WhimZ B’s Whimsical Wisdom: How to Reduce the Holes in Amigurumi
I’ve been there… looking at my first amigurumi project in horror as I pondered whether to give it to the dog or throw it in the trash!! It was misshaped and ALL THOSE HOLES!! During the last 7ish years since my first amigurumi project, I have been given advice from several wonderful people in the crochet community. And now I would love to pass that advice on to you. So I offer a few little nuggets of WhimZ B’s Whimsical Wisdom on how to reduce holes in amigurumi.
Use a smaller crochet hook
This seems so rebellious!! The pattern clearly states to use a 4.0mm hook and I should “not”?? Yes! Just go down one hook size and see if you like the difference it makes. A smaller hook could reduce those holes in your amigurumi.
Use the “yarn under” crochet method.
This change made the biggest impact on the appearance of those pesky holes in my amigurumi. Have you ever had one of those “aha” moments? This was mine and was given to me by a fellow crocheter in a Facebook group I’m in.
What is it? It’s pretty simple. To make a normal crochet stitch, you “yarn over”. To “yarn under”, the yarn goes under the hook, pull through, then yarn over and finish the stitch. Normal single crochet stitches look like a “v”. Using the yarn under method creates an “x” and fills in the stitch better.
Click HERE for a YouTube video I made explaining the Yarn Under method.
Loosen your crochet tension
It seems counterproductive to loosen your tension to reduce those amigurumi holes, but doing so can help fill in those stitches.
Don’t Overstuff Your Amigurumi
The last piece of advice I can give is to be careful you don’t overstuff your project. This does come with some practice to get the “feel” of what a good weight should be. Other crocheters have said to stuff it as “firm as an orange”. Overstuffing can definitely cause those stitches to stretch out and show your stuffing, so watching this can also reduce those holes in your amigurumi.
In the whimsical world of amigurumi crochet, conquering those pesky holes in your creations is an art form in itself. I hope this snippet of WhimZ B’s Whimsical Wisdom equips you to tackle any amigurumi project with confidence.
If you are ready to try these tips out on your next project, how about this free Snowman .pattern?
