Free pattern
Basic Amigurumi Ball
The shape almost every amigurumi animal is built from. Increases to open it out, plain rounds for the middle, decreases to close it up. Learn this and most character patterns stop looking mysterious.
- Skill level
- Beginner (comfortable working in the round, from the coaster pattern or similar)
- Finished size
- About 2.5 inches across
- Time
- 45 minutes to an hour
What you need
- Worsted weight yarn, small amount (under 30 yards)
- 4mm (G-6) hook (a size down from standard, for tighter amigurumi fabric that holds stuffing in)
- Polyester fiberfill stuffing
- Stitch marker
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
Abbreviations
- ch
- chain
- sc
- single crochet
- st(s)
- stitch(es)
- inc
- increase (2 sc in same st)
- dec
- decrease (2 sc worked together as 1)
Instructions
- Round 1Ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
- Round 2Inc in each st around. (12 sc)
- Round 3*Sc 1, inc 1* rep around. (18 sc)
- Round 4*Sc 2, inc 1* rep around. (24 sc)
- Rounds 5-8Sc in each st around, no increases. (24 sc) — this is the point to start stuffing, adding a little more as the ball closes up.
- Round 9*Sc 2, dec 1* rep around. (18 sc)
- Round 10*Sc 1, dec 1* rep around. (12 sc)
- Round 11Dec in each st around. (6 sc)
Finishing
Fasten off, leaving a long tail (about 10 inches). Thread the tail through the yarn needle, weave through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches, pull tight to close the hole, then weave the tail through the center of the ball to hide it before trimming.
Notes
- Add stuffing gradually starting around round 5 or 6, not all at once at the end. It's much easier to pack evenly this way, and you can adjust firmness before the hole closes up.
- Amigurumi is worked at a tighter gauge than most other crochet (hence the smaller 4mm hook), which is what keeps the stuffing from showing through gaps in the stitches.
- If your ball is coming out lopsided, check that your increases and decreases are evenly spaced around the round, not clustered together.
What to make next
Once this shape feels comfortable, it's the base for a huge range of amigurumi animals and characters, most of which just add limbs and a face to this same ball technique. Try our amigurumi bunny pattern or amigurumi cat pattern next, both add ears and a tail to this exact base. If you'd rather follow a designed character pattern with full shaping instead of building your own, our best amigurumi kits for beginners guide covers kits built around exactly that. Back to all free patterns.