• How To's

    How to Finish Off Amigurumi Using the Ultimate Finish

    /
    amigurumi project finished using the ultimate finish technique
    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    When crocheting amigurumi projects, there are a number of techniques that can be utilized to get get a better-looking finish. Sometimes designers will include instructions for some of these techniques in their patterns and sometimes, they’ll expect you to already know them. Today I want to show you how to finish off amigurumi using the ultimate finish technique. Having the ultimate finish technique in your tool box will enable you to use it for any amigurumi project, whether other not it has been provided for you in a pattern.

    Pin it for later Save

    To get the absolute best finish possible, make sure you’re using the invisible decrease stitch for your single crochet decreases (SCDEC) in your final rounds. You can find my tutorial on how to do the invisible decrease stitch HERE. Using this in conjunction with the ultimate finish will help minize any gaps or hole when you’re finishing off your amigurumi project.

    Check out my How to Finish Off Amigurumi Using the Ultimate Finish video tutorial here:

    How to Finish Amigurumi with Ultimate Finish

    When you are on the last round of your amigurumi piece and your piece is stuffed, you should have (generally) 6 single crochet (SC) stitches remaining in the round.

    amigurumi project with after the last row is finished.

    When the pattern says to finish off (FO), cut your yarn leaving a long tail and thread the tail onto a tapestry/yarn needle. Using your tapestry needle, weave the yarn through the front loop of each stitch in your last round.

    amigurumi project showing the difference between front and back loops in crochet stitches

    Once you have finished, gently pull the yarn taught. This will cinch the last round closed.

    cinching the yarn closed doing the ultimate finish technique in crochet
    closed hole in amigurumi using ultimate finish technique

    Sometimes there will be a little bump that forms from cinching the hole closed. To fix this and flatten the bump, insert the needle into the centre of the bump, and out the other side of your project. This can be done almost anywhere as long as you pull your yarn out between the stitches and not through the stitches. (This will make sure you don’t damage the surface of your fabric).

    tapestry needle pointing into amigurumi project to remove the bump left from ultimate finish

    Pull the yarn taught until the bump flattens. Weave in your end and cut the yarn.

    completed project using the ultimate finish technique to finish off amigurumi

    Voila! The ultimate finish gives you… well, the ultimate finish! It is beautifully clean and tidy and can really help to improve your amigurumi projects. I hope you have enjoyed learning how to finish off your amigurumi using the ultimate finish technique. If you have any questions, pelase don’t hesitate to ask. I’d love to hear what you think once you’ve given it a try!

    Want to practice using this technique? Here are some free amigurumi crochet patterns you can use it with:

    read more
  • How To's

    How to do an Invisible Decrease

    /
    Crochet Tutorial image for how to do an invisible decrase
    This post may contain affiliate links.

    If you like to crochet amigurumi, you may have noticed (and dislike) the little bump that is formed when you’re working your single crochet decrease stitches in your projects. The standard way of executing a single crochet decrease stitch often leaves a gap or a bump on your project and then you aren’t left with a nice even fabric that you were hoping for. But, there is a better way of doing a decrease stitch that can do wonders for your amigurumi projects: the invisible decrease. Here, I’ll show you how to do an invisible decrease in your crochet projects. It is something that I use in all my amigurumi projects and I think once you get the hang of doing an invisible decrease, that you’ll make it part of your amigurumi toolbox of skills.

    Pin this for Later Save

    How to make an Invisible Decrease

    When you come to the part in your crochet pattern/project where it calls for a SCDEC/Single Crochet DEC/decrease, follow these steps.

    1. Insert your hook under the front loop only (FLO) of the first stitch. You should have two loops on your hook.
    Front loops only
    Crochet stitch tutorial

    2. DO NOT YARN OVER. Insert your hook under the front loop only (FLO) of the next stitch. You should have 3 loops on your hook now.

    3. Yarn over and pull through the first two loops on your hook. You should have two loops remaining.

    invisibile decrease tutorial step 3

    Watch the video version of this Invisible Decrease Tutorial:



    4. Yarn over and pull through the remaining two loops on your hook. Invisible decrease completed.

    Completed invisible decrease

    That’s it! Super easy right? The invisible decrease is almost imperceptible when done in your amigurumi projects. The crochet invisible decrease is a total game changer. Try it in your next project and let me know what you think.

    Want to try it out? Here are some free amigurumi patterns that you can try this out with:

    read more