How to stuff amigurumi for lefties

Amigurumi, crochet stuffed toys, are stuffed with polyfil. How you stuff your amigurumi will greatly affect its final shape – lumpy or smooth, saggy or plump. If you don’t add enough stuffing, your amigurumi may sink in here and there. On the other hand, if you add too much stuffing, your stitches might expand to the point that the polyfil is visible from the outside. It takes time to learn how much stuffing to put in your work, but don’t worry – you’ll get a feel for it with some experience.

Watch the video below for two ways to stuff amigurumi, so that your piece stays smooth.

Step-by-step photos: Bottom up

This method involves adding polyfil in thin layers. This is the method I personally use, since it ensures a smooth finish even as I stuff my amigurumi to the very end.

1. Pull apart a thin piece of polyfil, and shape it into roughly the same diameter as the bottom most point of your work.

2. Put this layer of polyfil in your work.

3. Push down on the polyfil layer from all angles, to try to make it as consistently flat as possible. Keep adding thin layers of polyfil, adjusting the size of it as the size of your work changes.

Step-by-step photos: Outside in

1. Stuff your work with a piece of polyfil large enough to fill the entire work. You often need more polyfil for this than you think. Try to make sure that the polyfil touching your work is one continuous piece, so that it’s as smooth as possible.

2. If your work isn’t as firm as you’d like, add more polyfil to the center of the the work, to preserve the smooth outer layer. Keep repeating this step until your work is as firm as you like.