and seaming the head together. This will hide the stitches and extra yarn tails.
- Instead of weaving in the yarn tails for every piece, tie a knot at the end of the yarn and pull your needle through the part to the other side. Then cut the extra yarn. Ta-da! Your yarn tail is hidden.
- Don’t bind off each piece. Use the needle threaded with yarn to pick up the stitches off of the knitting needles. Pull the yarn tight and begin seaming. Then the bottom (or top) of the piece will be closed.
- Use the mattress stitch to sew the pieces together so that the seam does not show.
- Don’t pull the yarn too tight when seaming the pieces together. Otherwise, you will be able to tell where the seam is from the puckers, and it will not stretch as much.
- Adding small details to the face can really make the dolls come to life.
What is the Difference Between Knit and Crochet Amigurumi?
Amigurumi is most popular for being crochet. But as we just learned, can be knit as well. Here are a few main points in how knit amigurumi differs from their crochet counterparts.
Construction
Crochet amigurumi begins as a circle and rows are worked in the round. The small circle turns into a bigger round shape. Increase and decrease stitches make the shapes 3D.
Wheras, knit amigurumi begin as a flat piece of fabric. Then the sides are seamed together.
Fabric texture
Crochet stitches resemble knots and give the fabric a thick texture. When crocheting a shape, the stitches hold up and are easy to see.
Knit stitches are finer and create a stretchier fabric.
Stuffing
Crochet dolls can hold their shape well. Stuffing adds fluffiness and structure to the dolls.
Knit amigurumi without stuffing would look like tiny pieces of fabric. The stuffing process gives knit dolls their shape. With a stretchier material, you don’t want to add too much filling or the shapes can look distorted.
End result
The crocheted amigurumi will have a sturdy body that is very solid. A knitted doll will be soft and squishy.
Knit amigurumi can be as simple or complicated as you want. Have fun with the process and learn how simple, flat shapes can become 3D stuffed animals.