Amigurumi: Sweet & Funny Patterns

Some toys are made to sit on a shelf; these are made to be squeezed. This book brings together cute amigurumi patterns for playful animals and fantasy creatures, with clear sizes, skill levels and materials for each, so you can pick a project that fits your time and experience.

Start small, then scale up

Several patterns are ideal first toys. The octopus is marked suitable for beginners and finishes at roughly 10 cm tall. The penguin is a beginner pattern about 5 inches tall, and the little dino is rated beginner to intermediate at around 7.5 cm. These are perfect for learning to work in the round, place safety eyes and assemble small parts.

Bigger, more detailed creatures

When you're ready for more, try the bunny, which stands around 31 cm tall, or the dragon, giraffe, jellyfish and unicorn, each designed to be roughly 11 to 16 inches tall with worsted-weight yarn and a 3.25 mm hook. These are rated intermediate and suitable for confident novices; they ask for patience and precision mainly at the assembly stage. The turtle (about 7 inches long) and the elephant round out the collection, along with a round, cuddly cat.

How the cute amigurumi patterns are written

Every pattern opens with the finished size, skill level and materials: yarn colors and quantities, hook size, safety eyes, stuffing and a yarn needle. Several include a tension (gauge) guide with advice on checking your swatch, because working too loosely can let stuffing show through. Instructions are given round by round with stitch totals, and each toy is broken into single pieces such as head, body, ears and limbs, before assembly.

Terminology made simple

Some patterns are written in UK terms with the US equivalents in brackets. To keep things easy, the book ends with a conversion table comparing UK and US terminology.

Toys with safety eyes and small parts may not be suitable for babies or very young children; embroider features instead when making toys for little ones.