Amigurumi for Beginners: The Techniques to Learn, Step by Step

In short

Following PlanetJune's five essential techniques (2017), learn the magic ring, single crochet in continuous rounds with a stitch marker, the standard increases from 6 to 12 to 18 stitches, the invisible decrease and a neat finish. Sarah Maker (2024) adds the key setting: a hook one or two sizes smaller than usual, so the stuffing does not show.

Continuous rounds — Continuous rounds are rounds of crochet worked in a spiral without joining or turning, the usual method for amigurumi; because there is no visible join, a stitch marker shows where each round begins.

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Amigurumi uses one main stitch, single crochet, but in a way that differs from flat crochet: you work in spirals, count every round, and keep the fabric tight. This tutorial takes the techniques in the order you meet them in a first pattern, so you can practice each before you need it. We explain techniques and link to designers’ tutorials; for a complete toy, follow a designer’s pattern or a beginner kit.

At a glance

Round	What you do	Stitches at the end
1	6 single crochet (sc; UK dc) in a magic ring	6
2	increase (2 sc) in every stitch	12
3	increase, 1 sc six times	18
4	increase, 2 sc six times	24
next rounds	1 sc in each stitch, no increase	same count: the sides grow straight
closing	decrease rounds mirror the increases: 24, 18, 12, 6	6, then gather closed

Rounds 1 to 3 follow Sarah Maker’s mushroom pattern; each later increase round adds one stitch between increases, so the count grows by 6 every round. Use a smooth yarn and a hook one or two sizes smaller than the yarn label suggests.

What you need for a first amigurumi

Item	Beginner choice	Note
Yarn	smooth medium (4) acrylic or cotton in a light, solid color	Lion Brand (2026) calls acrylic the most forgiving fiber for amigurumi
Hook	4 mm (G-6) to 5 mm (H-8) for medium yarn	one to two sizes below the 5.5 to 6.5 mm (I-9 to K-10½) the Craft Yarn Council lists for that weight
Stitch marker	a locking marker or a scrap of contrasting yarn	marks the first stitch of each round
Stuffing	polyester fiberfill	the standard stuffing in Lion Brand’s guide
Eyes	safety eyes of 9 to 12 mm, or embroidered eyes for a baby’s toy	fitted before stuffing
Yarn needle	blunt tip, large eye	for closing and sewing parts

1. Start with a magic ring

Almost every amigurumi starts here. PlanetJune describes the magic ring as a way to begin in the round over an adjustable loop that leaves no hole in the center, which is ideal for amigurumi. Work 6 single crochet into the ring and pull it closed. If the technique is new, practice it first with our magic ring tutorial.

2. Work in continuous rounds, with a marker

Most amigurumi patterns do not join rounds with a slip stitch. You simply work the first stitch of the next round into the first stitch of the previous one and keep going in a spiral. As Stitches n Scraps puts it, because there is no join, it is extremely important to mark the first stitch of each round. Put a stitch marker (or a scrap of contrasting yarn) in that stitch, and move it up when you come back around.

3. Increase evenly

An increase is two single crochet in the same stitch. Spread evenly, six increases per round turn a flat circle into a disc that grows by six stitches each round, as in the table above. When the pattern stops increasing and works one stitch in each stitch, the sides of the piece rise straight up: that is how a sphere or a cylinder takes shape.

4. Keep the right side out

June Gilbank of PlanetJune explains how to tell the sides apart: the right side shows V-shaped stitches, the wrong side shows bars. Beginners often end up with the wrong side out, because the piece naturally curls that way. Push it right side out after the first few rounds; it matters later, because decreases only stay invisible on the right side.

5. Decrease invisibly

To close a shape, you decrease: work two stitches together into one. Moogly’s Tamara Kelly notes that standard decreases can leave a lump or a hole, while the invisible decrease, worked through the front loops only of the next two stitches, is particularly useful for tightly worked amigurumi. Insert the hook into the front loop of the next stitch, then the front loop of the following one, yarn over and pull through both front loops, then yarn over and pull through the two loops on the hook.

6. Keep the tension tight, not strained

June Gilbank’s 2018 tension test for PlanetJune found that a smaller hook gives a smaller, firmer piece with tighter stitches and smaller gaps. Rather than pulling each stitch as hard as you can, go down a hook size and crochet at your normal tension. Take breaks on long sessions.

7. Stuff and close

Stuff the piece when the opening is still wide enough for your fingers, usually a few rounds before the end. Lion Brand’s 2026 guide notes that understuffing is almost always better than overstuffing, which stretches the stitches. Add safety eyes before stuffing; they cannot be fitted afterwards. Finish the decrease rounds down to 6 stitches, cut the yarn, thread it on a yarn needle, pass it through the front loop of each remaining stitch and pull to gather the opening closed, then hide the tail inside the piece.

Common beginner problems

Stuffing shows through: use a smaller hook and stuff a little less.
The count is off: a marker was moved to the wrong stitch, or an increase was skipped. Count at the end of every round: Lion Brand lists losing count of rounds among the most common beginner mistakes.
The piece is inside out: turn it right side out after a few rounds and keep it that way.
Matching pieces differ in size: make them one after the other, with the same hook and tension, and count rounds.
Lumps at decreases: switch to the invisible decrease.

What to make first

Choose a pattern with one piece, or very few: a ball, a mushroom or a simple egg-shaped animal. A beginner kit can help, because it supplies matched yarn, hook, stuffing and eyes with step-by-step instructions; our guide to kits versus separate supplies explains when each makes sense. For the background on the craft and its materials, see what amigurumi is.

Key facts

Sarah Maker's 2024 mushroom pattern uses the standard amigurumi increases: 6 single crochet in a magic ring, then an increase in every stitch for 12, then an increase in every other stitch for 18, and recommends a hook one to two sizes smaller than normal.Sarah Maker, How to Crochet a Mushroom (Sarah Stearns), 2024
Stitches n Scraps explains that continuous rounds are worked without joining or turning, so it is extremely important to mark the first stitch of each round.Stitches n Scraps, Continuous rounds and running stitch markers (Pia Thadani), 2016
Moogly's Tamara Kelly writes that standard decreases can create a lump or leave a hole, while the invisible decrease, worked through the front loops only of the next two stitches, is particularly useful for tightly worked amigurumi.Moogly, Invisible Decreases (Tamara Kelly), 2018
June Gilbank's 2018 tension test for PlanetJune found that a smaller hook gives a smaller, firmer piece with tighter stitches and smaller gaps between them.PlanetJune, Stitch Tension in Amigurumi: an investigation (June Gilbank), 2018

FAQ

What is the easiest amigurumi for a beginner?

A small, round piece with no separate parts, such as a ball, a mushroom or a simple egg shape. It uses only the magic ring, single crochet increases and decreases in continuous rounds, and stuffing, so you practice the core techniques without assembly.

Why does the stuffing show through my amigurumi?

The stitches are too loose for the yarn. Use a smaller hook, one or two sizes below the yarn label, and avoid overstuffing, which stretches the stitches. A smaller hook gives a firmer fabric with smaller gaps.

Do I need a stitch marker for amigurumi?

Yes, when you work in continuous rounds. There is no slip stitch at the end of a round, so the start of each round is invisible. Place a marker in the first stitch of the round and move it up each time you reach it.

What is an invisible decrease?

A single crochet decrease worked through the front loops only of the next two stitches. It sits flatter than a standard decrease and leaves no lump or hole, which is why amigurumi patterns use it to close shapes.