Embroider Amigurumi Face Features: Eyes, Nose and Mouth

A face is what turns a crochet shape into a character, and with a needle and a little thread you can embroider an amigurumi face that is soft, flat and safe to hug. This guide covers the thread and needle, marking positions with pins, the key stitches, hiding the thread inside the toy and fixing a face that went wrong.

Why embroidered features suit babies and young children

Plastic eyes and noses are held on by a washer or a backing that a determined child may be able to pull off, and a loose part is a choking risk. Stitched features have no hard parts to come loose, so most makers choose them for toys meant for babies and toddlers. Rules differ by country, so check the guidance where you live. Our guide to safety eyes for amigurumi covers when hard eyes are a reasonable choice.

Thread, yarn and needle

• Embroidery floss: six strands that you can split. Use two or three strands for a small face and all six for bold eyes.
• Thin yarn or scraps of the toy's yarn: soft and quick to work, but thicker, so it suits large toys and chunky lines.
• A sharp-tipped embroidery needle for floss, or a blunt yarn needle for yarn.
• Straight pins with round heads, a pair of small scissors and a washable marker or scrap yarn for planning lines.

Mark the position with pins first

Stuff the head firmly first, because features placed on a floppy head shift when the filling goes in. Then push pins in where the features will go and step back. Look from the front and the side, and move the pins until it looks right. Count the rounds and stitches between the pins and write the numbers down, so the two eyes match exactly.

Place the eyes for the look you want

The nose usually sits between the eyes and a little lower, with the mouth just under it. If your pattern gives round numbers, follow them.

Hide the starting thread

1. Cut about 24 inches of thread. Thread the needle and tie a small knot at the end.
2. Insert the needle at the back of the head, where hair, a tail or a seam would cover the spot, and push it through the stuffing so it comes out at the first feature.
3. Pull the thread until the knot sinks into the crochet and rests in the stuffing. A gentle tug is enough.

The four stitches you need

Pull each stitch snug, but not so hard that it puckers the crochet.

• Straight stitch (eyebrows, whiskers, a simple mouth): bring the needle up at A, then go down at B. A single straight stitch is one line. Two stitches that meet at a point make a V for a nose or a smile.
• Satin stitch (solid eyes and noses): outline the shape with pins or a few tiny stitches. Bring the needle up at the edge, go down at the opposite edge, then come up right next to the first stitch. Repeat, laying each stitch tightly beside the last, until the shape is filled.
• Back stitch (curved or straight lines): bring the needle up one stitch length from where the line starts. Go down at the start of the line, then come up one stitch length beyond the first point. Go down at the end of the previous stitch and repeat.
• Stem stitch (smooth curves, especially smiles): work from left to right. Bring the needle up, go down one stitch length ahead, and come up halfway back along that stitch. Keep the working thread on the same side, below the needle, every time.

French knots for tiny eyes

1. Bring the needle up where the eye will be.
2. Hold the thread taut with your other hand and wrap it around the needle two times, close to the toy.
3. Insert the tip back into the fabric very close to where you came out, but not in the same hole, or the knot will be pulled through.
4. Keep the thread taut, slide the wraps down the needle, and pull the needle slowly to the back until the knot sits snug on the surface.

Two wraps give a small bead, and more wraps or strands give a bigger one.

Finish and bury the thread

After the last stitch, take the needle to the back of the head and make one small stitch under a strand of crochet, or tie a small knot. Push the needle into the stuffing and bring it out a few inches away. Pull gently, snip close to the surface, and let the end slide back inside. For more on burying ends, see our guide to fastening off and weaving in ends.

Common problems and fixes

How to fix a face that looks wrong

Never cut across the crochet. Snip the thread at the back of the head, find the loose end, and pull the stitches out one by one, holding the fabric so it does not stretch. A blunt needle can nudge a stubborn stitch. The yarn may look flattened at first, and a light rub with your thumb usually relaxes it.

Practice plan

1. Make a small ball with the magic ring and stuff it firmly.
2. Pin two eyes and a nose, move them three times, and write down the best positions.
3. Stitch a French knot for each eye, then a small straight-stitch nose.
4. Unpick everything and try satin stitch eyes and a stem stitch smile on the same ball.

When the ball looks friendly, add a face to a real project. Our amigurumi patterns list the materials for each toy, and you can start with a free crochet pattern to try your new skill on.