Amigurumi Eye Embroidery: Perfecting the Eyes of Your Crochet Projects
We’ve all been there…we finish the CUTEST project and get all the ends woven, everything set to go except….eyes. Gah, the dreaded eyes! If you struggle with adding the eyes to your crochet projects, join the club. But read on because today, I’m sharing my tips and tricks for perfecting your amigurumi eye embroidery!
Safety eyes are commonly used in amigurumi to add eyes to a design. The plastic eyes can be purchased in different sizes so they can be customized to your project. While safety eyes claim to be “safe” in their title, they can be a risk for little ones under 3 years old as they become a choking hazard if they get loose from a project. The backs may come off, they may pop through the stitches (especially with bulkier yarns!) or they could crack and break off with play. While there certainly is a place for safety eyes in amigurumi, the safe option for littles under 3 years is to embroider eyes onto your projects.
Embroidery is an art and definitely takes practice. When I first made the switch from safety eyes to amigurumi eye embroidery, I was hesitant and nervous to create my own! Practice makes perfect so my best advice is to keep trying. Test out different styles of eye, different yarns or threads, different colors. Practice over and over again to determine the style you like best! Of course, even with practice there will be times where one eye is just slightly off from the other or giving you trouble! If you run into these struggles, you aren’t alone. For some comic relief, check out this video to see one of my snafus!
A simple way to embroider eyes is to make a “V” shape on the face. You can work a regular “V” shape or an upside down “V” shape to give a different look. A simple sleepy eye is another great option for amigurumi eye embroidery! Both of these options involve basic lines worked on the face in a simple fashion to create an eye. Here’s a few examples:
For a little more advanced option, try using your yarn or thread to embroider a true-looking eye! I’ll write my method step-by-step below. I like to use embroidery thread for worsted weight projects, cotton or worsted for plush/bulky projects and blanket yarn or double stranded worsted weight yarn for super bulky projects. You can experiment with these different weights to see what works best for you! You’ll also need an stitch markers and an embroidery needle. Read on below to learn my amigurumi eye embroidery method!
For this tutorial, I’ll be working with one of my Midi Plush Bobble Buddy patterns. This one is for Bitsy the Bunny, available here! You’ll see in the photo below that the head is attached to the body. I recommend starting with the head attached if you are able, so that you can make sure everything is sewn straight!
To start, use stitch markers to mark a few spots on the face. The blue stitch marker marks the centerpoint of the face on my bobble buddy. The purple stitch markers note where the bottom of the eyes will be. This spot is recommended in the pattern (bottom of row 11) and the stitch markers are separated with ~6 stitches, also recommended in the pattern.
from the top center of the head.
Mark off the midpoint of the face as well as the spot
where the bottom of the eyes should be placed.
Next, thread your embroidery needle with the eye color. You’ll enter the needle into the head through a stitch slightly higher and centered midway between the purple stitch markers for the eye. Work the needle through the head and out in the stitch marked by the purple stitch marker.
Now, work up in a straight line. For this pattern, I’ll work the eyes across 2-3 rows so will work my needle into a stitch straight up a few rows from the purple stitch marker. If it is helpful for you, you can use stitch markers to note where the top of the eye should be placed as well. They are not used in this photo tutorial. Thread the needle into the head and back out the bottom of the eye, at the stitch marker.
of the eye and pull taut.
fashion to build the eye.
Continue in this fashion to build the eye. You can alternate working the strands across the middle and to either side to build the circular eye shape. Build the eye to desired “bulk.” The more times you thread around, the thicker the eye will be. You may find that you need to work around more times with thinner strands (like embroidery thread) and fewer times with thicker strands (like blanket yarn).
If desired, you can work an eyelash to the side of the eye. These can be worked in different manners – slanted downwards, slanted upwards, with one or two eyelashes. Play around with the look you like best! For this tutorial, we will slant the eyelash down to the side of the eye.
Once you have the eye at the desired shape, work the needle into the top of the eye and out to the side. For a downward slant eyelash, work down 1-2 rows and over 1-2 stitches. Pull the thread taut. Re-insert the needle into the top of the eye and out the bottom of the eye.
To finish off the eye, work the needle back into the top of the eye and then out where the yarn strand remains. Tie off and weave these ends into the head.
Repeat the exact same steps for the other side. Don’t be discouraged if they aren’t perfectly even the first time! It can be tricky to get the eyes looking symmetrical.
To add a little personality and sparkle to your eye, Add a strand of white thread. Insert the white thread into the head in the same manner as with the black yarn. It is a little trickier to figure out where to pull the needle out but aim for about halfway to the outer edge of the eye. Pull the thread taut.
Now, work slightly up in and in towards the middle of the eye. Make sure you go around a few strands of the black thread so the white does not disappear into the eye. Push the needle back into the eye and out at the bottom of the white thread. Pull gently to work the white thread flush with the eye. However, do not pull tightly or the white may disappear into the eye.
Repeat these steps again if you’d like the white to be a little thicker. Then, work back up and insert the needle into the top of the white thread. Push through over to the original starting spot in the center of the head. Tie off and weave in the ends. Repeat for the other side!
You can also use the white thread to outline the outer aspect of the eye, if desired. I don’t typically do this but if you’d like to, just work a single white thread from the bottom to the top of the eye.
Once you’ve finished and woven in your ends, marvel at your accomplishments! Amigurumi eye embroidery can be tricky but with a mix of practice and patience, you can get some pretty perfect looking eyes!
If you’d like to test out your skills, check out Bitsy the Bunny! Here’s a peek at how she can be made in three different sizes! Find the pattern on Etsy or Ravelry!
