Amigurumi

Hello,
I just started working on these cute animals.
The Catania yarn from Schachenmayer gets very stiff when crocheting.
What kind of soft yarn can I use to crochet these animals?

Cotton yarn gives the animals a firmer, more stable shape. Acrylic yarn is softer, but the shape isn’t as defined. I stuff them more tightly then.

Hi Hannelore,

oh, you’ll see that these cute little animals can get pretty addictive very quickly ;-)

And don’t worry if you don’t really like cotton yarn—for amigurumi, you can basically use any yarn you like! Some people like to use natural fibers (like sheep’s wool, merino wool, or even linen), while others prefer vegan or hypoallergenic options (like acrylic, for example)...

Just pick the yarn you like best. The only important thing is that you use yarns/colors of the same weight (usually measured by yardage) for a single project; otherwise, the proportions will be off.

Ruth is right—cotton yarn makes the little animals firmer (and helps them hold their shape well). If your little animals are meant to be cuddled and should therefore be nice and soft, then cotton isn’t actually the best choice.
If the animals will be cuddled a lot by younger children, it’s best to make sure the yarn is machine-washable even at higher temperatures and doesn’t felt.

And when it comes to stuffing (preferably with craft batting, since that’s washable too), you can control how soft or firm the little animals turn out—whichever suits your taste and intended use.

I hope you continue to have fun! And when you’ve finished something, feel free to post a picture here in the gallery.

Best wishes,
Stefanie

Hi,
Thanks for the tip, I probably won’t stuff them so tightly anymore.

Best regards,
Hannelore

Hello Stefanie,

Thank you for the detailed answer.
I’m still a beginner and am working my way through it, but I’ll manage.

I’ll use up my Catania first, then switch to a softer yarn. Maybe something synthetic—it’s easy to wash and is soft to work with and to cuddle. I’ll surprise myself!!!

For now, I’m still following patterns, nice and step by step.

So thanks again and
best regards
Hannelore