Yarn weight comparison chart

There are many ways to represent the yarn weight, so here is a chart that will help you find the right yarn for any project.

Crochet terms comparison chart

I put together a small comparison chart with most common US and UK / Europe / AU crochet terms in English and Estonian.

Crochet hook comparison chart

I put together a little comparison chart based on the most common crochet hook brands.

Crocheting into base chain

Crocheting into the loops or "bumps" on the back of a starting chain. Doing this will leave a nice even row of loops along the bottom edge.

Parts of a crochet stitch

In this post I will talk a little about the parts of a crochet stitch and show different ways you can insert your hook through a stitch.

Reverse single crochet stitch

A great way to give your crocheted pieces a nice decorative edging.

Magic ring

Start crocheting in round with an adjustable loop and then pull the loop tightly closed.

Crocheting in spiral

Crocheting in spiral is the basis of amigurumi making - unlike crocheting in rounds, this creates a nice even fabric without a seam where the round ends.

Increasing

Amigurumi is usually crocheted with just one stitch - single crochet stitch and increasing and decreasing are used to give shape to your toys.

Decreasing

In this post I will show two of my favorite methods for decreasing when working with single crochet stitches.

Crocheting a round detail

If want your amigurumi to be nice and round, like a teddy bears head for example, arrange the increases evenly around the piece.

Changing yarn

A quick and easy but neat way to change the yarn when working in single crochet stitch.

Finishing an open piece

In this post I will show you two ways to finish open amigurumi pieces.

Finishing a closed piece

Closing up your amigurumi pieces.

Joining two open pieces

In this post I will show two ways to sew together two open pieces.

Sewing an open piece to a closed piece

In this post I will show you two different ways to sew an open piece to a closed piece.

Start crocheting an oval piece with a chain

In this tutorial I will show how to use a chain as a base for an oval piece by crocheting the first row around the starting chain.

Crocheting and finishing flat details

Just like the rest of your toy, the flat pieces start with a magic ring and are crocheted in spiral. Except, after you finish them, you push them flat and don't add any stuffing.

Sewing a flat piece to a closed piece

How to sew flat pieces to closed pieces, depending on whether you want them to stand up or lay flat against the closed piece.

Leaving holes for safety eyes

If you are using tougher yarns like cotton, linen or hemp or plan to use over-sized eyes, it may be worth to think ahead and leave little holes in the fabric for your eyes, nose or joints.

Attaching jointed limbs

In this post I will show three different ways to attach the limbs to make them movable.

Joining rounds for perfect stripes

Because amigurumi is crocheted in spiral, the end and the beginning of a round do not line up. Which means if you change yarn, there will be a visible step.

One pattern, different yarns

One great thing about crocheting toys is that the exact size is rarely important, which gives you the opportunity to experiment with all kinds of different yarns.

Crocheting with fuzzy yarn

A few tips for choosing and crocheting with fuzzy eyelash yarn.

Simple embroidered nose

In this post I will show you how I usually embroider noses on my teddy bears, cats and bunnies.

Embroidering a smile

In this post I will show you how I like to embroider a smiling mouth (or any other curved line) on my crocheted toys.

Embroidered bootlaces

Embroidering laces on your crocheted boots is such a great and easy way to add a little detail and make them look more realistic.