Hi friends! In this post, I will be going over a few of my favourite random tools and items that I use when creating amigurumi. You’ll find my recommendations for crochet hooks here, and my recommendations for yarn/thread here.
I also wanted to say that the only things on this list that I think are “essential” to creating good amigurumi are the darning needles and the pins to help with sewing. You do not need any of the other stuff to create amigurumi. I just wanted to include the items I use to take my amigurumi to the next level in case any of you are interested in the specific items I use.
Note: I live in Canada, so majority of the information and stores I mention will be specifically North American.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional costs to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. You can read a little more about that here! I also wanted to just quickly add that these are things that I have been using waaaay before I became an affiliate.
Darning Needles
Darning needles are one of the most important tools to have on hand for amigurumi. I use the Clover brand darning needles sets that come with 3 metal needles per tube. There is usually a mix of bent tip needles and straight needles in each tube. The Clover sets comes in three different sizes, one with needles specifically made for lace weight thread, one for regular yarn, and one for jumbo yarn.
Other brands make darning needles as well and they’re all quite similar, but Clover offers the most variety in terms of size and shape.
Where can you purchase darning needles?
- You can find darning needles at most craft stores. My local Michael’s carries multiple brands with needles made of different materials (plastic & metal are the most common).
- I bought both of my Clover sets (lace & regular) on the WeCrochet site, but they’re more or less available everywhere.
- You’ll also be able to find the same darning needles on Amazon.
Pins
These are ESSENTIAL to creating good amigurumi. Always pin parts together before sewing! The pins I use came with a sewing kit I bought 10 years ago. You can use any sewing pins you want.
Here are some cute ones I found on Amazon:
Stuffing
I don’t really have a particular preference for stuffing. I usually just buy the biggest box they have at my local Michael’s, and it’s usually the 5lb Poly-fil box. You can use any brand you like.
Where can you purchase stuffing?
You can find it online, but it’s MUCH cheaper to buy toy stuffing from your local craft stores.
Locking Stitch Markers
I know a lot of experienced crocheters don’t use stitch markers, but I love using stitch markers. They allow me to zone out while crocheting without me losing my place and they come in so many fun colours. A lot of people use random things (hair pins, bobby pins, scrap yarn, etc) as stitch markers, but I personally just enjoy using actual stitch markers. The only problem I have with stitch markers? They’re so small and I lose them ALL the time. Make sure to keep an eye on your stitch markers if you have little ones!
Where can you purchase stitch markers?
- You can easily find locking stitch markers at your local craft stores!
- I got my first pack of locking stitch markers from WeCrochet. It’s quite affordable- $1.99USD for a pack of 20 and it includes two colours, deep purple and lavender.
- Twenty stitch markers is plenty for someone who crochets regularly, but I saw these rainbow stitch markers on Amazon and I couldn’t resist (the colours make me happy lol). These ones (purchased from Amazon) feel a little flimsier than the ones from WeCrochet, but they were still pretty good.
Safety Eyes
Safety eyes aren’t suitable for all projects, but if you’re making a lot of amigurumi, you’ll likely run into a project that will require safety eyes. I love using safety eyes in projects that won’t be given to children (safety eyes can come off and become a choking hazard).
Where can you purchase safety eyes?
- Safety eyes can be found at your local craft stores. I do find that the variety isn’t great in-store though, so I prefer to buy mine online.
- Amazon has a ton of safety eyes options.
- I bought this box of eyes when I first started making amigurumi. I really liked that it came with so many different sizes, but the quality of the eyes aren’t the best- there are bits of plastic you’ll have to trim off the eyes and the backing isn’t the sturdiest. It’s good for beginners who are trying to figure out their preferred safety eyes sizes.
- Once I’ve figured out my preferred safety eyes sizes, I bought this pack of 8mm eyes and this pack of 6mm eyes. The quality of these eyes are better than the ones in the assorted pack.
Felt, Fabric Scissors, Glue, & Sewing Needles
Sometimes, to create details that cannot be cleanly executed through crochet, I like to use felt instead. To secure the felt onto my projects, I like to glue the felt on first, then sew around the edges with some thread or embroidery floss that matches the colour of the felt.
Felt
- My favourite felt is from a Japanese brand called “Seria”. I purchase mine from a Japanese dollar store here in Toronto (Oomomo, it’s kinda like Daiso). They come in packs of 3 and the colour options aren’t as “basic” as the ones they have at Michael’s. It’s also not too thin, but not too thick either.
- I also purchase a lot of felt from my local Michael’s. The colour options are a little bit limited, but it’s really cheap and affordable. I find that the felt at my Michael’s is a little bit thin, but it’s not really a problem for me. I believe they recently started stocking thicker felt with more colour options.
- You can also purchase larger packs of assorted felt on Amazon. This comes in a pack of 50 with one sheet of each colour. So the colour options are great, but it can be pretty limiting if you want to use more of a specific colour. The felt is also a bit stiffer to work with.
Fabric Scissors
It’s important to have a sharp pair of fabric scissors to cut your felt with. I use one that came with a sewing kit, but any sharp fabric scissor will do.
Here’s one from Singer that looks good and isn’t too pricey:
Glue
I don’t use fabric glue to glue my felt pieces to my projects. Instead, I use Aleene’s Clear Gel Tacky Glue. It does dry a little stiff underneath the felt, but I usually just use very little in the centre for added security. I also use this glue for my tiny flowers.
I usually purchase my glue from Michael’s, but you’ll also find it very easily online.
Sewing Needles
To secure the edges of the felt once it’s been glued down, I like to whip stitch around the edge with a sewing needle and embroidery floss that matches the colour of the felt. You can use any sewing needle you want for this.
Here’s the one I use:
Wool Roving and Felting Kit
This is something I don’t use very often, but I have on hand just in case I need to felt details onto my projects. I purchased a set similar to this one a long time ago and I’ve used very little of the felt. The felting needles that come with this set aren’t the best (I’ve actually broken a few, oops), but they’re enough for someone like me who doesn’t felt things onto my projects that often. There are a lot of roving colours included in this set, but I’d still say the options are pretty limited.
Alternatively, you also create your own wool roving by brushing out acrylic or wool yarn with a cat brush (does not work with cotton). The cat brush also comes in handy to fuzz up your projects for texture.
Scissors
I have A LOT of scissors. Basic scissors, pretty scissors, stork scissors, travel scissors, etc. You really just need a basic pair of sharp scissors. I personally just like buying pretty scissors because looking at them makes me happy.
Here are a few that I own and where I bought them from:
- Colourful scissors from an Etsy shop called Bella Love Designs. They also sell a lot of different fancy scissors.
- Fiskars Gingher Stork Embroidery Scissors from Amazon.
- Plus Pen Style Compact Twiggy Scissors with Cover. I bought mine when I visited Japan, but you’ll be able to find it on Amazon or at your local Japanese dollar store.
And that’s it for my miscellaneous tools recommendations! Is there anything I missed that you swear by? Let me know in the comments down below! 🙂
0 Comments for “My Favourite Miscellaneous Tools – What I Use to Make Amigurumi”