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BLOG Nº 44Amigurumi Mistakes: 7 Fixes
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The most common message we receive from new amigurumi makers is a photograph and a variation of the same question: “What did I do wrong?” The piece is usually not unacceptably wrong — it is just not the same as the pattern photo. One eye is higher than the other. The head tilts to the left. The body is smaller than expected. The stuffing is visible.
None of these problems require frogging. Most do not require any crocheting at all. They are construction and positioning problems, and they have specific solutions.
Why “lopsided” is almost never a tension problem
The first instinct when something looks off is to blame tension. Tension is important, but uneven tension produces uneven fabric — not lopsided assemblies. Lopsided amigurumi is almost always a problem of placement (where you attached things) or stuffing (how much and how it was distributed). Fix those first.
Fix 1: The eyes are not level
The problem: One safety eye is higher than the other, or one is closer to the centre.
The fix: Eyes must always be placed symmetrically before the backing washer is pushed on, because the washer cannot be removed without destroying the eye. Use a pin for both eyes simultaneously. Count stitches from the centre (usually the magic ring anchor at the top of the head) outward to each eye. The stitch count must be identical for both eyes. Count the stitches down from the crown and across from the centre before inserting either eye.
Prevention: Mark the exact stitch for each eye with a locking stitch marker before opening the eye packaging. Do not touch the eyes until both marks are placed and you have verified symmetry from three angles: front, top, and each side.
Fix 2: The head tilts to one side
The problem: The head-body join produces a slight angle — the head faces left when the body faces forward.
The fix: The head tilts because the join stitches are not distributed evenly around the circumference. The head is attached by sewing through matching stitches on the head’s closing round and the body’s opening, but if more stitches are caught on one side than the other, the head is pulled.
Before weaving in the joining tail, check the tilt while the head is still adjustable. Add extra stitches on the thin side. The join is forgiving if you catch it before the tail is woven.
Alternative: Stuff the head firmly before joining. An under-stuffed head is floppy and tilts toward gravity. Firm stuffing maintains the upright position even if the join is slightly uneven.
Fix 3: The piece is smaller than the pattern photo
The problem: The finished piece is noticeably smaller than the pattern photo and the stated dimensions.
The fix: This is a tension and gauge problem, and it is one of the few lopsided-amigurumi issues that does require checking your work before the next project. Amigurumi is worked with tight tension (firm fabric that does not show stuffing), but if your tension is tighter than the pattern designer’s, your pieces will be smaller.
Measure your magic ring to 6 sc. It should measure approximately 2–2.5 cm across. If it measures 1.5 cm, your tension is tighter; go up one hook size. See https://sageandsilky.com/crochet-gauge-swatch-amigurumi/ for the full ten-minute gauge check routine.
Fix 4: The stuffing shows through
The problem: Fibrefill is visible through the stitches, especially on decrease rounds.
The fix: Two causes. First: the fabric is too open because the hook is too large. Use a hook 0.5–1 mm smaller than the yarn label’s recommendation for amigurumi. Second: the fibrefill is clumped. Do not stuff in compressed blocks — pull small pieces of fibrefill apart and use light wisps rather than compressed wads. The wisps fill the interior without creating lumps that push through gaps.
Fix 5: The nose or muzzle sits off-centre
The problem: The embroidered nose or sewn muzzle is not centred on the face.
The fix: The face of an amigurumi is on the side of the piece, not at the point of the magic ring. Many beginners assume the magic ring marks “top of head” and place the face relative to it. In most sitting amigurumi, the magic ring is the bottom of the piece or the top of the back — not the face plane.
Find the face by stuffing the piece and sitting it upright on a flat surface. The natural resting angle determines the face plane. Mark the centre of that plane with a pin, then position all features relative to that pin — not relative to the magic ring.
Fix 6: The arms are at different heights
The problem: One arm sits higher on the body than the other.
The fix: When attaching sewn limbs, count stitches up from the base of the body to the attachment row for each arm. Use the same stitch row for both. Then count stitches around from the front-centre seam to each arm attachment point — again, identical counts. If you have a stitch marker on the body seam, this is straightforward. If you do not have a marked seam, create one with a locking marker before attaching any limbs.
Fix 7: The stuffing sags after a few days
The problem: The finished piece was firm and upright when completed; a week later, it is soft and slightly deflated.
The fix: Under-stuffing is the primary cause. Most beginners stuff too lightly because the piece looks full while they are working on it; once the closing seam is tightened, the stuffing compresses and the piece deflates slightly. Stuff harder than looks right — the piece will settle to the correct firmness after the seam is closed.
Secondary cause: using recycled or low-loft fibrefill that does not spring back. Fresh, high-loft polyester fibrefill is the correct material. Repurposed pillow stuffing often compresses permanently.
Free checklist: before you close any amigurumi
- Pieces counted and accounted for ✓
- Eyes placed symmetrically, both marked before washer ✓
- Stuffing: light wisps, not compressed blocks ✓
- Piece stuffed firmly — more than you think it needs ✓
- Joints (head, arms, legs) pinned and checked from three angles before sewing ✓
- Tail left long enough to adjust join if needed ✓
Related patterns
- https://sageandsilky.com/product/cheeky-pumpkin-plush-crochet-pattern/ Cheeky Pumpkin Plush — the simplest construction that applies all seven fixes above
- https://sageandsilky.com/product/chubby-cats-%c2%b7-6-in-1-crochet-pattern-bundle/ Chubby Cats 6-in-1 — for practising consistent eyes and face placement across six colourways
- https://sageandsilky.com/low-sew-amigurumi-guide/ — how eliminating sewn joins removes several of these errors at the source
FAQ
Q: Is it normal for my first amigurumi to look different from the pattern photo?
A: Yes. Pattern photos are taken on pieces made by the pattern designer who knows the pattern’s intended tension and construction sequence. A first-attempt piece will look somewhat different. The goal is closer with each project, not identical on the first.
Q: Can I fix safety eyes after the backing washer is on?
A: No — the washer is permanent. If the position is wrong, the eye cannot be repositioned without replacing it. This is why pinning before placing is non-negotiable.
Q: Why does my amigurumi look better from some angles than others?
A: All amigurumi has a “good side” — the angle from which it was styled for the pattern photo. This is not a flaw; it is a feature of three-dimensional construction. Identify the best angle for display and position the piece accordingly.
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