Hugs and amigurumi Crochet
Amber Winsveen
Jootjes Silicone Beads
Handmade baby toys are trendy!
What is currently possible in the field of handmade baby toys?
As mentioned, in this blog we will focus on crocheted cuddly toys, also known as Amigurumi, but there is much more you can make when thinking of a homemade newborn gift. Below is a list you can use for inspiration:
- A baby blanket
- Babykleding en/of babyschoentjes.
- A wooden or Silicone Teething ring.
- A Pram garland
- A Pacifier chain or toy Cord.
- Houten en/of crocheted baby rattle.
- A comfort blanket, like this one from Haakstudio for example
- A handmade wooden or Silicone baby gym > Read more about this in our blog about the Make of a baby gym.
- Crocheted toy tower with stackable rings, such as the stacking rabbit by Christel Krukkert or the stackable bear.
All the above products can be made from wood, silicone, or crocheted/knitted materials and can often be both crocheted and knitted. Since there are so many fun things that can be made as a baby shower gift, we focus in this blog on making Amigurumi/crocheted stuffed animals. Read below for our tips and tricks.
Materials, quality and safety are important when Make Amigurumi
WHAT DO WE RECOMMEND FOR Yarn?
The most popular material when you want to make anything for babies is cotton. Cotton is easy to wash and hardly pills. Therefore, it is virtually impossible for a little one to ingest fibers from the material while sucking on the product. In addition, children are less likely to develop an allergy or irritation from cotton in the long term than from, for example, acrylic or wool. Always look for high‑quality products.
Dutch products are almost always dyed with non‑toxic substances. This isn’t always the case for cotton from abroad. A tip we often recommend is Durable Coral yarn. This yarn is 100 % cotton and GOTS‑certified. It is produced responsibly (both the yarn itself and the dyeing). In addition, it is available in a large range of as many as 85 Beautiful colours. Did you know that Durable Coral yarn has been sold in the Netherlands for more than 30 years? A true market favourite! The yarn has a length of 125 meters per 50 grams, and the recommended hook size is 2.5 to 3.5 mm. We often crochet amigurumi with a size‑2 hook, which keeps the stitches nicely closed and shows little of the stuffing. Keep in mind that this also depends on how tight or loose you crochet, which varies from person to person. How tight or loose you crochet and how regularly you work often also depends on how long you’ve been crocheting. Beginners tend to crochet more loosely or more tightly and less consistently. You develop this skill over time, so never be discouraged! That’s how we all start! 🙂
Important tip: For baby blankets, cotton is virtually always preferred. This also ensures good ventilation, so the baby does not get too Warm or too cold quickly. It's important to always consider the blanket's function and not just its final appearance.
How do you stuff Crocheted plush toys/Amigurumi?
Okay, we have chosen the yarn for our cuddly toy. The exterior is ready to be shaped, but what are we going to fill our Amigurumi with? The most important first question is, do you want to be able to wash your cuddly toy? The underlying question is usually whether the toy is for decoration or whether the child will have much more contact with it during play. You need to take this into account when filling your cuddly toy. Special stuffing is available. This is mostly synthetic and often expensive. Here at Jootjes Haakcadeautjes you won’t find any stuffing. Why not, you might ask?..
The answer is simple. If we are critical about anything, it’s our pillow filling. You know, from your pillow. You want to lie comfortably at night as soon as you lay your head down to rest. That makes pillow filling the ideal filling for a stuffed animal. Find an affordable pillow to use as filling for your plush. For example, this one we always use, just from Ikea. Super cheap and machine washable up to 60 degrees. Why make it difficult when it can be easy! 🙂
So you choose a washable pillow combined with high-quality cotton. Then the cuddly toy is certainly washable. Keep the washing instructions for both. Of course, you follow the strictest, lowest temperature.
Next, when it comes to cuddly toys for babies, toddlers and children, it is important that the stuffing stays inside and doesn’t secretly come out again. Crochet work is essentially a series of stitches made from yarn, so it always contains holes. A beginner crocheter will often see slightly larger holes in their work than a more experienced crocheter. Therefore, for both skill levels we advise you to ensure that the stuffing cannot pass through the holes in the crochet or knitting work.
A handy tip is to first fill your stuffed animal with, for example, the foot of a pantyhose, and then fill that with the stuffing. If you like, you can also add a rattle disc, squeaker, or music box to the stuffing. Close the pantyhose once the body part of the stuffed animal is sufficiently filled, and then finish closing the stuffed animal according to the pattern instructions. This way, the stuffing cannot escape from the stuffed animal. This prevents the stuffing from coming loose if the stuffed animal is being scraped. And finally, don’t forget to check whether a rattle disc, squeaker, or music box is suitable for machine washing!
Crochet hook:
Good luck and have fun Crochet your own cuddly toy!
Love,
Team Jootjes
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