Stuffing decides how a crochet toy looks once it is done. Too little and it sags and wrinkles. Too much and the white fill pokes out between the stitches. Theresa of Theresa's Crochet Shop shows how she stuffs the head, body, arms and legs of a little grey elephant so every piece comes out smooth, firm and the right shape.
How to stuff amigurumi evenly: the short version
- Pull the fiberfill into small, fluffy tufts before it goes in.
- Add it a little at a time and push each tuft out to the walls.
- Squeeze as you go. Firm, but with a little give, is the goal.
- Fill the edges around the opening last so the shape does not collapse.
Which stuffing to use
Polyester fiberfill is the standard. It is light, washable, cheap and springs back after a squeeze. Theresa buys hers at a craft store, and any big box store or online shop carries it. Cotton and wool fill feel nice but pack down and can go lumpy over time. Skip cotton balls and quilt batting scraps. They bunch up in clumps you can feel through the stitches.
How firm is firm enough?
Press your thumb into the piece. It should push back and fill out again when you let go. If the dent stays, add more. If the stitches stretch open and you can see white, take a little out. Heads and bodies want to be firm so they hold their shape. Ears and flat parts usually get no stuffing at all.
Seeing stuffing through the stitches
Overstuffing is the first suspect, but it is rarely the real cause. Most of the time the hook is too big for the yarn. Go down a hook size, or two, and the fabric tightens up. Amigurumi uses a smaller hook than the yarn label suggests for this reason. Our guide to choosing yarn for amigurumi covers the pairing.
Tools for small pieces
Fingers work while the opening is wide. Once it gets narrow, use a stuffing stick, a chopstick or the eraser end of a pencil. Theresa snaps her stick in half and uses the jagged end. It grips the fill and drags it down instead of poking a hole through it. Long, thin pieces are easier if you stuff them a few rounds at a time as you crochet.
Shaping with stuffing
You do not have to fill every part the same. Stuff the hands and feet firmly and leave the arms and legs light or empty. They bend and sit more naturally, and the toy looks cuter. For a toy that needs to sit up, tie a few spoonfuls of plastic pellets in a scrap of nylon and drop the pouch in the bottom before the fill.
Fixing lumps
Roll the piece between your palms to move the fill around. If a lump will not shift, pull the stuffing back out and start again with smaller tufts. It takes a minute and saves the toy.
Before you close it up
Fit the safety eyes before the head is full, while you can still reach the backs. Then top up the joins as you sew the pieces together. New to toys? Start with the magic ring and our amigurumi basics.
