Choose your yarn, preferably one that you feel comfortable with. Chenille yarn is a bit harder to see. I would not use fur yarn to start with. I would recommend cotton, a cotton blend, or acrylic yarn but this is your choice.
Before, even choosing your favorite hook, decide if you like tapered or inline hooks. Tapered hooks (think Boye hooks) have a rounded head with a narrow throat that widens to the shaft, while inline hooks (think Susan Bates) have a flat angular head hook that is the same width as the shaft. I would recommend getting one of each and decide which you like better. These are often available at thrift stores or maybe someone in your family has one. I prefer tapered hooks
Choose your hook. It’s important that your hook feels comfortable. I use tulip etimo red hooks. These hooks are shorter in size and have a cushioned grip making it easier for my small hands. I think metal hooks are better for amigurumi. The most popular hooks in the crochet community are clover amour. There are a few other options but those are the most popular. You will want to decide which is your favorite.
Magic Rings, a lot of patterns use magic rings. This is considered the hardest part of crocheting amigurumi. I know people will disagree with me, but I will mention some alternatives here. One of the alternatives is the chain two method, this is where you chain two and put the number of stitches the pattern calls for in the first chain. The second method is making chains, joining the first chain with the last, and crocheting into the ring you just created. A lot of vintage patterns use this method, and I believe this is more inclusive.
Figure out what your tension is. Your crochet tension can be tight or loose; tighter crochet stitches are a bit more rigid while looser crochet stitches are more fluid and drapey. My tension runs tighter, so making an amigurumi is a bit easier for me, if I want to make a wearable, I must go up a hook size.
Decide if you prefer to yarn over or yarn under. Yarning over creates stitches with a V shape while yarning under creates stitches with an X shape. Since my tension runs on the tighter end, I yarn over but there are plenty of crocheters that yarn under and this is their preferred method.
The recommended hook size on the yarn label, is just that, a recommendation. This will differ when making amigurumi, generally you will go down a hook size or two if you are making a plushie. The recommended hook size is usually to make garments, but I think tension still plays a big role.
Math does play role in making amigurumi, whether you are creating amigurumi from a pattern or free handing the pattern. Amigurumi is crocheted in the round and there will be rounds where you increase to create a higher stitch count or decrease to create a smaller stich count.
There are a few important materials needed to crochet amigurumi. These include stitch markers, fiberfill, tapestry needles, and safety eyes. The stitch marker will help keep track of the last stitch on the round; you can also use a piece of embroidery floss or yarn to keep track of this. The fiberfill is used for stuffing the toy, safety eyes will be for the plushie, but you can also embroider the eyes. The tapestry needle is used to sew and weave in ends.
When crocheting an amigurumi, you will most likely need to sew. This will help with connecting all the parts together and the details of the finished product. There will patterns that do not require sewing but most likely, there will be some sewing.
