Amigurumi Yarn

Amigurumi yarn is yarn that manufacturers recommend for crocheted toys and figures. It is usually cotton or a cotton and acrylic blend for a 2 to 4 mm crochet hook, which produces firm, dense stitches that keep the stuffing from showing through. For soft toys to cuddle, you will also find plush yarns whose manufacturers specifically list toys as a use. You will find ranges such as Alize Cotton Gold, Schachenmayr Catania, YarnArt Jeans, Himalaya Himagurumi or Katia Capri.

Cotton, cotton with acrylic or plush – which amigurumi yarn should you choose?

Pure cotton gives clear stitch definition and helps the finished toy hold its shape well. Schachenmayr Catania (100 % cotton, 50 g / 125 m) or mercerised Katia Capri (100 % cotton, 50 g / 125 m) work well for smaller, detailed figures where you want every stitch to be visible.

A cotton and acrylic blend is a little softer and lighter. Alize Cotton Gold contains 55 % cotton and 45 % acrylic (100 g / 330 m), Himalaya Himagurumi contains 50 % cotton and 50 % acrylic (50 g / 145 m) and YarnArt Jeans contains 55 % cotton and 45 % acrylic (50 g / 160 m). You can use these yarns to crochet animals, dolls and larger toys.

Plush yarn, such as Alize Softy Plus or YarnArt Dolce Baby (both 100 % micropolyester), makes a soft toy to cuddle. The stitches are less visible in this texture, so it is better suited to simple shapes.

Which crochet hook should you use for amigurumi?

You will find the recommended crochet hook in the technical specifications for each yarn range: 3.5 mm for Himagurumi and 2 mm for Katia Capri. For amigurumi, a hook half a millimetre to one millimetre smaller than the manufacturer's recommendation is often chosen to keep the stitches dense and help the toy hold its shape. You will find hooks in different sizes and materials in the Crochet Hooks category.

What else do you need for a crocheted toy?

Along with yarn and a crochet hook, you will need stuffing to give the toy its shape. You will find hollow polyester fibre in the Filling for Toys category. Safety eyes and noses in different sizes are in the Eyes and Noses for Toys category.