Amigurumi is a Japanese word meaning crocheted or knitted dolls. The word "Amigurumi" is a compound word made up of the Japanese words 'ami' (knit, crochet or braid) and 'nuigurumi' (literally 'sew and wrap' - refers to many kinds of sewn stuffed toys).
Here's a few features of an amigurumi:
- Items are knitted or crocheted, but crochet seems to be much more common.
- Gauge is very tight to produce well-defined stitches that make a rather rigid, unyielding fabric ideal for holding in stuffing (fiberfill or polypellets). A general guideline is to use a hook or needles that is 2-3 times smaller than the recommend size for the yarn.
- Any type of yarn can be used as long as it's not too stretchy.
- Most amigurumis have a Japanese kawaii (Japanese's word for "cute") look to it, with large head and smaller limbs. It can be an animal or other objects with cute faces on it. (ie, clouds)
- Items are often crocheted in the round using a spiral technique, though many patterns employ joined rounds. Crocheting in the round produces a three-dimensional object which can itself be any shape (round, oval, square, etc.).
Amigurumi projects are typically small projects that are fun, youthful, exuberant. They also require relative few materials and can be finished quickly (at least in comparison to an afghan or sweater). In general, they just require less of a commitment and embody the best of quick, easily consumable pop art. It is also a great project for crochet and knit beginners, since only beginner skills are needed for most amigurumi projects.
What are you waiting for? Start an amigurumi project with these free patterns!
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