What is Amigurumi?

Perhaps the real question is not What is Amigurumi?, but rather, What is it not?!

Amigurumi is a Japanese word derived from two root words. Ami, meaning crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll.

Amigurumi is far more than just dolls though. If you’ve searched for amigurumi at all on the internet you will find dolls, animals, food, fan art characters, and so much more! Really it’s only your imagination that holds back the definition.

Amigurumi pieces are usually made as a three-dimensional piece but you can find some variations where they are made from flat panels that are sewn together and stuffed to create a three-dimensional piece. This style of amigurumi is often referred to as a rag doll style.

My Personal History and Love Affair with Amigurumi

I was probably about nine or ten when my mom first taught me the basics of crochet. I crocheted a few items here and there, mostly as gifts, but as life got busier with school and later college and work, I sat it to the side and didn’t do much with it.

It was in 2008 that my crochet life changed forever! My husband works in the video game industry and in one of his internet searches he saw a couple game inspired amigurumi pieces that someone had made and said, “Do you think you could make these?” The rest is history.

I was instantaneously intrigued and determined to figure out what I needed to do!

I began searching the internet and found out that what I was looking at was broadly called amigurumi. I then found a handful of helpful bloggers and a couple books at my local library to begin my adventure with. These items, along with the then more limited YouTube videos, helped me to figure out the stitches that I wasn’t familiar with.

The rest of the story involves A LOT of practice and trial and error over the years as I tried to design my own pieces. Asking myself, “what if?” and then working to make it happen, as well as trying out other’s patterns as they became available. Of course, hubby’s wish list continued to grow (and still does) once we figured out that yes, in fact, I can make these and absolutely love doing it!

Let me just say, we are so lucky now. I’m so excited about the growth that I’ve seen over the years! There are now tons of resources for learning in various formats along with a variety of free and paid patterns available. However, I’m still convinced that it was probably really good for me that I was forced to experiment a lot in the beginning on my own because I learned a ton this way.

And now it’s my turn to give back….and thus I’ve started my blog to share my free patterns and design tips!

Want to Learn How to Make Amigurumi or Improve Your Growing Skills?

Over the course of the next few months, I’m going to be introducing and discussing as many components of amigurumi that I can think of! I already have an extensive outline, but if you have a specific question or skill that you’d like me to be sure to cover let me know! I will be going in-depth on all the tips and tricks that I have gathered over the years. So whether you’re just getting started with crochet and amigurumi, or are wanting to build upon your acquired skills, my goal is to get you all the information that I have! That and more free patterns to practice your skills!

I’ll be mixing the amigurumi posts in with the regular free patterns that I offer on the blog and will update this post with the new links as topics are added, so stay tuned! If you don’t want to miss a single thing you can subscribe to my newsletter for updates to arrive right in your inbox, or follow me on social media! You can find me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram @jenhayescreations (and be sure to use the hashtag #jenhayescreations to show off your work and have a chance to be featured!).

My Thoughts About Fan Art

It is probably very obvious from this post that I enjoy making and appreciate the craft of fan art. I love seeing what creators of all mediums will come up with and share. As noted above, it’s fan art that got me back into crochet and has been a personal stress relief and a lifesaver in so many ways over the years. That said, I also STRONGLY value the copyright of these licensed characters. While, as fans, we may create them because we love and admire them, it is very important that we recognize that the patterns and finished items should not be used to sell, but most definitely to be admired and appreciated.

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Looking for More Amigurumi Patterns?

These may be of interest! 1. Cursed Mr. Drippy 2. Small Animal Collection: Giraffe 3. Small Animal Collection: Horse

Reach Out, Share, and Follow Along!

As always, I’d love to see your creation if you’re willing to share! Comment below or tag me on social media. You can find me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram (tag @jenhayescreations and use the hashtag #jenhayescreations to show off your work and have a chance to be featured), and stay tuned to find me in the future on YouTube!

Also, remember that the best way to always be in the loop about new patterns, techniques, tutorials, giveaways, and crafty fun is to subscribe to the newsletter! Thanks for your support!