Crochet guide
Eyes for amigurumi
The eyes of a crocheted toy are plastic eyes locked on with a washer, or they are made of yarn, embroidered onto the head or crocheted as small circles and sewn on. Felt, buttons and beads are used too. Plastic eyes go in before the head is stuffed and closed, so the eyes are the first thing to plan.
On this page 9 parts
The kinds of eye
Stitch names on this page are United States terms, with the United Kingdom name in brackets.
| Kind | What it is | How it is fixed |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic eye with a washer | A plastic front on a post, and a washer that locks onto the post | The post goes between two stitches and the washer is pushed on from inside the head |
| Embroidered eye | Stitches of yarn or embroidery floss | Worked straight onto the head with a needle |
| Crocheted eye | A small circle of single crochet (UK double crochet) | Sewn on with its own yarn tail |
| Felt eye | A circle cut from felt | Glued or stitched on |
| Button or bead | A sewing button or a small round bead | Sewn on with thread |
A pattern says which kind it uses. You can swap one kind for another, as long as you decide before the head is closed: only the plastic eye needs the inside of the head.
Plastic eyes with a washer
Many toy patterns call for these eyes, which are often sold as "safety eyes". Each has two parts: a plastic front with a post behind it, and a washer. Push the post between two stitches from the outside of the head. Then press the washer onto the post from the inside, until it sits against the back of the fabric.
Three things to know before the washer goes on:
- It does not come off again. Once the washer is on, the eye cannot be moved. Put both eyes in without their washers first, and look at the head from the front to see that they are level.
- It needs the inside of the head. The washer goes on before the head is stuffed and closed.
- Sizes are in millimeters. The number is the width across the eye. A pattern names the size it was written for.
Embroidered eyes
Embroidered eyes are stitched with a yarn needle and a length of yarn or embroidery floss. Three stitches do most of the work:
- A French knot makes a small round eye. The more times the yarn is wrapped, the larger the knot.
- A filled eye is made by stitching over the same place again and again, or by laying stitches side by side (satin stitch), until the shape is full.
- A curved line of back stitch makes a closed or sleeping eye.
To hide the ends, bring the needle in a little way from the eye and out where the eye will be. When the eye is done, knot the ends, pull the knot inside the head and cut the yarn close to the surface.
Makers differ on when to embroider. Some do it before the head is stuffed, when the needle can reach the inside. Others do it on the finished head, where the face is easier to judge. Embroidery on crochet has more on the stitches.
Crocheted eyes
A crocheted eye is a small flat circle: a few single crochet, often six, worked into a magic ring or into one chain, with the round joined by a slip stitch. An invisible join is another way to close a round.
Its size comes from three things: the thickness of the yarn, the size of the hook and the number of stitches. A thinner yarn and a smaller hook make a smaller eye.
Leave a long tail when you fasten off, and use it to sew the eye to the head, as you would a small applique.
Felt, buttons and beads
- Felt. Cut a circle and glue or stitch it on. Cut both eyes around the same template so that they match.
- Buttons. Sew them on with thread.
- Beads. Small round beads are sewn on with thread in the same way.
Eyes that are stitched on, like these and like crocheted eyes, can be added to a finished, stuffed head.
Where to put them
A pattern usually says where the eyes go: on which round, and how many stitches apart. Follow it if you have one.
Without a pattern, start with the eyes about halfway up the head. Lower on the face and wider apart reads as cuter, and eyes set close together do not. Larger eyes also read as cuter.
Try the place before you fix anything. Mark it with pins, or move plastic eyes about without their washers until you like the look.
A highlight, and lashes
An eye of yarn or felt has no shine. One small white stitch near the top of each eye gives it a highlight and makes the eye look alive.
Lashes are short straight stitches worked beside the eye, one to a lash.
Toys for babies, small children and pets
For a toy that will go to a baby, a small child or a pet, the usual advice is to leave out plastic eyes, buttons and beads: small parts can come off and be swallowed. The eyes are made of yarn in their place, embroidered or crocheted and sewn on.
Where to go next
- Faces for amigurumi, for noses and mouths.
- Amigurumi basics, for the stitches and the stuffing.
- Sewing amigurumi together, for heads, limbs and ears.