Amigurumi · finishing guide
How to attach safety eyes to crochet amigurumi
To attach safety eyes, push the eye's post through a gap between two stitches from the right side, check the position from the front, then press the washer onto the post from the inside, flat side towards the fabric, until it's tight. Do it before you stuff and close the piece, because the washer can't go on once the piece is closed.
Step by step
- Stop before closing. Crochet the head or body to the round the pattern says to add the eyes, usually a few rounds before the end.
- Mark both spots. Put a stitch marker in each spot: the same round for both eyes, with the number of stitches between them the pattern gives.
- Push the posts through. From the outside, push each post between two stitches, not through the yarn, so the stitches don't split.
- Check the face. Look straight at it. If the eyes look uneven, pull them out and move them now.
- Washer on, flat side down. Reach inside, slide the washer onto the post with the flat side towards the fabric and press firmly until it's snug against the stitches.
- Stuff and finish. Stuff around the backs of the eyes and close the last rounds.
Placement tips
- Count, don't guess. Patterns usually give the round (for example between rounds 9 and 10) and the stitches between the eyes. Count the gap again before the washers go on.
- Wider apart looks cuter. Eyes set low and wide give the classic kawaii face; close together looks more serious.
- Mark the cheeks and mouth too with markers before stuffing, so the whole face lines up.
No tool needed
Press the washer down with both thumbs while the eye rests face down on a firm surface. It holds the eye only when it's pushed fully down the post, so if it slides off easily, press harder. Without the washer the eye isn't secure.
For babies and young children
Safety eyes aren't recommended for children under 3. Embroider the eyes with black yarn or thread (a few straight stitches over 1 or 2 stitches, or a French knot) instead; every Craftuary pattern that lists safety eyes says you can embroider them.
Next: stuffing and closing (3D lesson) · sewing a part on · fastening off.
Questions
What size safety eyes for amigurumi?
Follow the pattern. As a guide, 6 to 9 mm suits small toys, and 10 to 12 mm suits palm-sized toys in worsted yarn (Craftuary's free patterns list 10 to 12 mm). Bigger plush takes bigger eyes.
Which way does the safety eye washer go?
Flat side towards the fabric, so it presses the stitches against the back of the eye. Push it all the way down the post until it's snug.
Can I take safety eyes out once the washer is on?
Usually not without damaging the washer or the eye, because the washer is made to grip the post. Check the position carefully before you press it on.
Are safety eyes safe for babies?
They're not recommended for children under 3, because a loose eye is a choking hazard. Embroider the eyes with yarn or thread instead.
I closed the toy before adding the eyes. What now?
The washer has to go on from the inside, so either undo the last rounds, add the eyes and close again, or embroider the eyes or sew on felt ones.
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