Crocheting toys for babies is a great way to use your crochet skills and be creative at the same time. You can buy acrylic yarns that are soft enough for baby, but if you want something even softer then try using cotton or wool. The best thing about crocheted toys is that they’re easy to personalize so you can make sure it matches your child’s personality perfectly!
Cotton is softer and more absorbent than synthetic yarn and so is better for babies.
Cotton is a natural material that’s more absorbent than synthetic yarn, and so it’s better for babies’ sensitive skin. Cotton is also softer than most other fibers. Your baby will appreciate the soft texture of this toy while they play with it (even before they develop their fine motor skills).
Natural materials will be better for baby’s sensitive skin.
Natural materials are a great choice for baby toys. For example, cotton is soft and comfortable for babies to play with, while synthetic materials can cause irritation and rashes on their skin. Soft fabrics like wool or silk are also good choices because they’re gentle on sensitive skin, plus they’re easy to wash if you need to clean them up after use.
Finer yarns are softer on baby’s skin.
Finer yarns are softer on baby’s skin, so if you want a toy that is truly comforting to your child’s sensitive skin, then using finer-gauge yarns will allow for this. They’re also more durable, lasting longer than those made with coarser or bulky fibers. However, it’s important to note that if you use a fine-gauge yarn in place of a thicker one (like acrylic or wool), the piece may not be as durable as one made out of its heavier counterpart.
This is because when you crochet with thinner threads and/or lighter weight fibers, there are more holes between stitches (making them easier for babies’ small fingers to poke through). This means that the toy may fall apart sooner than expected!
If you are making a toy as a gift, make sure it is machine washable.
If you are making a toy as a gift, make sure it is machine washable. This will allow your loved one to keep the toy clean by simply throwing it in with their laundry. It also means that they can toss it in the washing machine if an accident happens during playtime!
- Make sure that the yarn is made of 100% natural materials like cotton or wool. Avoid acrylic and polyester blends because these fibers can be harmful to babies’ lungs, according to Consumer Reports.
- Keep in mind that small toys pose dangers for little ones because of choking risks; larger toys may pose problems for older toddlers who may try pulling them apart and eating parts of them (like buttons). Shape pattern size accordingly!
- Choose colors that aren’t likely to stain clothes or fabrics easily–such as white or browns–to avoid any accidents down the road when kids start chewing on these new friends.”
One of the reasons to choose crochet toys over store-bought ones is that they can be personalized to your child’s taste.
One of the reasons to choose crochet toys over store-bought ones is that they can be personalized to your child’s taste. If your baby loves animals, you could make him or her a stuffed animal in their favorite animal’s colors. If they love trucks and cars, why not make them a toy car of their own? You even have the option of making your toys bigger or smaller than what you would find at a store—the possibilities are endless!
Crocheting toys for baby lets you create something beautiful and useful that matches their personality.
Crochet toys for baby are a great way to use up leftover yarn, and they can be made in any size. You can crochet the body of a toy using one color of yarn, and then add eyes or bows with another color. You may also want to try making your own stuffed animals from scratch using this same method!
Creating your own crochet toys for baby will help you create something beautiful and useful that matches their personality. They’ll love seeing their new friend come to life with every stitch you make!
Best Yarn For Crocheting Baby Toys
Let’s take a look at the factors to consider when choosing a yarn for your next (or first!) crochet amigurumi!
1. HOW APPROPRIATE IS IT FOR WHAT YOU ARE MAKING?
Let’s face it, yarn for amigurumi animals might be a bit different than yarn for a crochet doll. You might want an eyelash yarn or faux fur yarn for an animal, but that wouldn’t be the best choice for the doll.
So the first thing to keep in mind is the intended use of the amigurumi creation. There are many crochet toys you can make with regular yarn of differing weights (which we will look at below) but for a fuzzy creation you will need to go with a different yarn.
2. WHAT COLORS ARE AVAILABLE?
Color is another choice you’ll have to make when deciding upon a yarn for your ami. The color you choose will play a big factor in how happy you are with the finished product.
Some yarns don’t come in a wide variety of colors, so if you choose one of those yarns you will be limited as to what color you can make. If you are making a doll, you will need to consider the skin tone of your doll.
So you want to choose a yarn that comes in many different colors, so that you won’t be limited by the selection. There are many great yarns out there that have a wide assortment of colors.
