If you want to crochet eyes for dolls, stuffed animals or amigurumi, there is an easier solution! You can get safety eyes for amigurumi or your crochet projects. They come in sizes all the way from small up to large safety eyes. You will get a uniform look every time on your project and won’t even need to learn how to crochet eyes with yarn. Plus that sometimes has an unfinished look. Safety eyes are always the way to go with amigurumi.
We will look at what are safety eyes, how to use them and where to get these plastic eyes for crochet projects!
The Two Types of Eyes for Amigurumi
Largely there are two types of eyes for crochet or amigurumi. You have plastic eyes known as safety eyes or you could sew in your eyes. We first started by sewing in eyes but quickly realized how much better safety eyes look.
They also save time since they snap-in. You won’t have to learn embroidery or switch your yarn color just for the eyes. Let’s look at safety eyes vs sewing in eyes for crochet.
Safety Eyes
What Are Safety Eyes?
Safety eyes are plastic eyes. You may have seen them on projects but not have known what they are or where to get them. You won’t even need a crochet eyes-free pattern with safety eyes. It’s snap and go.
There are two parts to the safety eyes. The front is the eye with a post and safety eye backs which are more like a washer. Both pieces are plastic but you can get eyes in different colors like green, red, and blue.
What Are Safety Eyes Used for?
Safety eyes are used for crafting but more specifically they are perfect for crochet and amigurumi. Here are a few of the projects you can use safety eyes on to replace sewing on eyes with yarn –
- Crochet Dolls
- Amigurumi
- Stuffed Animals
If you plan to make few crochet dolls or amigurumi projects then safety eyes is the best solution. For under $20 you can get a massive box of eyes that you might not even use up in a year.
Safety Eyes Sizes: What to Know
When you get ready to get your safety eyes, consider how big your project is. This will have you better determine what size safety eyes you need. Each size of safety eyes will come with a corresponding size plastic washer for the backing.
Safety eye sizes range from small to large and you can really find anything in between. Some of the eyes are measured in millimeters so if you are looking for something specific then you should be able to find it like 3mm or 6mm safety eyes. Both are common sizes and come in many kits.
Once you have a bunch of sizes, you won’t need to make eyes for your dolls or stuffed animals.
Yarrney Advice: After you get done here, get your safety eyes and make your projects look better instantly!
How to Crochet Eyes for Stuffed Animals or Amigurumi
If you don’t want to get safety eyes, you can always crochet eyes for stuffed animals using yarn. Other people make embroidered eyes for dolls. We don’t generally like to do either.
Crocheting your eyes on amigurumi projects has these drawbacks –
- It is time-consuming
- The look doesn’t always look finished
- It can look cheap
- You don’t get consistent results
Not to forget, if you try to use embroidery thread to make eyes for your doll, you can be sewing for ages. You’ll have to go back and forth many times with the small thread vs just popping in a finished safety eye.
How to Use Safety Eyes
To use your safety eyes there are a few steps you need to follow, with one being super important, step 3-
- Determine the size safety eyes you need before starting your project
- Match up your corresponding back of the safety eye and set aside
- Before you have stuffed your head all the way, insert a safety eye through your crochet.
- Push it into the back washer which goes inside the head of your project
- Once it snaps, you have made a good connection!
How to Put on Safety Eyes
If there is any confusion on how to put on safety eyes, it is simple. Refer to steps 3 and 4 above. You’ll want to determine your holes, put the eye through and attach the plastic post to the plastic washer.
How to Remove Safety Eyes
It gets a little trickier to remove safety eyes. You can do this as long as you haven’t stuffed your head all the way. Just pull off the back of the safety eye and put the post in it again.
It’s tricky if you have closed off your head. Then a lot of the time you can’t move your eyes on your project.
The Best Safety Eyes for Amigurumi
The best safety eyes for amigurumi are going to be a full kit of safety eyes. You are going to want to buy once and get a bunch of sizes.
The issue with kits is that you’ll often get a kit in all black and then a colored kit. If you want colored eyes, often you’ll have to get a second kit. For 95% of amigurumi projects, we just use black safety eyes and you probably will as well!
Where to Buy Safety Eyes for Amigurumi
We rounded up all the places to buy safety eyes for amigurumi. The easiest once is fortunately and unfortunately Amazon but if you are in a Michael’s or Joanns, they should have them too!
- Michael’s
- Hobby Lobby
- Joanns
- Amazon
Final Thoughts on Safety Eyes for Amigurumi
While you don’t need safety eyes for your crochet dolls or amigurumi projects, we’d argue that you’ll save time, a headache and get better results with safety eyes. Grab a kit and it will bring even more fun to your amigurumi projects.
Once you try using safety eyes on your project, you’ll never go back to sewing on your eyes again!.
