Cut Out + Keep

How To Add Faces To Your Amigurumi Part 4: Crochet Eyes And Eyelids

Give your amigurumi personality with crochet eyes and eyelids.

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/how-to-add-faces-to-your-amigurumi-part-4-crochet-eyes-and-eyelids • Posted by Jennifer Olivarez

To crochet the eyes, nose, and mouth seems like the obvious way to add a face to your amigurumi, but I have to admit that it’s the method I use least often. I usually opt for embroidery or safety eyes, but after putting together this tutorial, I know I will turn to this method more often. I hope you will too! In fact, there are three things I have discovered most appealing about these crocheted eyes: (1) they are easier and faster to make for larger toys than embroidery; (2) they are ideal if you are making the toy for a child, because as long as the pieces are sewn on securely, they won’t present a choking hazard; and (3) you can play with the placement of the eyelids to create a very unique look. A lot of a toy’s personality depends on how you place the eyelids. If you want the toy to be dopey, place them farther back on the eye. If you want him to be happy, place them directly above the eye. If you want him to be angry, place them farther forward. Have fun playing around with the placement to see what expressions you can create. In this tutorial I used worsted-weight yarn and a G-6 (4.00 mm) hook to crochet the eyes and eyelids for a 10-inch teddy bear. If you are making eyes for a smaller amigurumi, like my squirrel for instance, you might try using crochet thread and a steel hook size 00 or smaller. If your amigurumi is a size somewhere in between those two, you might play around with different yarn weights and hooks to get the eye size you desire. Grab your hook and some yarn in black and white and the color of your choice for the eyelids. You’ll also need a pair of scissors, long pins, and a yarn needle. Let’s begin! (Check out my downloadable PDF below for a tutorial on how to embroider the nose and mouth.)

You will need

Project Budget
Almost Nothing

Time

0 h 30

Difficulty

Pretty Easy
Medium 109390 2f2015 06 18 193716 eye%2btutorial%2bmedia%2bphoto

Description

To crochet the eyes, nose, and mouth seems like the obvious way to add a face to your amigurumi, but I have to admit that it’s the method I use least often. I usually opt for embroidery or safety eyes, but after putting together this tutorial, I know I will turn to this method more often. I hope you will too! In fact, there are three things I have discovered most appealing about these crocheted eyes: (1) they are easier and faster to make for larger toys than embroidery; (2) they are ideal if you are making the toy for a child, because as long as the pieces are sewn on securely, they won’t present a choking hazard; and (3) you can play with the placement of the eyelids to create a very unique look. A lot of a toy’s personality depends on how you place the eyelids. If you want the toy to be dopey, place them farther back on the eye. If you want him to be happy, place them directly above the eye. If you want him to be angry, place them farther forward. Have fun playing around with the placement to see what expressions you can create. In this tutorial I used worsted-weight yarn and a G-6 (4.00 mm) hook to crochet the eyes and eyelids for a 10-inch teddy bear. If you are making eyes for a smaller amigurumi, like my squirrel for instance, you might try using crochet thread and a steel hook size 00 or smaller. If your amigurumi is a size somewhere in between those two, you might play around with different yarn weights and hooks to get the eye size you desire. Grab your hook and some yarn in black and white and the color of your choice for the eyelids. You’ll also need a pair of scissors, long pins, and a yarn needle. Let’s begin! (Check out my downloadable PDF below for a tutorial on how to embroider the nose and mouth.)

Instructions

  1. Small 109390 2f2015 06 18 192933 crochet%2beye%2btutorial%2bstep%2b1

    Crochet an eye. With black, ch 2 or begin with a magic loop. Rnd 1: 10 sc in 2nd ch from hook (or into magic loop and close). Join with slst. Break yarn. (10)

  2. Small 109390 2f2015 06 18 192945 crochet%2beye%2btutorial%2bstep%2b2

    Rnd 2: Ch 1 with white. 2 sc in next sc and ea sc around. Join with slst. (20) FO, leaving a long tail. Weave in all other ends.

  3. Repeat Rnds 1-2 to make another eye.

  4. Small 109390 2f2015 06 18 193415 img 7482

    Crochet the amigurumi’s right eyelid (your left). Ch 9. Working back down the chain: Sc, hdc, dc, (htr, tr, htr), dc, hdc, sc, slst. FO, leaving a long tail.

  5. Small 109390 2f2015 06 18 193433 img 7483

    Thread the tail from the beginning of the chain onto a yarn needle. Insert your needle under the loops of the slst and pull the yarn through. Weave in this end.

  6. Small 109390 2f2015 06 18 193448 crochet%2beye%2btutorial%2bstep%2b3

    Crochet the amigurumi’s left eyelid (your right). Ch 9. Working back down the chain: Slst, sc, hdc, dc, (htr, tr, htr), dc, hdc, sc. FO, leaving a long tail.

  7. Small 109390 2f2015 06 18 193501 crochet%2beye%2btutorial%2bstep%2b4

    Thread the tail from the beginning of the chain onto a yarn needle. Insert your needle under the loops of the sc and pull the yarn through. Weave in this end.

  8. Small 109390 2f2015 06 18 193518 crochet%2beye%2btutorial%2bstep%2b6

    Pin eyes to amigurumi.

  9. Small 109390 2f2015 06 18 193549 crochet%2beye%2btutorial%2bstep%2b7

    Using the long tails, sew eyes to amigurumi.

  10. Small 109390 2f2015 06 18 193627 crochet%2beye%2btutorial%2bstep%2b8

    Pin eyelids to amigurumi.

  11. Small 109390 2f2015 06 18 193644 crochet%2beye%2btutorial%2bstep%2b11

    With the long tails that you didn’t weave in, sew the top edge of each eyelid to amigurumi.

  12. Small 109390 2f2015 06 18 193707 crochet%2beye%2btutorial%2bby%2bsquirrel%2bpicnic

    Give your amigurumi a big hug for putting up with all that poking and prodding.