Safety eyes can make or break a crochet toy. Put them two stitches too far apart and your sweet little bear suddenly looks surprised. Put them in after the head is closed and you are stuck. Once you know the order of steps, though, adding eyes is one of the most fun parts of any project.
This guide walks you through how to attach safety eyes to amigurumi: picking the right size, finding the perfect spot, locking the backs so they never come loose, and what to do if you change your mind. It also covers when to skip safety eyes and embroider instead.
What You’ll Need
- Safety eyes with washers (plastic backs) in the size your pattern calls for
- Your crocheted head, stuffed partway, with the opening still wide
- Stitch markers or straight pins to test placement
- Polyester fiberfill
- Optional: a safety eye insertion tool, which helps you press the washer on evenly
- Optional: small felt circles to put behind the eyes
How Safety Eyes Work
A safety eye has two parts: the front eye with a ridged post, and a washer that slides onto the post from the inside of the toy. The ridges let the washer slide on in only one direction. Once it is pushed down, it grips tightly and is very hard to pull back off.
That is why timing matters. You need to reach the inside of the piece to put the washer on, so the eyes must go in before you close the head.
Picking the Right Size
Your pattern will usually tell you the eye size. If it doesn’t, or you are changing yarn, use this as a rough starting point.
| Toy size | Common eye size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Keychain or mini (under 3 in) | 4–6 mm | Small eyes keep minis looking cute, not bug-eyed |
| Small toy (4–6 in) | 6–9 mm | Works well with DK or light worsted yarn |
| Medium toy (7–10 in) | 9–12 mm | Common for worsted weight animals |
| Large or chunky yarn toy (11 in+) | 12–18 mm | Plush and chenille yarns often need bigger eyes |
These are not rules. Smaller eyes set wide apart look sweet and baby-like. Bigger eyes look more cartoon-like. Lay a few sizes on the head before you choose.
Where to Place Safety Eyes
Step 1: Stuff the head partway. Crochet the head until you are into the decrease rounds, with a wide opening left. Add some fiberfill so the head has its real shape. Placing eyes on a flat, empty piece often looks different once it is stuffed.
Step 2: Find the rounds. Most patterns say something like “place eyes between rounds 10 and 11, about 7 stitches apart.” Count the rounds from the magic ring and mark the spot with a pin or stitch marker.
Step 3: Test the spacing. Poke the eye posts through the fabric without the washers, or use pins with round heads. Step back and look at the face from the front and from the side.
Step 4: Check it from a distance. Set the head on the table and look at it from across the room. It is much easier to spot an uneven eye this way. Move the eyes one stitch at a time until you love it.
Step 5: Take a photo. It sounds silly, but a quick phone photo shows you things your eyes miss up close, like one eye being a round higher than the other.
How to Attach Safety Eyes Step by Step
Step 1: Remove the stuffing from the eye area so you can reach the back of the fabric. You can push it to the other side of the head or take it out.
Step 2: Push the post of the eye through the gap between two stitches, not through the middle of a stitch. Pushing through a stitch splits the yarn and makes the hole bigger.
Step 3: Reach inside and slide the washer onto the post, flat side against the fabric. Make sure it is facing the right way. Most washers have one side that is flat and one side with a little collar; check the package if you are not sure.
Step 4: Press the washer down firmly with both thumbs until it is tight against the fabric. If you have an insertion tool, use it now. You should not be able to wiggle the eye.
Step 5: Repeat for the second eye. Check again that both eyes are on the same round before you lock the second one, since washers are very hard to remove.
Step 6: Put the stuffing back in, finish your decrease rounds, and close the head.
Adding Felt or Eyelids (Optional)
A small circle of white felt behind the eye gives a bright, cartoon look. Cut a circle a bit bigger than the eye, snip a tiny hole in the middle, and push the post through the felt before it goes into the crochet.
You can also embroider a small eyelid or lashes above the eye with black yarn after the head is closed. This makes a plain safety eye look softer and more friendly.
Practice Patterns
These are free, real resources you can use to practice:
- Faces for Amigurumi Part 1: Using Safety Eyes And Simple Embroidery by Jennifer Olivarez on Cut Out + Keep is a free photo tutorial that shows safety eyes with felt backing, plus a simple embroidered nose and mouth: https://cutoutandkeep.net/projects/amigurumi-faces-using-safety-eyes-and-simple-embroidery
- Little Pig by Lilleliis is a free written pattern that uses 6 mm safety eyes and DK cotton yarn, a nice small project for practicing eye placement: https://www.lilleliis.com/amigurumi-crochet-freebies/little-pig-free-pattern/
A Note on Safety
Safety eyes are made to lock, but they are still small plastic parts. A determined toddler or puppy can sometimes chew or pull them out of the crochet fabric. For babies, young children and pets, many crocheters embroider the eyes with yarn instead. If you sell toys, check the toy safety rules where you live, because they can apply to handmade items too.
Common Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
- Closing the head first. Once the head is closed, you can’t reach inside for the washer. If this happens, you’ll need to undo the last rounds, or embroider the eyes instead.
- Placing eyes on an empty head. The shape changes when you stuff it. Always stuff partway before you choose the spot.
- Pushing the post through a stitch. This splits the yarn and leaves a loose eye. Go between stitches.
- Eyes on different rounds. Count from the magic ring for each eye, and check from the side before locking.
- Washer on backwards. It won’t grip and the eye will wobble. Check the direction before you press.
- Loose stitches around the eye. If the hole looks too big, the fabric is too loose. A smaller hook on your next project helps, or add a felt backing to cover it.
Tips
- Buy a mixed pack of sizes. It’s cheaper and lets you test what looks best.
- Use a stitch marker as a “nose” while placing eyes. Faces are easier to judge with all three points marked.
- Lower eyes, placed below the middle of the head, make a toy look younger and cuter.
- If an eye is locked in the wrong spot, some crocheters carefully cut the post with wire cutters or snip the washer. Do it slowly and away from your face.
- Keep a little extra stuffing ready. Taking stuffing out to attach eyes is normal; just put it back before you close.
- Shine on the eyes matters. Glossy eyes look lively, while matte eyes give a softer, vintage look.
FAQ
Can I add safety eyes after the head is stuffed and closed?
Not easily. The washer must go on from the inside, so you need an opening. If you closed the head already, you can undo the last few rounds to make an opening, or switch to embroidered eyes, which can be stitched on a finished head with a tapestry needle.
How far apart should safety eyes be?
Follow your pattern first. If it doesn’t say, start with the eyes about as far apart as the width of three to eight stitches, depending on the size of the head, and adjust from there. Wide-set eyes look sweet and baby-like, close-set eyes look more alert. Test with the posts before locking the washers.
Are safety eyes safe for babies?
They are designed to lock tightly, but they are still small hard parts that could come loose if the fabric is pulled or chewed. For gifts for babies and young toddlers, most makers embroider the eyes with yarn instead. It looks just as cute and there are no small parts.
Once you get the hang of placing and locking safety eyes, you’ll find it is the moment your crochet toy really comes to life.