3. HOW EASY IS IT TO CARE FOR?
If your amigurumi is going to be given to a child, you know that it will eventually get a bit dirty, especially if it is well-loved. There are many different ways to wash stuffed toys, and we like to wash ours in a sink or bowl with soapy water. It’s amazing how much different it can look from a bath! Haha!
Acrylics are good for this because they are extremely washable. Even if you are just going to spot clean, an acrylic is a good choice. Cotton is also good as they are easy to wash.
4. WHAT IS THE FIBER CONTENT?
This really piggybacks on the last question, because the fiber content of the yarn will, in large part, determine how easy it is to care for. When crocheting amigurumi, you want a yarn that won’t kill your hands while you are making it (not too rough), looks great in simple single crochet and holds up well to being stuffed and held.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular fibers for crochet toys.
ACRYLIC
Acrylic is wonderful for a lot of uses, including ami. It is machine washable, which is the first important item to consider! It’s also relatively inexpensive, but since the projects are small that isn’t as much of a factor as larger projects.
Acrylic yarn can be found in just about any color you can imagine, too, so the sky is the limit when crocheting an ami out of this fiber! This yarn isn’t too rough on your hands as you work it (unlike some of the bargain acrylics of the old days!) and it is very durable.
COTTON
Another popular choice is cotton yarn. This fiber has amazing stitch definition and is what I prefer for the bodies of my amigurumi dolls and other toys. Then, I make the clothes (if I’m making any) out of acrylic.
Cotton is also machine washable and very durable. It can tend to stretch out of shape if it gets wet a lot, though, so keep that in mind when choosing your yarn.
You can find sturdy cotton yarn made for kitchen use in most any color and very inexpensively. I prefer a softer cotton or even a cotton blend, as we will see below.
5. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Since you are usually making smaller items for amigurumi, this doesn’t factor in as much as if you were making something large like a blanket or crochet rug. However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t care how much the yarn is!
For me, when I crochet a doll I often will use several skeins of yarn, one for the body, one for the hair, and one or two for the clothes. If you are making ami with multiple colors you run into the same issue, so it can get pricey if you need a large amount of skeins for just a tiny bit of each, so cost can factor into the equation.
6. WHERE CAN I FIND IT?
Sometimes I really just want to feel the yarn before I choose it. Can you relate? I like to squish the skeins and see how the fibers feel.
So as much as I love online shopping, there is just something about being able to handle the yarn that appeals to me. I tend to use yarn that is available nearby, although there are times that I really love ordering online, from places such as We Crochet.
So while I am providing links to the yarns below, many of these are also available at your local store (think JoAnn or Michael’s, and sometimes even WalMart!) and a lot of times you can use a coupon at the big craft stores or they run sales on yarn! (I love the 20% off total purchase coupons when they run them and sometimes they will have 25% off a certain brand, so be on the lookout for deals!)
BEST YARN FOR AMIGURUMI
There are many different yarns on the market that make amazing crocheted creations, and it would be impossible for me to list them all here, but these are some of my favorite ones that I have used and loved.
I’ve broken them down by fiber type so you can easily choose the yarn that best meets your needs.
ACRYLIC
LION BRAND VANNA’S CHOICE
This amazing acrylic yarn has withstood the test of time and has been a fan favorite for years! Some of my friends who are die-hard ami fans swear by this yarn for their creations. It’s inexpensive, comes in a lot of colors, and has excellent stitch definition. Not to mention it’s easy to care for!
Fiber Content: 100% acrylic for most colors, some have a slight rayon content
Yarn Weight: Worsted Weight #4
Yardage/Weight: Varies by style (solids vs prints, etc), but solids have 100g/3.5oz and 156 yards
Care: Machine Wash, Machine Dry
Click here to check out Vanna’s Choice!
PAINTBOX YARNS SIMPLY DK
Oh, my, how I love this yarn!! It comes in so many colors and is a dream to work with. If you are looking for a DK (weight #3) yarn for your amigurumi needs, this is a must for you. Its genergous yardage means you get a lot for your money.
Fiber Content: 100% acrylic
Yarn Weight: DK weight #3
Yardage/Weight: 3.5 oz, 302 yards
Care: Machine wash cold, tumble dry low
Click here to check out Paintbox Yarns Simply DK!
COTTON
LION BRAND 24/7 COTTON
24/7 Cotton is a wonderful mercerized cotton that would be completely amazing for any amigurumi project. This yarn has been used for years as an ami favorite – I’ve even seen some amazingly cute nativity figures in this yarn!
