Cozy Stitchery

Amigurumi Planner

Six stitches, six more each round, and tight enough that the stuffing stays hidden

Maker

Toy

Yarn

Hook

Amigurumi are crocheted toys worked in continuous spirals of tight single crochet. Almost every round shape is the same arithmetic: start with 6 stitches in a magic ring and add 6 stitches each round until the widest point, work even, then decrease in reverse. Plan each part here, keep a stitch count for every round, and weigh the prototype to know how much yarn the next one takes.

Yarn and hook

Choice	Common approach	Your choice
Hook size	One to two sizes smaller than the ball band suggests, so stitches are tight
Worsted weight	Often about a 3.5 mm hook
Yarn fiber	Cotton for crisp shapes, acrylic for softness and washing
Stitch	Single crochet in a continuous spiral
Start of round	Stitch marker moved up every round

Sphere math

Round n has 6 x n stitches while increasing. Circumference at the widest round is stitches divided by stitches per inch, and diameter is circumference divided by 3.1416.

Round	Instruction	Stitch count
1	6 sc in a magic ring	6
2	Inc in each st	12
3	(sc, inc) x 6	18
4	(2 sc, inc) x 6	24
5	(3 sc, inc) x 6	30
6	(4 sc, inc) x 6	36
7 to 12	Sc in each st, work even	36
13	(4 sc, dec) x 6	30
14	(3 sc, dec) x 6	24
15	(2 sc, dec) x 6	18
16	(sc, dec) x 6, stuff firmly	12
17	dec x 6, close	6

Worked example: at a gauge of 5 sc per inch, the 36-stitch widest round is 36 / 5 = 7.2 in around, and 7.2 / 3.1416 = about 2.3 in across. Staggering the increase position each round keeps the ball round rather than hexagonal.

Parts list

Part	Color	Qty	Rounds	Widest stitch count	Stuffed?	Done
Head		1
Body		1
Arms		2
Legs		2
Ears		2
Tail		1
Details

Toy safety

Plastic safety eyes, buttons, beads and bells are choking hazards for children under 3. For babies and toddlers, embroider the eyes and features with yarn instead, sew all parts on securely, and do not use plastic pellets or loose fills. Toys sold to the public in the US must meet federal children's product safety requirements, so check the rules before selling.

Features embroidered for any toy going to a child under 3
All limbs sewn on firmly and tugged to test
Stuffing firm and fully enclosed, no gaps between stitches
Tails woven in and hidden inside
Care instructions written for the recipient

Prototype record

Item	Record
Finished height
Yarn used per color (g, weigh leftovers)
Yards per color (grams x yards per gram)
Fiberfill used (g)
Hours
Changes for the next one

Small tools for small toys

An ergonomic hook matters more in amigurumi than anywhere else, because tight single crochet is hard on the hands.

Tulip Etimo Rose Crochet Hook Set: Ten hooks from 2.00 to 6.00 mm with cushioned grips, plus yarn needles and scissors, for the tight single crochet amigurumi needs to hide stuffing.
Clover Quick Locking Stitch Marker Set: Locking markers are what keep the round count honest in a continuous spiral, where the six-more-each-round math on this sheet lives.
Knit Picks Rosewood Yarn Bowl: A 6 in rosewood bowl holds a 100 g cake still, so a tightly worked spiral does not drag the ball across the floor.
DMC Embroidery Floss Special Selection Pack, 16 Skeins: 16 skeins of six-strand cotton for embroidered eyes and mouths, the safe alternative to plastic safety eyes on a toy for a small child.

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