Amigurumi, the Japanese art of crocheting small stuffed animals, are usually constructed of separate pieces for the head, arms, legs and body, that are then sewn together to complete the piece. While it is possible to knit amigurumi, the overwhelming majority of patterns are for crocheters. The word is from a combination of Japanese ami, meaning crochetted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll.http://www.diylife.com/2007/08/07/diy-definitions-amigurumi-with-tutorial/ Today, amigurumi are usually animals, but can include artistic renderings, and inanimate objects endowed with anthropomorphic features.

To follow crochet amigurumi patterns, you need to be able to make crochet chains, slip stitches and single crochet stitches in the required spiral pattern. To read amigurumi crochet patterns, make yourself familiar with the standard crochet terminology, e.g., ch represents chain, sl indicates slip stich and sc stands for single crochet.

One can find many books about amigurumi. While following the pattern, the size of the doll can be varied by both the type and weight of the yarn being used, as well as the size of the crochet hook. The thicker yarns and larger-sized hooks will result in a larger finished product and vice versa.

In addition to yarn and crochet hooks, amigurumi patterns require scissors, a yarn needle, filling materials, and thread and embroidery needle to complete each step of the pattern. Stitch markers are also helpful to indicate the ending of each round.

The most common filling materials used are bags of poly fill. Some crafters prefer to use plastic pellets, potpourri, rice, or lentils. When using rice or lentils as filling materials, be sure to place them in a bag to prevent the materials from slipping through the crochet stitches.

If the doll is going to be given to a small child as a toy, the amigurumi should not contain any small pieces that may pose a choking hazard. Embroider eyes and other facial features instead of using beads as well. Since children's toys require frequent washing, use washable yarns and filling materials. http://www.fullamigurumi.com/en/?page_id=5http://www.hookandneedles.com/2008/03/22/amigurumi-tutorial-1/