Fiber Content: 100% Mercerized Cotton
Yardage/Weight: 186 yards/3.5oz
Care: Machine wash and dry
Click here to check out 24/7 Cotton yarn!
DISHIE FROM WE CROCHET
This great cotton is one of my favorites! It’s tough enough to be used in kitchen items (hence the name), but soft enough to become a treasured amigurumi masterpiece. It comes in a wide variety of colors (including Multi and Twist) and is a real value.
Fiber Content: 100% Cotton
Yarn Weight: Worsted weight #4
Yardage/Weight: 190 yards/100g
Care: Machine wash cold, tumble dry low
Click here to check out Dishie Yarn!
SEMI-COTTON
COTLIN FROM WE CROCHET
I love CotLin for making crochet dolls and other amigurumi! This cotton blend is a dream to work with, has amazing stitch definition and comes in a ton of colors. It’s a must-try.
Fiber Content: 70% Tanguis Cotton, 30% Linen
Yarn Weight: DK #3
Yardage/Weight: 50g, 123 yards
Care: Machine washable, tumble dry low
Click here to check out CotLin!
LION BRAND COBOO
This is the yarn I used for my super popular crochet doll pattern featured at the top of this article – Morgan. She was entirely crocheted in Coboo – a cotton/bamboo blend that really made the difference with that crochet pattern. Great stitch definition, inexpensive (I can even find it at my local Walmart!) and it comes in a variety of colors, although not as many as a lot on this list. They do have three different skin tone shades I like.
Fiber Content: 50% cotton, 50% rayon from bamboo
Yarn Weight: DK #3
Yardage/Weight: 100g, 232 yards
Care: Machine Wash and Dry
Click here to check out Coboo!
NOVELTY YARNS
FABLE FUR FROM WE CROCHET
The softness of this yarn is truly amazing. If you are making a stuffed toy that you want to be furry, this faux fur yarn is for you! It’s easy to work with, soft, and comes in several colors. It is a heavy yarn weight, so be prepared to make some medium to large stuffed toys with this yarn.
Fiber Content: 100% Polyester
Yarn Weight: Super bulky weight #6
Yardage/Weight: 71 yards/100g
Care: Hand wash, dry flat
Click here to check out Fable Fur yarn!
LOOKING FOR AWESOME FREE AMIGURUMI PATTERNS? CHECK THESE OUT:
COMMON AMIGURUMI YARN QUESTIONS
Can I use any yarn for amigurumi?
While technically you can use any yarn for amigurumi, you will find the best stitch definition with cotton, acrylic or a semi cotton yarn (a cotton blend). These three fibers will hold up best to the shaping of ami parts and they are all easy to care for.
What hook size should you use for amigurumi?
The best hook size depends upon the yarn you’ve chosen. Yarn labels will usually always have a recommended hook size, and the best hook size for amigurumi will be a size or two smaller than that called for on the label, because it will give you a much tighter stitch, necessary to hide stuffing and not create holes.
What weight yarn is used for amigurumi?
You can use a few different weights depending upon the size you want your stitches to be (and how large you want the finished project to be). The smallest that is commonly used is sport weight yarn (category #2), but you can also commonly find ami patterns in DK yarn (category #3) and probably the most common is worsted weight yarn (category #4).
Is amigurumi yarn different?
You won’t really find any yarns that say they are specifically for amigurumi, so you will be using the same yarns that other people might choose for a crochet blanket or other project. A good mercerized cotton yarn is an excellent choice for crochet amigurumi, and sometimes you can find tiny ami using crochet thread.
Is worsted yarn good for amigurumi?
Absolutely! You can find a slew of amazing patterns that use worsted weight yarn. It works up quickly and is the most popular yarn weight of them all.
Is mercerized cotton good for amigurumi?
This is an excellent choice because the yarn has been treated to hold dye better and it also resists fuzzing and pilling (both of which are annoying!). This yarn isn’t as soft as some other cottons, but its durability makes it an excellent choice for amigurumi.
Is merino wool yarn good for amigurumi?
You can use a wool yarn if you like for amigurumi! Be careful because wool can felt if it is not a superwash wool, but wool can make excellent stuffed creations. It didn’t make the list above because cotton, semi cotton yarn and acrylic are usually preferred.
Conclusion
Crochet toys for babies can be a great way to keep your little one entertained and help them learn new things. It is also a great way to create something beautiful and useful that matches their personality. With these tips from our experts, you can now start crocheting toys for baby in no time!