Amigurumi

Amigurumi are small crocheted toys worked in tight spirals. They look fiddly, but almost every one is built from the same few moves: a magic ring, single crochet, increases and decreases.

Start with amigurumi for beginners. It explains those basics simply and then points you to eight free animal patterns, easiest first. When you feel ready to make a whole toy from start to finish, try our crochet panda in five steps. The rounds are short, the sewing is kept to a minimum, and the result is properly cute.

Two things make the biggest difference. Use a hook one or two sizes smaller than your yarn label suggests, so the stuffing does not show through. And put a stitch marker in the first stitch of every round, because counting spirals from memory rarely ends well. The basic stitches guide is there if you need a refresher.