Tip: Stuffing Your Amigurumi

"Amigurumi" is the Japanese art of crocheting small stuffed animals ("ami" means crochet and "nuigurumi" means stuffed doll).  The emphasis of this crochet technique is definitely on achieving cuteness through attributing human features to the animal form.  You'll hear references to "anthropomorphic" creatures.

Amigurumi projects are usually worked in one continuous round or spiral of single crochet stitches, to create a typically oversized head, with a cute, quirky face, and undersized torso and limbs (which are usually crocheted separately and attached).  It's often suggested that you use a crochet hook that's one size smaller than usually recommended for the yarn you've chosen in order to create a tight fabric (but an amigurumi pattern usually has anticipated this, so you should be fine following the specific instructions).

In stuffing your amigurumi creations, you might want to consider using a pellet-like stuffing rather than fiber to give it some heft and weight.  In addition, whether you're using pellets or a fiberfill, you might want to use a clean knee high or cut pantyhose to provide a barrier between the fiberfill and the crochet so that the fiber doesn't start to peek out between the crochet over time.

Amigurumi projects can be a lot of fun, especially for beginners since only the single crochet stitch is used, and it's a great way to use up scrap yarns.